DESIGN CONTEST LAUNCHES ISRAEL EQUESTRIAN NON-PROFIT
‘T.E.A.M. ISRAEL’ TO AWARD $1,000 CASH PRIZE FOR REDESIGN OF ISRAELI EQUESTRIAN TEAM’S COMPETITION JACKET
(JERUSALEM, Israel – January 13, 2014) T.E.A.M. Israel – The Equine Athletics Mission Israel (www.team-israel.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to positively impacting Israeli society through the development of a robust equestrian culture, announced today that it is sponsoring a contest for Israeli fashion designers and design students to create a new design for the Israeli Equestrian Team’s competition jacket.
The ‘Blaze of Glory’ design contest, the first of many equestrian-themed projects and initiatives being developed by T.E.A.M. Israel, is offering a $1,000 cash prize and full bragging rights to the designer who can come up with a fresh, innovative and patriotic take on the traditional equestrian blazer for Israel’s newly-formed show jumping dream team, a squad with its sights set on victory at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
“This competition is all about creating excitement and spreading the word about T.E.A.M. Israel’s mission. Israel is known for its ingenuity and innovative design, and we see this competition as a way to get creative and passionate people involved in our larger mission, including the development of equestrian sports as an educational tool and therapeutic outlet,” said Deb Schultz, an Internet entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of T.E.A.M. Israel.
“We want every Israeli to get excited about what we are doing and to see the athletes wearing these new riding jackets as their team.”
While contest participants will not be required to create an actual blazer, they must submit a 250-word description of the design concept, at least one fashion illustration or flat lay rough sketch of the jacket design, and a photo of the fabrics required to complete the design by the January 26 deadline.
The first round of judging will be conducted by a panel of experts from the worlds of fashion and equestrian sports, including award-winning Grand Prix show jumper Danielle Goldstein, a member of the Israeli show jumping team; Dror Ben Shaul, a member of the Israel Equestrian Federation’s board of directors and the national trainer for the Israeli Paralympic Equestrian team; Israeli designer Adam Gefen, a Bezalel Academy for Art and Design graduate known for his bold and colorful sport-inspired menswear; and T.E.A.M. Israel CEO and co-founder Deb Schultz.
The panel of judges will review all submissions and select the top five entries based on the originality and strength of the design concept, desired comfort while competing, and the feasibility of production.
The finalists’ entries will then be posted on the official T.E.A.M. Israel Facebook page, where the general public will have a chance to vote for their favorite designs by “Liking” or “Sharing” the images. The entry that receives the highest number of votes by February 5 will be deemed the winner.
“This is the beginning of an equestrian renaissance in Israel. Though it will begin with a simple contest, we are certain that the success of the Israeli Equestrian Team will help us build momentum very quickly,” added Israel Equestrian Team member and contest judge Danielle Goldstein.
“It is only a matter of time before we see equestrian sports boosting national pride and earning international respect for the State of Israel.”
For additional information about the ‘Blaze of Glory’ design contest or to submit a contest entry, please visit bit.do/BlazeOfGloryDetails.
T.E.A.M. Israel – The Equine Athletics Mission Israel (www.team-israel.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to positively impacting Israeli society and garnering national pride and international respect for the State of Israel through the development of a robust equestrian culture. The organization’s primary objectives include the establishment of state-of-the-art equestrian centers to train the next generation of Israeli riders, a framework for increased, high level equestrian education, and a world-class equestrian team that will compete worldwide under the Israeli flag. In addition, T.E.A.M. Israel will support and further develop well-established equestrian disciplines in Israel, including western pleasure, therapeutic riding and Para-equestrian programming.
Due to the unifying nature of competitive sports, T.E.A.M. Israel’s initial focus is the assembly of an equestrian team capable of competing on behalf of Israel at the 2016 Olympic Games and all subsequent international competitions. The successful team will attract fans and supporters from Israel and around the world and will bring about the organic expansion of Israel’s equestrian culture.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Elie Klein Finn Partners Israel for T.E.A.M. Israel
Office: + 972-2-589-2013 E-mail: elie@finnpartners.co.il
