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ALLTECH FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES 2010 SELECTS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PARTNERS

30/08/2006

Lexington, Ky. — Preston-Osborne & Red7e, Kentucky-based public relations and advertising firms, have been jointly selected as the marketing communications partners for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The games will be held September 25 through October 10 in Lexington in 2010 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The two agencies, who partnered in their proposal, were selected after an extensive review of agency partners.

Preston-Osborne, a Lexington-based firm, includes among its clients the Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Kentucky-American Water Company, the University of Kentucky Medical Center, Alliant Management Services, and East Kentucky Power Cooperative in Winchester, who has been a client since 1985. The agency has more than 30 years of public relations experience, including national event planning with the 2000 Vice-Presidential Debate at Centre College, the 2002 National Civil War Re-enactment at Perryville and the 80th anniversary celebration of Frontier Nursing Services in 2005.

Red7e, a Louisville-based advertising agency, represents such clients as Churchill Downs Inc., Kentucky Farm Bureau, Hilliard Lyons, Baptist Hospitals and the Kentucky League of Cities. The two agencies are not new partners. They’ve had a relationship working with another equine industry client for more than two years—KEEP, the Kentucky Equine Education Project.

“This was a difficult decision because of the many, competitive proposals and presentations we received from agencies across the Commonwealth. However, we are excited about working with these two agencies to achieve success for the Games,” said Jack Kelly, CEO for the World Games 2010 Foundation, the entity tasked with planning and organizing the Games. “They each have different strengths that, when working together, makes them great partners for us.

Rolf Linder, the new SVP and Chief Marketing Officer added “we anticipate significant early public relations and interactive marketing activities for the next two years and then our more focused advertising will begin as the Games approach. Over the past many weeks, I have been working with our Marketing Committee to find a partner with large event experience, who’ll bring energy to the Games, and who understands our need to manage costs— and we found it.”

“There has never been an event like this in Kentucky and we are thrilled to be selected for this project and trusted to help make it the best event ever,” said Phil Osborne, CEO of Preston-Osborne. “We see our role as not only helping communicate to the outside world but also to build a strong communication network locally and statewide. These games are important for the entire Commonwealth. We will work with the Games’ organizers to help them tell all of the unique stories around the events, exceed all of their goals, and showcase Kentucky on the global map as the unique and world class place it is.”

“The Games present us with a great opportunity to show Kentucky to the world and that is exciting from a creative standpoint,” said Dan Barbercheck, President of Red7e. “Working in concert with Preston-Osborne, we hope to set a new precedent of event promotion and communications. Having worked together for so long, each of our agencies understands and appreciates our individual roles and we work extremely hard to blend public relations, advertising and interactive marketing together.”

The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, are the world championships of the eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), and are held every four years. The Games have never before been held outside of Europe; nor have all eight disciplines been held together at a single site— both firsts that will be achieved at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games are currently underway in Aächen, Germany and run through September 3. Approximately 800 athletes and 875 horses are expected to compete. The 2010 Games in Kentucky are expected to attract more than 1,000 athletes from 40 countries, 500,000 spectators and have an economic impact of more than $150 million.

Media Contacts:
Jack Kelly, CEO, World Games 2010 Foundation, 011-423-663-01-4115
Note: Jack Kelly is currently in Aächen, Germany where there is a six hour time difference. If the current time in Lexington is 8 a.m. it is 2 p.m. in Germany.

Rolf Linder, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, World Games 2010 Foundation, 859-221-0339

Ellen Gregory, Preston-Osborne, 859-231-7711 ext. 234

Dan Barbercheck, Red7e, 502-585-3403

For more information on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ visit www.feigames2010.org.

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