Tag Archives: Hats Off to the Horses

Art/Photography, Auctions, Racing

Hats Off to the Horses 2020 Continues with Soi Phet Chapeau

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GEORGETOWN, KY – MARCH 2, 2020 –  The annual “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” online fashion auction continues this week with a new Derby-style chapeau going on the virtual block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This is the 11th consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off four handcrafted Derby hats between January and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 200-plus retired racehorses. To date this online fundraiser has garnered nearly $39,000 for Old Friends.

This new hat was inspired by stakes winner Soi Phet, and it is showcased here by equine artist Dagmar Galleithner-Steiner.

The hat will be up for bid for 10 days only from 8 pm (EST) March 1st through 8 pm (EST) on March 11th. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link, or CLICK HERE to visit our eBay page.

To read more and to view additional images of the hat, CLICK HERE.

About the Horse

Bred in California, Soi Phet was a formidable force in the Golden State for eight seasons, between 2012 and 2019, winning eight stakes and placing third in the Grade 1 Awesome Again. The dark bay son of Tizbud even set a record of a different sort in 2018, becoming the oldest stakes winner in the history of Santa Anita when he won the Crystal Water at the age of 10.  In all, Soi Phet had 15 trips to the winner’s circle from his 64 lifetime starts, and he put over $1 million in the bank.

About the Hat

To honor this new Old Friends retiree, the distinctive orange, white, red, and yellow silk colors of his connections were used as inspiration for the trimmings of this stunning Derby hat.

A foundation was created using a base of black dupioni silk.  A large, sumptuous rose curl, created in alternating layers of red silk organza and dupioni silk, adorns the front.  This floral centerpiece is framed with two-tone orange and yellow organza leaves that are top stitched with orange thread as an accent.  Four black silk organza “bow loops” and three black silk organza “feathers” were added to reflect Soi Phet’s nearly black coat.

Swirling layers of red tulle were gathered and shaped to cover the brim, and a red satin sash lined with orange organza was handcrafted to encircle the crown of the hat.  For a final accent, a black pebble button adorns the sash in the back.

As always, several strands of the horse’s tail hair have been braided and woven into the trim.

Bidding on the “Soi Phet” is open now.

For more information about Old Friends, see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions, from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cindy@oldfriendsequine.org; Maggie Mae Designs (508) 430-1626, sally@maggiemae.com

Art/Photography, Auctions, Racing

“Watchem Smokey” Is Second Design on the Block in Old Friends “Hats Off to the Horses” Auction

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Photo: Connie Bush/Tiger Eye Photography.

GEORGETOWN, KY – FEBRUARY 4, 2020 –  The annual “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” online fashion auction continues this week with a beautiful Derby-style chapeau going on the virtual block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This is the 11th consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off four handcrafted Derby hats between January and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 200-plus retired racehorses. To date, this online fundraiser has garnered over $38,000 for Old Friends.

This new hat was inspired by Watchem Smokey, a resident at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center, NY, and it is showcased here by Gulfstream Park racing analyst Acacia Courtney.

The hat will be up for bid for 10 days only from 8 pm (EST) February 1st through 8 pm (EST) on February 11th. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link, or CLICK HERE to visit our eBay page.

To read more and to view additional images of the hat, CLICK HERE.

About the Horse

The second hat up for bid in our 2020 honors Watchem Smokey, the Oklahoma-bred son of another Old Friends retiree, Alphabet Soup. Starting out as a claimer, Smokey went on to become a graded stakes winner with trainer Bobby Frankel. In 2009, Smokey was injured in what would be his final race at Oklahoma’s Remington Park. Thanks to the efforts of the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Program, Watchem Smokey recovered from his injury and was retired to Old Friends in 2010.

About the Hat

To honor this Old Friends retiree, the distinctive red, white, and blue racing silks of owner Edmund Gann provided the primary color inspiration. A foundation was created using a base layer of red dupioni silk in a wide-brim style.  A red dupioni silk under brim creates a bold, elegant effect when the wearer’s face is upturned.  To further showcase Gann’s stable colors, a large red rose curl created with alternating layers of dupioni silk and silk organza adorns the front of the hat. This sumptuous rose curl centerpiece is nestled into a medley of bold blue silk organza leaves.

