Chester Weber’s Famous Equines Raise Money For Charity by Painting “MoneighsR”

Ocala, FL (October 26, 2009) – Jamaica, the 2008 USEF Horse of the Year and member of Chester Weber’s seven-time National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving team, has taken his role as an equine ambassador seriously throughout the past year. Jamaica recently received his most colorful request ever, when the ReRun Thoroughbred charity asked Jamaica and his teammate Rolex to help raise money for charity by painting masterpieces known as “MoneighsR.”

Never ones to say neigh, Jamaica and Rolex painted their works of art for ReRun’s Moneigh collection, which will be auctioned off on eBay to raise money for ReRun. The name Moneigh is derived from the name of the famous artist and the sound a horse makes.

ReRun’s Mary Simons visited Live Oak Stud in Ocala to assist Jamaica and Rolex with their paintings and was thrilled with the beautiful bay Dutch Warmbloods. “They were stunning animals and my favorites so far,” Simons said. “I had heard that sometimes Jamaica wasn’t so friendly, but he was very warm, kind and professional. He and Rolex both did their paintings with red and white paint and signed them with a black hoof print.”

Jamaica and Rolex join a lineup of famous equine painters including some of the greatest Thoroughbreds in racing history such as Funny Cide, Cigar, John Henry, Smarty Jones and dozens more. Since 2001, over 400 masterpieces have been created and auctioned off. “With Jamaica and Rolex I put the paint on a paper plate and then got them to touch their muzzles to the plate,” Simons said. “Once the paint is on their muzzles or chins I get them to touch the paper and then they get a carrot or treat. Once they figure out they are getting treats they want to do it again and again.”

Simons said the Moneigh project has been successful due to the combined efforts of all the horse farm managers, owners, trainers, grooms, volunteers and bidders. “ReRun has an auction of Moneighs on eBay twice a year. Anyone can look at the paintings by going to eBay and using Moneigh as the search word. An eBay account is needed to bid on a painting and in the past bids have ranged from $150 for a lesser known horse up to $5,000 for a painting by John Henry autographed by jockey Chris McCarron. The next auction will be November 29 to December 6,” she said.

Simons is excited that Weber’s National Champion Combined Driving horses have joined the ranks of equine artists, especially with the World Equestrian Games right around the corner. ReRun has chapters in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Kentucky, the home of the 2010 WEG. Weber is a veteran of two prestigious World Equestrian Games and his current goal is to compete his team at the 2010 WEG at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

For more information on Weber and his combined driving team, visit his website at www.chesterweber.com http://www.chesterweber.com/ . For more information on the Moneigh paintings, visit their website at www.rerun.org http://www.rerun.org/ or go to eBay.

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Photo: Jamaica, the 2008 USEF Horse of the Year and member of Chester Weber’s seven-time National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving team, has recently received his most colorful request ever, when Mary Simons of ReRun Thoroughbred charity asked Jamaica and his teammate Rolex to help raise money for charity by painting masterpieces known as “MoneighsR.” (Photo courtesy of ReRun, Inc)