Gene Mische to be Honored at EQUUS Equestrian Idol
Equestrian News Release

WESTPORT, CT - February 6, 2008 - The EQUUS Foundation is pleased to announce that Gene Mische will be honored at its upcoming Equestrian Idol event on Saturday, February 9, 2008, in Wellington, Florida as the event's Honorary Chairman. The event will be held in the Special Events Pavilion on the show grounds of the Winter Equestrian Festival from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

EQUUS, a 501 (c)(3) public charity, reached its first five-year milestone this year, having awarded over $850,000 in grants to charities that use the horse to benefit the public, promote horse welfare, and elevate the equestrian sport. Funds have been raised over the past five years almost entirely from two events - one held at the Winter Equestrian Festival and the other at the Fairfield County June Benefit Horse Show.

"We are sincerely grateful to Gene for allowing us the opportunity for exposure at the Winter Equestrian Festival, and look forward to working with Mark Bellisimo and Equestrian Sport Productions as we prepare for our next milestone", said Jenny Belknap, EQUUS Chairman. "We could not have achieved this success without the support of the many generous individuals and organizations who attended our events at the Winter Equestrian Festival for the past four years."

Presenting Sponsor, Newman's Own, and Underwriting Sponsors, Callari Auto Group, Equestrian Sport Productions, Phelps Media Group SHOWLIFE Magazine and SKYY Spirits promise an evening ripe for revelry. Equestrian entertainers - Heather Caristo, Mary Charette, Hillary Dobbs, Patricia Griffith, Casey Hodges, Brian Lookabill, Ki-Juan Minors, and Chad Watridge - will perform before judges Mason "Simon Cowell" Phelps, Susie "Paula Abdul" Schoellkopf, Mark "Randy Jackson" Leone, and Celebrity Judge George Morris, Emcee Robert Dover, and an audience of equestrian notables.

Gold Medal sponsors supporting the event include Susan Bloomberg, Bobbie Braun & Split Rock Farm, Callari Auto Group, Mary & Mike Carpenter, Gray & Jerry Fadden, Fairfield Equine Associates, Meadowview Farm, Sandcastle Farm, and Spycoast Farm. Silver Medal Sponsors Ellen & Bob Healey, Louisburg Farm and the Toffolon Family will be joining Bronze Medal Sponsors, Acorn Hill Farm, The Keck Family, Hiroko Gregg Polle, and Peter Welles.

To RSVP, please contact The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., by phone (203) 259-1550, by email at equusfoundation@aol.com, or visit the EQUUS website at http://www.equusfoundation.org.



PHOTO: Eugene F. Mische. Photo courtesy of Reflections Photography.