For a final element in the floral centerpiece, seven chocolate silk organza “feathers” topstitched with black thread were added to reflect Watchem Smokey’s bay coloring.  A chocolate satin sash lined with blue silk organza encircles the crown of the hat and swirling layers of alternating chocolate brown and red tulle, encircle the crown.  For a final trim element, a single black pebble button adorns the sash in the back.

As always, several strands of the horse’s tail hair have been braided and woven into the trim.

Bidding on the “Watchem Smokey” is open now.

For more information about Old Friends, see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions, from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cindy@oldfriendsequine.org; Maggie Mae Designs (508) 430-1626, sally@maggiemae.com

Art/Photography, Auctions, Racing

Hats Off to the Horses 2020

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The “Einstein” modeled by Dagmar Steiner (Photo by Laura Battles)

The “Einstein” is the latest design on the block in the Old Friends 11th Annual “Hats Off to the Horses” auction

The annual “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” online fashion auction kicks off with a beautiful Derby-style chapeau going on the virtual block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This is the 11th consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off four handcrafted Derby hats between January and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 200-plus retired racehorses. To date this online fundraiser has garnered over $37,000 for Old Friends.

This new hat was inspired by the multiple graded stakes winner Einstein and it is showcased here by equine artist Dagmar Galleithner-Steiner.

The hat will be up for bid for 10 days only from 8 pm (EST) January 1st through 8 pm (EST) on January 11th. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link, or CLICK HERE to visit our eBay page.

To read more and to view additional images of the hat, CLICK HERE.

About the Horse

Einstein is the Brazilian-bred son of 1985 Horse of the Year Spend a Buck. Throughout his career he accomplished what few racehorses have done. He earned graded stakes victories on three different track surfaces: the Turf Classic (on turf), the Clark Handicap (on dirt), and the Santa Anita Handicap (on synthetic). Other races Einstein called his own include the 2006 and the 2008 Gulfstream Turf Handicap, the 2007 Mervin H Muniz Jr Memorial Handicap, and dual runnings of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic in 2008 and 2009. In all, he finished his career with wins in 11 of his 27 starts — five of them Grade 1 stakes — and earnings of $2.7 million.

About the Hat

The distinctive red, black, and gold silks of owner Frank Stronach’s Racing Stables provided the hues for this stunning Derby hat. A foundation was created using a base layer of red dupioni silk overlaid with a swirling black scroll lace. A red silk under brim creates a bold, elegant effect when the wearer’s face is upturned, while the edge of the brim is trimmed with a double layer of black silk organza ruffles, which allows light to pass through the sheer fabric.

To further showcase Stronach’s stable colors, a red silk-organza Marguerite fleur with a red dupioni rose curl center adorns the front of the hat, while a black button with gold edging provides an accent in the back. For a final touch, black silk organza leaves and three black silk organza “feathers” were added to reflect Einstein’s dark bay coloring.

As always, several strands of the horse’s tail hair have been braided and woven into the trim.

Bidding on the “Einstein” is open now.

For more information about Old Friends, see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions, from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cindy@oldfriendsequine.org; Maggie Mae Designs (508) 430-1626, sally@maggiemae.com

Art/Photography, Auctions, Racing

Hats Off to the Horses: Bint Marscay

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Honoring the life of our sweet BINT MARSCAY. Another gorgeous couture creation from Sally at MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS®. All proceeds benefit Old Friends. Special thanks to jockey Chris Landeros, his wife Shelby, and son Beckham for modeling. As always, thanks to chief photographer for Daily Racing Form and 6-time Eclipse Award winner, Barbara D. Livingston, for her stunning images. Auction ends Feb 11 at 8pm EST. These hats have raised over $35k for Old Friends!  Click to bid.

Click for more about this hat.

Click to learn about Bint Marscay.

Click to learn about the annual hat program.

For more information: (502) 863-1775; www.oldfriendsequine.org

Auctions, Benefits, Community/Charity, Racing

“Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” Online Auction Launches with the Awesome Gem

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Proceeds from this fashion sale to benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility

GEORGETOWN, KY – JANUARY 5, 2018 – The online fashion auction “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” kicked off this week with another beautiful handcrafted Derby chapeau going on the virtual block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This is the ninth year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off exclusive Derby hats online, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s retired racehorses. The fashion fundraiser has raised over $32,000 to date.

