Tag Archives: Man o’ War

Community/Charity, Racing

The Village Idiot to Host Man o’ War Mural Unveiling Party June 29

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 26, 2017) – An unveiling party to celebrate a commemorative mural of the legendary racehorse Man o’ War will take place at the local pub The Village Idiot on Thursday, June 29 at 4 p.m.

Commissioned by LexArts and sponsored by Mt. Brilliant Farm, the 30′ x 30′ mural was painted by Mexico City native and longtime Lexington resident Agustin Zarate. It is part of the Kentucky Horse Park’s Man o’ War Celebration, presented by Windstream, which includes a series of events highlighting the life of the great racehorse.

The unveiling party will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and comments from Zarate and officials at LexArts, Mt. Brilliant Farm and the Kentucky Horse Park. The Village Idiot will offer half-priced appetizers from 4-7 p.m., and the Kentucky Horse Park will provide complimentary park tickets as raffle prizes at the event.

“LexArts is proud to have facilitated this new addition to Lexington’s arts landscape,” said Ellen A. “Nan” Plummer, LexArts president and CEO. “It’s a striking mural in the perfect location to enchant residents and visitors alike with our rich equine history.”

The Man o’ War mural spans the entire side of the two-story Village Idiot building and commemorates the horse’s victory in the 1920 Belmont Stakes. Based on a historic photograph during his racing years, it portrays Man o’ War parading in front of the Belmont crowd following his historic feat.

“Man o’ War was truly a remarkable horse, and many people don’t realize that he’s actually buried here at the Kentucky Horse Park,” said Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director Laura Prewitt. “We hope this mural will become a downtown fixture that raises awareness of his life and legacy, and will also drive traffic to the Kentucky Horse Park to visit his gravesite and the ‘Mostest Horse That Ever Was Exhibit.'”

A commemorative beer crafted by Alltech to enhance the Man o’ War Celebration will also have its release at the mural unveiling party. Called the “Mostest Wheat Ale” after Man o’ War’s nickname, the celebratory beer will be offered for a special price and served in Kentucky Horse Park Man o’ War Celebration souvenir cups. It will be available on tap at various locations throughout Lexington this summer.

“We are happy to honor one of the most famous race horses of all time with a beer brewed for the celebration of Man o’ War,” said Pete Weiss, marketing manager of Alltech. “Mostest Wheat Ale tells the story of Man o’ War, and that he was the ‘mostest’ horse to ever run.”

The Kentucky Horse Park’s goal in its season-long Man o’ War Celebration is to celebrate the life of the legendary horse, as well as encourage people to visit the premier tourist destination, which is currently hosting a special exhibit entitled “Man o’ War: The Mostest Horse That Ever Was.”

To learn about other events scheduled for the season-long Man o’ War Celebration, visit the Kentucky Horse Park’s website at www.kyhorsepark.com.

Contact: Lisa Jackson
(859) 259-4224
Lisa.Jackson@ky.gov

Community/Charity

Kentucky Horse Park to Host Man o’ War Movie Night

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Family-friendly event to feature two equine-themed movies, activities

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 13, 2017) – The Man o’ War Celebration, presented by Windstream, continues at the Kentucky Horse Park with a special movie night on June 24 from 6-10 p.m. Sponsored by the Keeneland Kids’ Club, the event will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the famous racehorse and is part of a season-long series of Man o’ War-themed events hosted by the Kentucky Horse Park.

The Man o’ War Movie Night is $5 per carload for parking and is geared toward families, with two equine-themed movies being shown in the park’s theatres. The night will also feature other children’s activities, events, and free admission to the International Museum of the Horse, which is currently hosting a special exhibit entitled “Man o’ War: The Mostest Horse That Ever Was.”

“We look forward to offering this special after-hours event at the Kentucky Horse Park for the local community to take part in the celebration of Man o’ War’s 100th anniversary,” said Kentucky Horse Park executive director Laura Prewitt. “Not only will it memorialize this special horse, but it will also hopefully expose our park’s features to new visitors.”

The event sponsor, the Keeneland Kids’ Club, will also have a presence at the event, with equine-themed coloring pages and its mascot “Buckles” making an appearance.

“Keeneland is excited to partner with the Kentucky Horse Park for this event, to bring more families out to the park and to enrich their knowledge about Man o’ War and his significance to our industry,” said Kara Heissenbuttel, Keeneland’s director of employee and patron experience.

