Brooke USA works to improve the welfare of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people they serve throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need.
Donkey as transportation in India
Brooke USA fundraises and educates thousands about the plight of working equines in developing countries at the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018.
© 2018 by Static1
Brooke USA’s sister charity, Brooke, the official charity of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG), is the world’s largest international working equine welfare charity. Brooke has an 84-year history of providing practical, sustainable and culturally relevant equine welfare programs. Brooke USA thanks Katherine Bellissimo, principal and chief marketing officer of Tryon Equestrian Partners and Brooke USA board member, for providing the opportunity to participate in such an important international equestrian championship.
During the WEG, held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in North Carolina, Sept. 11-23, Brooke USA educated thousands of attendees about the plight of working equines in developing countries. The event’s World Equine Expo™ featured a 360• video about their Brick Kiln Project that benefits many of the 380,000 horses, donkeys and mules who work in India’s brick kilns, a particularly harsh environment for equines and their owners.
The “Brooke Breezeway” was installed at the Tryon International Equestrian Center as a legacy of the WEG. To commemorate the event, Katherine Bellissimo, Emily Dulin, Brooke USA executive director, Jane Holderness-Roddam, Olympic gold medalist eventer and Lady in Waiting to HRH the Princess Royal and board member of Brooke and Brooke USA and Petra Ingram, Brooke chief executive officer led a ribbon cutting ceremony of the Brooke Breezeway installation at TIEC.
Brooke USA had a shop near the Brick Breezeway where they sold Brooke Bricks, offered Caroline's Cakes coupons, Trafalgar Books, Mary Alice Monroe’s books from Fiction Addiction and a preview teaser of her upcoming book. Celebrity makeup artist Leslie Munsell was on-site to demonstrate her Beauty for Real Cosmetics. The Beauty for Real lip balm colors are named for Brooke USA ambassadors. A portion of all proceeds benefited Brooke USA. Brooke Bricks are available for purchase here. Brooke Bricks are manufactured humanely in the United States (no animals are involved).
In the Summit Club during WEG, table holders and competitors chatted with Brooke USA staff and volunteers and experienced the brick kiln virtual reality goggles.
Equestrian celebrities served Moscow Mules and Mule Fuel at bar nights on the Legends Plaza at TIEC. Bartenders included J.J. Tate, Clayton Fredericks and U.S. dressage Olympians Ali Brock and Debbie McDonald and Paige Bellissimo, Brooke USA board members John Nicholson and Jim Wolfe, Kendall Bierer, Brooke USA development director, and Eugenia Karolyi. Tips went to benefit Brooke USA.
During WEG competition, Brooke USA ambassadors excelled, including U.S. dressage rider, Kasey Perry-Glass who earned team silver. Global ambassador Charlotte Dujardin’s scores helped Great Britain earn team bronze and she won individual bronze with Mount St. John Freestyle.
In one of the most exciting finishes to an international team show jumping competition, the U.S. and Sweden were tied for first place after the final round. The teams completed a jump-off round to determine the team winner. Brooke USA Ambassador Laura Kraut and Zeremonie put in a clear and fast effort that helped the U.S. team earn the gold.
Tammy Tappan from Equestrian Artists of Tryon, a gallery housed year-round at TIEC, donated a portion of proceeds from the sale of her artwork to Brooke USA.
Artist Emma Tate donated two beautiful pieces titled “Motive” and “Unity” for Brooke USA. Supporters purchased these pieces during WEG and all the proceeds go to help working horses, donkeys and mules around the world.
An army of loyal volunteers clad in bright orange shirts helped staff the Brooke USA Shop and Expo. Special thanks to the Boyle family and to Ken and Sally Frick for hosting staff members and for all their support.
“The WEG was a rare opportunity to reach thousands of people during a two-week event and share the Brooke USA message of easing the suffering of working equines around the world,” said Emily Dulin, Brooke USA executive director. “We are so grateful to our Katherine Bellissimo and her staff for making this a possibility. We want to recognize the tireless work of all our board members, staff, ambassadors, volunteers and all our supporters for a successful event.”
About Brooke USA
Brooke USA’s mission is to significantly improve the welfare of horses, donkeys and mules and the people they serve throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need. Through the programs funded, Brooke USA helps equine owners, service providers and governments in the developing world to implement scientifically proven, practical, sustainable and culturally relevant solutions to enormous animal welfare challenges.
Brooke USA raises funds to support a wide variety of programs for working horses, donkeys and mules to help them become (and remain) healthy and happy, now and in the long term. The programs also benefit families who depend on working equines to help them earn a living. Most of the programs funded by Brooke USA are directed by Brooke, the world’s largest international equine charity: the leading experts on working equines around the globe. Through a worldwide staff of approximately 1,000 (primarily nationals), Brooke currently operates in 11 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, and Brooke USA supports many of those programs in addition to others.
Press release provided by Brooke USA