This new hat was inspired by Old Friends retiree Awesome Gem. The now 15-year-old gelding, once campaigned by West Point Thoroughbreds, is a multiple graded-stakes winner and counts among his victories the 2010 GR 1 Hollywood Gold Cup.

For this launch, the beautiful chapeau was modeled by Krystal Court accompanied by her husband, leading jockey Jon Court, and their daughter, Aubrey.

Bidding on “The Awesome Gem” can be done between January 1st, 2018 and January 11, 2018 by visiting the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and following the link, or by CLICKING HERE and follow the “click to bid” button.

This new design showcases Awesome Gem’s chestnut coat along with his familiar West Point Thoroughbreds black-and-yellow racing silks.

The hat’s wide, 20-inch, flat-brim design was created out of deep yellow dupioni silk with a black lace overlay and a black taffeta edge. Adornments include a single yellow rose, fashioned out of swirling layers of deep yellow dupioni silk and soft lemon organza, which pays homage to the horse’s Gold Cup win, and a large shimmering button, made of chocolate, crystal, and platinum beads, which adds a final finishing touch.

As always, Steinmann included a physical remembrance of the horse, with strands of Awesome Gem’s tail hair woven into the trim.

Special thanks to EquiSport Photo for the images and video and to the Bella Rose Boutique of Lexington, KY for supplying the beautiful ensembles.

For additional information, contact the Old Friends office at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions – from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can been seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for 175 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

Auctions, Racing

The “War Emblem” Is Final Design on the Block in Old Friends 7th Hats Off to the Horses Auction

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All proceeds from the online fashion auction to benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility

GEORGETOWN, KY – FEBRUARY 2, 2016 – Last chance! The sixth and final Derby-style hat in the online fashion auction “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” goes on the block April 1st.

The last hat in the six-month auction, which raises money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY, will honor 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem, who retired to Old Friends last September.

The beautiful chapeau is modeled by Shea Leparoux accompanied by her husband, leading jockey Julien Leparoux.

Bidding on “The War Emblem” begins at 8 pm on April 1st and will be open for 10 days only.  Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link.

This is the seventh consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off six exclusive Derby-style chapeaus between November and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 160 retired racehorses.

For more information and additional photos, CLICK HERE.

About the Horse

Bred by Charles Nuckols of Midway, KY, War Emblem (Our Emblem – Sweetest Lady, Lord at War) captured the Illinois Derby in an impressive gate-to-wire victory. Three weeks later he captured the 128th running of the Kentucky Derby.

Following a win in the Preakness, War Emblem became a serious contender to capture history’s 12th Triple Crown, but he stumbled badly at the start of the Belmont Stakes and ended up beaten by long-shot Sarava, who, as fate would have it, is now also a retiree at Old Friends.

War Emblem went on to capture the Haskell Invitational for a third Grade 1 win that year and retired with 13 starts, 7 wins and earnings of $3,491,000.

He stood stallion duty in Japan until 2015, when he was returned to the United States to be pensioned at Old Friends.

About the Hat

The foundation of the “War Emblem” hat was fashioned as a wide-brim design, measuring a full 30 inches across, done in deep black silk, with a white brocade under brim that frames the wearer’s face when the hat is upturned.

The chapeau is trimmed with a unique ruffled edge that allows light to pass through the sheer fabric. Created out of black silk organza overlaid with black silk “pinstripes”, the resulting look is one of smooth elegance befitting this great Thoroughbred athlete.

Three large rose curls were placed along the crown to echo the horse’s Triple Crown campaign, with each rose beautifully framed in a medley of emerald green and bold blue leaves.

For the finishing touch, a large black pebble button adorns the back of the hat.

Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions – from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for over 160 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cindy@oldfriendsequine.org; Maggie Mae Designs (508) 430-1626, sally@maggiemae.com

Auctions, Community/Charity

“Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” Continues with a Chapeau Inspired by Catlaunch

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Shea and Julien Leparoux with Catlaunch.  Shea models the Catlaunch hat. Dress by Bella Rose Boutique, photo © and courtesy of EquiSport Photos.