Special activities and offerings during Man o’ War Movie Night include:

  • Free pony rides: 6-8 p.m.
  • International Museum of the Horse and Kids’ Barn open: 6-9 p.m.
  • Showings of Secretariat and Spirit at 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. in Visitor Center theatres
  • Parade of Breeds show: 7 p.m.
  • Food trucks
  • Crank and Boom “Big Red” Balsamic Strawberry Sorbet
  • Alltech “Mostest Wheat Ale” on tap
  • Meet and greet with Keeneland Kids’ Club Mascot “Buckles”
  • Horse-themed coloring activity

For a full list of Man o’ War celebration events at the Kentucky Horse Park and throughout Lexington from now through Nov. 1, visit www.manowarcelebration.com.

Contact: Lisa Jackson
(859) 259-4224
Lisa.Jackson@ky.gov
www.KyHorsePark.com

Art/Photography, Community/Charity, Racing

Man o’ War Commemorative Mural Painted on The Village Idiot

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Restaurant to Host Unveiling Party after Mural Completion

Lexington, Ky. (June 8, 2017) – The legendary Man o’ War, one of America’s original sporting heroes, will be depicted in larger-than-life fashion via a 30′ x 30′ mural in downtown Lexington. The mural is being painted by Agustin Zarate and is part of the Kentucky Horse Park’s Man o’ War Celebration, presented by Windstream, which includes a series of events to highlight the life of the great racehorse.

An unveiling party at The Village Idiot is slated for Thursday, June 29, at 4 p.m. to celebrate the completion of the mural, which was commissioned by LexArts and is sponsored by Mt. Brilliant Farm. The Village Idiot will offer food and drink specials, and the Kentucky Horse Park will provide complimentary tickets as door prizes at the event.

The Man o’ War mural will span the entire side of the two-story Village Idiot building and will commemorate the horse’s victory in the 1920 Belmont Stakes. Based on a historic photograph during his racing years, it will portray Man o’ War parading in front of the Belmont crowd following his historic feat.

“Agustin’s rendering of the Man o’ War mural is extremely impressive and I can’t wait to see the larger-than-life finished product,” said Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director Laura Prewitt. “Man o’ War was truly a remarkable horse, and I hope this mural will become a downtown fixture that raises awareness of his life and legacy from both locals and visitors.”

This is the first building mural project for Zarate, a native of Mexico City and a longtime Lexington resident. An experienced painter, muralist, graphic designer, and illustrator, Zarate has worked with various medium including oil, acrylic, watercolor, and airbrush.

Zarate was selected by LexArts and Mt. Brilliant from many local artists that submitted proposals for the Man o’ War project. He was chosen based on his authenticity in capturing the horse in all his racing greatness.

“There was a lot of interest from the artist community in painting a large scale tribute to the legacy of Man o’ War,” said LexArts Community Art Director Nathan Zamarron. “Dozens of artists from throughout Kentucky submitted talented designs with a wide variety of artist interpretations. Agustin Zarate was selected for his mastery of realism and understanding of the anatomy of the horse. We are confident the finished result will be a lasting icon and a treasured work of art for Lexington.”

A commemorative beer crafted by Alltech to enhance the Man o’ War Celebration will also have its release at the mural unveiling party. Called “The Mostest Wheat Ale” after Man o’ War’s nickname, the celebratory beer will be available at various locations throughout Lexington on tap this summer.

“We are happy to honor one of the most famous race horses of all time with a beer brewed for the celebration of Man o’ War,” said Pete Weiss, marketing manager of Alltech. “Mostest Wheat Ale tells the story of Man o’ War, and that he was the ‘mostest’ horse to ever run.”

The Kentucky Horse Park’s goal in its season-long Man o’ War Celebration is to celebrate the life of the legendary horse, as well as encourage people to visit the premier tourist destination, which is currently hosting a special exhibit entitled Man o’ War: The Mostest Horse That Ever Was.”

To learn about other events scheduled for the season-long Man o’ War Celebration, visit the Kentucky Horse Park’s website at www.kyhorsepark.com/featured-events/man-o-war-celebration-presented-windstream.

Contact: Lisa Jackson
(859) 259-4224
Lisa.Jackson@ky.gov
www.KyHorsePark.com