UPHA Convention Registration
Friday, January 1, 2010
Registration is being accepted for the UPHA Convention in Boston, MA January 6-9, 2011. Boston Park Plaza will be the host hotel, which is located in the Theater District and is close to many great restaurants and bars.
The schedule will get underway on Thursday morning, January 6 with UPHA and AHHS Board of Directors meetings and an Equitation Committee meeting. The afternoon will be open for sightseeing and a complete list of museums, sports venues, restaurants and other local attractions. Chapter 14 will have a "Concierge" available to help with plans.
Thursday evening will feature the Boston's Freedom Trail Historical Pub Crawl. Shuttle buses will take members on a historical tour of some of the area's most famous bars.
1st stop: 6:30 - The Bleacher Bar- Fenway Park- The bar is inside Fenway park with picture windows into the park so visitors can get an excellent view and see what we love about Fenway! Complimentary appetizers include soft warm pretzels, sliders, fries, onion rings, etc.
2nd stop - 7:45 - The Alibi Bar inside the Liberty Hotel (215 Charles St) This was formerly the Charles Street Jail and has cells/bars etc. The bar is actually the old "drunk holding tank" for the jail! Again, complimentary appetizers will be served.
3rd stop: 9:00 - The Green Dragon Tavern - across from Fanuel Hall. Built in 1654, the Sons of Liberty met here so often that the Green Dragon came to be called the "Headquarters of the American Revolution"
4th Stop: 10:00 - The Bell in Hand - This establishment was built in 1795 and is America's oldest continuously operating tavern (excluding Prohibition).
Friday morning will begin with Registration and a continental breakfast in the vendor's area. We have a strong committee formed to help the vendor area not only with the equine related companies and services that we know, but also trying to bring in local businesses.
Forums will be held throughout the morning and a luncheon open to all will be held after the meetings. This convention is trying to really stress the unity of the three breeds (Saddlebred, Morgan, Hackney) and how it benefits us as a whole to work together as a show horse industry.
Friday evening we are planning on having an "Oscar Night" for the UPHA Horse and Pony Of The Year Awards voting and the AHHS National Awards. This event will be held away from the hotel at the world-renowned New England Aquarium and IMAX Theater. This will be a "show" unlike anything that has been done before with the "walking of the red carpet" and much, much more.
Everyone will be bused to the Aquarium where there will be a cocktail reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres prior to the awards ceremony. We will walk the red carpet into the IMAX Theater for the presentation of the evening's awards and then will return to the Aquarium for dinner following the awards. There are three levels of the Aquarium for viewing and one section will have a "Petting Zoo" where children, assisted by Aquarium workers, can get up close and personal with certain sea life. This will truly be an elegant and unique setting.
Saturday morning will again begin with a Continental Breakfast in the Vendor's area, followed by forums throughout the morning. A special Youth Activity is planned at the famous Frog Pond, see next article, below. The Boston Unites Luncheon is planned to honor the Ribbons Of Service participants and recognition of the 2010 UPHA Challenge Cup Champions. World Series winning pitcher, Curt Schilling, will be the guest speaker. Following the luncheon, the afternoon will be open for free time and additional committee meetings.
A cocktail reception will start off the final evening, followed by a "Live Auction" featuring stud services to Callaway's Blue Norther, Noble Flaire and a choice of Heartland Head Of The Class, Heartland Code Of Honor or Heartland Top Gun in addition to packages for the World's Championship Horse Show and the Morgan Grand National and World Championship Horse Show. The awards will feature the Overall Horse Of The Year in addition to several other major UPHA awards. These will be done to the accompaniment of Boston's best band, Soul Kitchen. Following the awards we promise you that you won't want to leave the dance floor!
Go to www.UPHAOnline.com for online registration and reservation forms.
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