Equine Advocates to honor artist Peb and writer Heller

Legendary equine cartoonist Pierre “Peb” Bellocq and Eclipse Award-winning writer Bill Heller will be honored at the Equine Advocates annual awards dinner and charity auction on July 30 at Canfield Casino in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Bellocq, 88, is being honored “for his artistic brilliance and originality in documenting the horse in sport from a humane perspective with humor and sensitivity, as well as from a historic standpoint,” Equine Advocates said in a release. Heller, author of 25 books, is being given a special equine protection award for writing “After the Finish Line – The Race to End Horse Slaughter in America,” and for founding The Ferdinand Fee in New York, one of the earliest programs of its kind instituted to help protect racehorses from slaughter.

The gala will include cocktails, dinner, the award presentations, music and dancing, and live and silent auctions. Auction items include a copy of “Sleeping Beauty,” Bellocq’s original work to commemorate American Pharoah’s Triple Crown run; a fiberglass horse painted by Bellocq; a visit to the set of the CBS drama “The Good Wife”; a weekend for two at Saratoga Whitney Handicap weekend with Funny Cide co-owner Jack Knowlton and horseplayer Kevin Cox; and an original oil painting by famed equine artist Peter Williams.

General tickets are $250 per person, with seats at front tier tables $500 per person. For more information, go to the Equine Advocates website.