Many items are needed for the 2006 American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Annual Auction, which will take place Wednesday, August 23, and Thursday, August 24, in the Mary Room of the Executive West Hotel during the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show. The theme of this year’s auction is “ASHA Youth – Past, Present and Future.”

Last year more than $100,000 was raised as a result of items, such as a premium terrace box at the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, a Tommy Lovell rocking horse, and a personalized James Crow charcoal portrait, being auctioned off during the silent and live auctions, as well as the proceeds from the ASHA Annual Raffle.

“This is one of our most important fundraisers of the year for the association’s youth scholarship program and other ASHA youth programs,” said Alan F. Balch, Executive Secretary. “We are very thankful to all of the patrons who donate items to the cause.”

The donation form can be downloaded here or at www.saddlebred.com/files/auctiondonationform.pdf. To make a donation or for sponsorship information, contact Brenda Newell, Senior Program Administrator, at (859) 259-2742, ext. 343, or [email protected].

The association is also encouraging its youth members to once again participate in the American Saddlebred Mania fundraising project at the ASHA Annual Auction.

Youth members and youth clubs are invited to order a small, white, plastic horse for $5. Similar to Kentucky’s Gallopalooza, participants will decorate and send their horse back to the association, and it will be sold during the silent auction. Last year, over $900 was raised in this fundraising project. Prizes will be awarded to the most creative individual and youth club entries.

To order a horse and participate, download and mail the certificate along with a $5 payment to ASHA. Certificates can be found here or at www.saddlebred.com/files/saddlebredmania.pdf. Participants are responsible for either taking their horse to the auction in Louisville themselves or shipping it to the ASHA offices. Quantities are limited.


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