Cynthia Mulvaney and Dory Tuohey Selected as Cover Artists for 2011 HITS Thermal and HITS Ocala Official Show Programs

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'A League of Its Own’ oil on linen by Cynthia Mulvaney adorns the cover of the 2011 HITS Thermal Official Show Program.

SAUGERTIES, NY (January 24, 2011) — HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce that submissions from Cynthia Mulvaney and Dory Tuohey were selected to be the cover art for the 2011 HITS Thermal and HITS Ocala Official Show Programs.

Each year HITS issues an open call for artists to submit their equine-themed work to be considered for the program covers. This year’s submission produced lots of exceptional artwork to choose from, with Mulvaney’s and Tuohey’s work, winning out over 50 submissions.

Mulvaney’s ‘A League of Its Own’, an original oil painting on linen, was selected as the artwork for the HITS Thermal Official Show Program. This highly-detailed piece captures the power, energy and movement of a horse cantering while turned out, providing a beautifully realistic image for the cover of this year’s show program.

According to Mulvaney, the piece was actually painted specifically for submission to HITS. “I had participated as an artist last year when HITS hosted an Equine Art event in Saugerties, New York and enjoyed being a part of the event so much that I painted a new equine piece in the hopes that another opportunity to partner with HITS would emerge. The inspiration for this particular painting, even though it doesn’t specifically show the horse competing, came from the fact that I wanted to express the feeling of the horse – the idea that this is the morning of a competition, when its having the last free ‘run’ before getting ready to go to the ring – like a professional athlete, ‘psyching’ himself up before the competition.”

“I was thrilled to be selected,” added Mulvaney. “I’ve long-admired HITS for its first-class competition facilities and unmatched, professional operations. I think it’s wonderful how HITS offers competitive opportunities for riders in a broad range of ages and skill levels. To be on the cover, representing one of their incredible events is quite an honor and I’m proud to have been chosen as the ‘face’ of HITS 2011 Thermal Desert Circuit!”

Mulvaney’s work is in private collections throughout the United States and abroad with recent shows in both Hudson, New York and New York City. She is on the board of directors of the Columbia County (New York) Council on the Arts and teaches mural painting and faux finishes in colleges throughout the New York area. Her public art will be featured on the television series ‘Must Love Cats’ this March 19th on the Animal Planet network. Mulvaney is from Kinderhook, New York and is the owner of CK Mulvaney Artworks, specializing in hand-painted faux finishes and custom murals for homes and businesses since 1987. Mulvaney holds a degree in Graphic Design, Packaging Design, and Fine Art from the College of Professional Design in New York City. Her body of work spans portraits, sculpture, faux finishes, murals and more. Most recently, Mulvaney’s work was selected from nearly 100 submissions for the 2010 HITS-on-the-Hudson Equestrian Art Exhibition and Auction, which helped to raise more than $15,000 for Family of Woodstock, Inc., the Official Charity of HITS-on-the-Hudson.

For more information on Cynthia Mulvaney, please visit: www.CKMulvaneyArtWorks.com.

Tuohey’s ‘Hopeful’ is the first photograph to be selected as the cover artwork for the HITS Ocala Winter Show Program. Taken by Tuohey at the 2010 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, the image captures a familiar scene of horses and riders lined up beneath one of the many giant oak trees draped in Spanish moss at Post Time Farm as they await the results of an Under Saddle class in the Main Hunter ring.

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Dory Tuohey's photograph 'Hopeful' as seen on the cover of the 2011 HITS Ocala Official Show Program.

“I was so excited to be selected as this year’s cover artist for the Ocala program,” said Tuohey. “My trainer, Nikki Jewell, encouraged me to submit the photo and when I saw the call for artists on the HITS Facebook Page, I figured why not? I love that hunter ring with the huge oak tree. Seeing the riders lined up beneath the Spanish moss that day gave me the chills.”

Tuohey grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin and now lives in Wheeling, Illinois. She attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for three years and then finished her degree in art at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. After graduation, she worked in a studio for a couple of years and soon built up her own clientele, which allowed her to start her own business. Tuohey’s also has a varied range from elegant wedding and engagement photography, to a wonderful and stunning collection of portraits, including a collection of infant and equine photos, a relatively new subject of interest for her.

“I first photographed a co-worker on the trails about three years ago,” said Tuohey. “The horses at the barn were just amazing to me. That photo session lead me to riding myself. I was instantly hooked. While, most of my business comes from weddings and families, I am in love with photographing people with their horses. I’m the ‘resident photographer’ at our barn with a gallery space in the club room full of photos of my clients/friends and their horses.”

For more information on Dory Tuohey, please visit: www.DoryLTuohey.com.

The 2011 Official Show Programs will be distributed on-site to all exhibitors and spectators attending the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California and the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit in Ocala, Florida. The programs feature lots of important information about the shows, as well as great editorial content, including articles and activities geared toward exhibitors and spectators as well as content and advertising from sponsors and popular local businesses in around the communities that surround the horse shows.

The HITS Ocala Winter Circuit just kicked off the first of two Pre-Circuit weeks of competition. The AA-rated Circuit in Ocala gets underway on Tuesday, February 8, while out west the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, California begins on Tuesday, January 25.

Early planning and production for the 2011 HITS Saugerties Official Show Program are underway. Another open call for artists to submit artwork will be announced soon. Artwork submissions for the HITS Saugerties Official Show Program will be due on Friday, April 8. For more information, please contact Leslie Phillips at Leslie@HitsShows.com.

HITS, Inc. produces high-quality, international-level hunter/jumper horse shows. Based in upstate New York in the Village of Saugerties, HITS has been producing shows since 1982 and is now a nationwide company with world-class circuits in California, Florida, Arizona, New York and Virginia. In 2010, HITS took the industry to new heights when it hosted the first-ever Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 12, in Saugerties, New York. HITS will once again offer the most innovative weekend in show jumping history in 2011 when it hosts the second annual Pfizer Million and the inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, September 10-11, at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com. Media should contact the HITS Media Team at 845.246.8833 or e-mail Media_Info@HitsShows.com.

HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
845.246.8833 Tel • 845.246.6371 Fax • www.HitsShows.com

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