MOELLER BRONZE LTD
VISA 3-Year-Old
Championship Series Trophy
In 1995, VISA USA decided to become the title sponsor for Thoroughbred horse racing's prestigious Triple Crown Challenge (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes). In 1996, VISA teamed up with Triple Crown Productions and the Thoroughbred Racing Association to create the 3-Year-Old Championship Series, consisting of 46 races (including the Triple Crown events), staged at 21 racetracks in 11 states. Points are awarded to the top three finishers of each race, with the grade of each race determining the number of points. The top scorer wins the Series.
VISA awarded Moeller a commission to create a one-of-a-kind perpetual trophy for the Series on the basis of his artistic skills as well as his ability to complete the immense project within two months. The result was a three-foot tall, 200 pound artistic trophy to be on permanent display in the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame. The trophy consists of several bronze parts atop a plinth of black granite native to South Dakota. The bowl of the cup contains relief scenes of horses breaking out of the starting gates on one side, and striving towards the finish line on the other. The stem has a marble-like patina, with a band at the bottom which houses small plaques with the names of the Series winners. A relief of a continual racing scene encircles the base. An actual racing bridle was used to sculpt reins and snaffle bits which entwine the bowl and arc out to form the handles of the cup. Several different patinas were used to provide accents and coloring to the bronze.
The commission also included a five-year contract to update the perpetual trophy with the new VISA champions' names cast in raised lettering, and to produce 12-inch commemorative replicas of the perpetual trophy to be awarded yearly to the champion owners, as well as plaque for the winning trainer and jockey. AAEP In 1997, Moeller was commissioned by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to create a prestigious award for Frank J. Milne lectureship, sponsored by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, at their annual convention. The AAEP is an association of veterinarians which crosses all disciplines, breeds, and associations within the horse industry. The resulting "Frank J. Milne State of the Art Lecture" award stands over 18" tall, and consists of a generic, all-breed statue of a horse atop a multi-tiered base, with the first two bronze tiers symbolically depicting the educational, technical, and research aspects of the veterinarian trade. The third tier, representing the mission of the AAEP, depicts hands clasped under a refining fire, as the members come together in fellowship to distill and refine knowledge and ideas synergistically for the betterment of horse healthcare throughout the world. The featured lecturer at the convention receives the sculptured award with his name added to the base in cast, raised letters. Moeller has shipped over 3000 bronze trophy awards for the Arabian Horse Association's Regional IV and IX Championship competitions over the last twenty years. Jonathan Moeller (605)-537-4483 Fax (605)-537-4442 jgmoeller@venturecomm.net
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Frank J. Milne Lecture Award
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AHA
Regional Championship Award
11079 476th Ave.
Rosholt, SD 57260-6839
United States
