More than 100 people gathered on Oct. 16 at the Holiday Inn in West Chester, Pa., for Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines’ Fifth Annual Benefit Auction. The farm’s largest fundraiser, which is put on by the Ryerss Farm Auxiliary, was an even greater success then last year’s event. The auction netted in excess of $15,000 for the retirement facility.

Auction goers could bid on a wide array of horse related and non-horse related items in both the live and silent auctions. Some horse-related items in the silent auction included books, jewelry, artwork, and a certificate for a pair of Tropical Rider breeches. Among the non-horse related donations in the silent auction were various gift certificates to restaurants and stores, gift baskets, and passes to places such as Adventure Aquarium in NJ, the Haunted Hay Ride at the Bates Motel, and the Brandywine Ballet.

The hit of the event was the live auction, where attendees battled it out for prime items, such as three winter blankets, a Montana Silversmith statue, a set of Thoroughbred Legends books with bookends donated by Blood-Horse Publications, and a certificate from Equine Resources International, LLC, for the design of a full-page ad and accompanying press release for a company or organization. Non-horse related items in the live auction included a one-year family membership to the YMCA, tickets to the Nutcracker, a one hour discovery flight in a Cherokee Arrow plane and a subscription for the Pottstown Symphony Orchestra’s ’05-’06 season. 

“We were extremely pleased once again with the turnout and support,” said Lucia Still, auction coordinator and member of Ryerss Farm Board of Managers. “Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves and was very willing to contribute to helping out our aged equine friends