GEORGETOWN, KY – JANUARY 5, 2015 – The online fashion auction “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” continues with a fourth beautiful handcrafted Derby chapeau on the virtual auction block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This new hat was inspired by Old Friends retiree Catlaunch – the multiple Ohio Horse of the Year who won a remarkable 40 races, including 22 stakes, and earned more than $1.1 million. The beautiful chapeau will be modeled by Shea Leparoux accompanied by her husband, leading jockey Julien Leparoux.

This is the sixth consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off six exclusive Derby hats between November and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 150 retired racehorses.

Bidding on “The Catlaunch” ends at 8 pm on January 11th. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link.

Steinmann felt an elegant, statuesque chapeau was needed to honor this beloved racing star. The resulting design reflects Catlaunch’s bay coloring, his friendly, affectionate personality and his racing silk colors of green-blue, pink and golden yellow.

The foundation was fashioned as a classic top hat, this one made of luminous turquoise taffeta. A large pink rose curl, nestled in a “shades-of-blue” medley of organza leaves, adorns the front, while a trio of soft blue buttons embellishes the back. The hat is finished with a sash of crinkled mahogany taffeta and a delicate mocha veil that drapes down over the wearer’s face. Lastly, as a physical remembrance, several strands of the gelding’s tail hair were braided and woven into the trim.

For more information and additional photos of the hat, please visit: http://www.maggiemae.com/OldFriendsAuction-Hat-Catlaunch.htm.

For a behind-the-scenes video of Shea’s and Julien’s photo shoot, visit http://vimeo.com/115581281.

For Sally’s blog interview with Shea and Julien Leparoux, visit: http://wp.me/p30hfe-1CD.

For additional information, contact Maggie Mae Designs® at sally@maggiemae.com.

For more information about Old Friends, see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions, from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

About Old Friends
Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 115 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

Auctions, Community/Charity

“Hats Off to the Horses” Continues with Chapeau Inspired by GR1 Winner Game On Dude

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Rosie Napravnik models the Game On Dude hat. Dress by Bella Rose, photo Courtesy EquiSport Photos.

GEORGETOWN, KY – DECEMBER 1, 2014 – The online fashion auction “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” continues today with a third beautiful Derby chapeau going on the virtual auction block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.

This new hat was inspired by the three-time Santa Anita Handicap winner and recent Old Friends retiree Game On Dude. With earnings of just under $6.5 million, the Dude won 16 of 34 starts, including 14 graded stakes and, notably, two editions of both the Hollywood Gold Cup and Goodwood-Awesome Again Stakes.

This hat crafted in his honor will be showcased by famed jockey Rosie Napravnik, the “Hats Off to the Horses” spokesmodel, and will be up for bid from December 1st through December 11th.

This is the sixth consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction off six handcrafted Kentucky Derby hats between November and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 150 retired racehorses.

The “Game On Dude” is a fedora-flavored crown with a 24-inch end-to-end brim fashioned out of chocolate-colored dupioni silk and a swirling black underbrim.

The hat is adorned with a pumpkin and cinnamon shaded rose curl that is nestled in royal blue satin and organza leaves, and eight black silk organza “feathers” lined with shimmering gold organza to reflect Game On Dude’s eight Grade 1 wins.

“Sally’s works of millinery art have raised thousands of dollars for Old Friends and a priceless amount of awareness for all these great retired athletes,” said Michael Blowen, Old Friends president and founder. “We’re excited to be working with her for a sixth wonderful year.”

Bidding on the “Game On Dude” will begin at 8 pm on December 1st and will be open for 10 days only. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link.

For a video of Rosie Napravnik’s photo shoot with Game On Dude, visit http://vimeo.com/113203842.

For additional information, contact Maggie Mae Designs® at sally@maggiemae.com.

For more information about Old Friends, see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions, from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

About Old Friends
Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 115 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

Community/Charity, Fundraisers, Racing

Shea and Julien Leparoux Join Old Friends’ “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby”

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GEORGETOWN, KY – November 20, 2014 – Jockey Julien Leparoux and his wife, Shea Leparoux, recently participated in a photo shoot with Shea modeling a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind Derby hat honoring the life of Old Friends’ retiree Clever Allemont.

“Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby” is an online fashion auction fundraiser that benefits Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Central Kentucky. This is the sixth consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs® to auction six handcrafted Derby hats between November and April, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 150 retired racehorses. To date, this unique fundraiser has earned over $21,000 for Old Friends. This “Clever Allemont” chapeau is up for bid as a special holiday addition to the fundraiser and is auctioning November 17th through the 27th (not the 23rd as previous information stated).

The photo shoots, done by EquiSport Photographers Matt and Wendy Wooley, match Steinmann’s beautiful hats with beautiful dresses from Lexington’s Bella Rose Boutique.

Eclipse-Awarding winning Julien Leparoux is one of horseracing’s leading jockeys, having just captured his 2,000th win at Churchill Downs in October. The France-born rider has earned titles at Churchill, Keeneland and Turfway Park and in 2009, his banner year, Leparoux became only the second jockey in history to win three Breeders’ Cup races in a single year.

Shea Leparoux is the daughter of West Coast conditioner Mike Mitchell and has spent her life around horses and the race track. She also loves musical theater and has worked as an entertainer at Disneyland and in various stage shows. These days you can hear her as the voice of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s new promotional video “All about the Horse.”

About the horse: 1984 Rebel Stakes winner Clever Allemont was rescued from a kill pen in 2008. Clever Allemont was retired to Old Friends in 2009 through the efforts of an amazing team of people who wanted to ensure his safe retirement. He enjoyed over five years as a beloved member of the Old Friends family before passing this year. In tribute, MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® has created a very special millinery design to celebrate his life. Michael Blowen, president and founder of Old Friends, states, “Clever Allemont was such a great asset to Old Friends. He was the kindest, friendliest stallion on the farm. He inspired deaf people because he was deaf, visually impaired people because he enjoyed life though he’d lost an eye, indeed anybody who knew what it’s like to overcome hardship. People call Clever Allemont a ‘rescue,’ but it’s really the horses who rescue us.”

About the hat: The “Clever Allemont” is a fascinator with an oval base fashioned out of “raw sienna” brown dupioni silk. The underbrim is lined with coppery brown metallic taffeta and edged with a delicate mocha braiding. Despite having vision in only one eye, Clever seemed to view the world straight on. To reflect his attitude, the entire base of the fascinator is secured to the headband at a jaunty angle. The rose is framed by a layer of chocolate organza bow loops with green organza and chocolate silk leaves beneath it. The orange netting is dotted with white buttons to reflect Clever’s racing silk colors of orange with white polka dots. Five black silk organza “feathers” provide a playful finishing accent to the centerpiece while beautifully framing the face.

The “Clever Allemont” chapeau is up for bid as a special holiday addition to the fundraiser from November 17th through the 27th. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link.

For a video of Julien and Shea’s photo shoot, visit vimeo.com/111938834.

For additional information, contact Maggie Mae Designs® at sally@maggiemae.com.

For more information about Old Friends, see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions, from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

About Old Friends
Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 115 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

Breeds, Contributors/Press, Events, Racing

“Hats Off to the Horses,” the Online Derby-Hat Auction Benefiting Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement, Continues January 1st

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Stunning New Hat Honors Retiree Creator

GEORGETOWN, KY – DECEMBER 30, 2010 – Bidding opens January 1st on “The Creator,” hat number three in the six-part “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby,” an online fashion auction benefitting Old Friends, the central Kentucky organization devoted to racehorse retirement.

Handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of Maggie Mae Designs, the hat will be on the block from January 1st through January 11 2011.

Steinmann, who owns the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs, is donating the six magnificent millinery creations to raise funds for Old Friends, the 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that cares for more than 100 retired Thoroughbreds.  Each hat is inspired by one of the retirees at Old Friends and will be auctioned monthly from November to April, leading up to the famed First Saturday in May. One hundred percent of the online proceeds goes to Old Friends.

To celebrate the New Year, Steinmann has created a magnificent chapeau in honor of Old Friends’ 25-year-old retiree Creator, one the first horses acquired by the organization from the breeding sheds of Japan.

Continue reading “Hats Off to the Horses,” the Online Derby-Hat Auction Benefiting Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement, Continues January 1st →