Arabian Horses for Humanity “Hero” contest entries accepted through May 31
By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press
A life-size fiberglass sculpture of an Arabian horse is ready and waiting on Fort Hood for artistic touches to be applied by the winner of a contest held by the Arabian Horses for Humanity “Hero” contest which runs until May 31.
Active duty soldiers, veterans, their families and first responders have the opportunity to submit an entry. Applicants must live within 50 miles of Fort Hood or currently be stationed at Fort Hood.
All entries will be judged based on creativity, relevance to the theme “Hero” and artistic interpretation.
The winning entry will be announced at the Region Nine Arabian Horse Show Championship Show in Fort Worth on June 1.
The winner will receive $500 for art supplies to complete the project, and will receive $1,000 upon completion of the project,
The completed statue will be unveiled during the 3rd Cavalry Regiment’s Fourth of July celebration with the artist in attendance.
The statue will be displayed by the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood and eventually will make its way to the different units before ending up at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, according to Becky Nash, Chairman of the Arabian Horses for Humanity.
Nash said that intent of the project is to promote equine assisted therapy for veterans and their families, especially for those who have returned from war with PTSD.
The donation to Fort Hood came about with the support of “The All Glory Project”, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that brings equine-assisted therapy to veterans and their families.
“It’s been found that equine assisted therapy is one of the best things for them to do to help get over things that might be physical or emotional,” Nash said.
The All-Glory Project, founded by Elizabeth Shatner, identifies equine-assisted programs in the area and helps to match soldiers with those programs and helps fund them, she added.
According to the website, the objective of the contest is to “design a painted horse that promotes the armed forces veteran and the support that is needed to bring equine therapy to those that are in need. It has already been proven that horses offer a unique avenue for therapeutic recovery of PTSD, various disabilities and many other issues. The goal is to receive maximum exposure for the project through traditional media and social media and set an example for other military units to follow.”
This statue will join other statues across the country that have helped raise money for charities such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Los Angeles Children's Hospital.
“It’s now getting a lot of momentum,” Nash said. “Like I said, we have 16 of these horses across the United States, so I think it’s pretty special that Fort Hood is getting one and we hope that we can help raise awareness for equine assisted therapy and ultimately raise some money to help with that as well.”
Those interested in participating can find and download a submission packet, including a blank sheet ready for their designs, online at www.arabianhorsesforhumanity.org. Entries should be submitted by Friday, May 31, to the Selection Committee at becksblueribbon@gmail.com. The entry must have, at minimum, a proposed design sketch, but the more detailed the submission, the stronger the impact of the judges’ decision, according to the website.
The 3rd Cavalry Association of Fort Hood has offered assistance in launching the contest and promoting the project and will be the caretaker of the finished horse, which has been donated to Fort Hood by the Region Nine Arabian Horse Club, which represents Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas in the Arabian Horse Association.
The Arabian Horses for Humanity project was created in the fall of 2016 to bring a life size artistic rendition of the world’s oldest breed of horse to communities across the country, with 16 statues distributed so far.
The statues, created by artist Karen Kasper, are made of fiberglass and are painted and then donated to raise money for various charities.
The Selection Committee is comprised of Maj. Gen. John Nichols, Retired Adjutant General of Texas; Dr. Suzanna Hupp, director of Veteran Services Texas Health & Human Services Commission and former Texas State Representative; Winter Rusiloski, Assistant Professor of Art Painting at Baylor University; Mark Himmel, director of the Region Nine Arabian Horse Association; and Elizabeth Shatner, founder of the “All Glory Project.