LEXINGTON, Ky. - Free of cost, the UPHA Pink Ribbon Class program is now condensed into a digital Toolkit that includes information and a video to help Morgan and Saddlebred horse shows stage their own UPHA Pink Ribbon Class.

According to UPHA President Jim Taylor, the Toolkits contain a DVD and a CD. The DVD contains a start-to-finish video of the inaugural Pink Ribbon Class at the 2007 UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show.

The CD contains several folders of items and a “ReadMeFirst.pdf” handbook that is, according to Taylor, “a how-to guide full of ideas and tips for any horse show offering the UPHA Pink Ribbon Class.” The Admin Forms & Files folder contains items the horse show needs to request approval for offering the class from UPHA, tracking the donations, etc. Prize list language is also included. The Press Releases & Coverage folder contains sample press release, public service announcement, and examples of press coverage of the Royal’s Pink Ribbon Class, to assist horse shows with presenting story angles to the media. The Sponsorship Forms folder contains sample forms for raising funds for the horse show’s UPHA Pink Ribbon Class. The Promo Art & Files folder contains logos and art for ads, posters, flyers, banners, lapel stickers, and much more; the art is formatted in Adobe InDesign CS3 and also saved as Adobe Acrobat editable files. Ready-to-use Web banners are also included. Logo and art design for the Toolkit was provided by Richard Valladolid of Val Web Creations, video reproduction rights were generously granted by Richfield Video, and several photo images were graciously supplied by Howard Schatzberg Photography, according to Taylor.

“With these resources,” Taylor said, “the innovative ‘pink ribbon class’ at the UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show has now become the UPHA Pink Ribbon Class program. The success of the inaugural class in Kansas City prompted the UPHA to organize these easy-to-use resources so that more horse shows can enjoy the same results.”

UPHA furnishes an elegant winner’s trophy and a UPHA Associate membership for the class winner (if the winner is not already a UPHA member), and eight beautiful pink prize ribbons, all free of charge. The horse show may elect to add their own ribbons and prizes to the UPHA awards.

Funds raised from the UPHA Pink Ribbon Class program, through the UPHA Foundation, Inc. (a 501.c.3 organization), will be forwarded to Susan G. Komen For The Cure. If a participating horse show prefers, a local breast cancer organization may be designated as a co-beneficiary to receive donations from the horse show, giving horse shows the flexibility to involve community organizations to achieve maximum visibility and recognition for the horse show and its effort.

Also available is a non-profit online store with items bearing the UPHA Pink Ribbon Class logo: www.CafePress.com/UPHApinkRibbon . “The online store is there to assist horse shows in promoting their UPHA Pink Ribbon Class,” said Taylor. “Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for shows to offer this program and gain the support of the communities in which they reside. By engaging the communities, we are able to celebrate the courageous women who are fighting or have fought breast cancer, acquaint new audiences with our show horses, and – so importantly – help fund the cures for breast cancer. In fact, UPHA has committed itself to raising $100,000 to be donated to Susan G. Komen For The Cure and the local breast cancer co-beneficiaries that will receive funding from this innovative program.”

And, more events are expected: the ’08 UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show plans to include special festivities for class winners and managers of horse shows offering the UPHA Pink Ribbon Class.

UPHA Pink Ribbon Class Toolkits are available free of charge to horse shows offering Ladies Five-Gaited American Saddlebred classes or Ladies English Pleasure Morgan classes. Visit www.UPHAonline.com/pink_ribbon_class.htm, or phone 859.231.5070 to request a Toolkit or more information.