Despite the gloomy weather, hundreds of horse and dog lovers braved the elements to show their support for homeless pets at the “Ride for the Animals presented by Finish Line Feed” charity horse show on January 19, 2013. The event raised $3,320 for the Humane Society of Broward County through equestrian competitions, dog contests and competitive games for humans. The event, which is part of the popular Heritage Horse Show series, was held at the Plantation Equestrian Center.

 “Ride for the Animals is an event our competitors really look forward to,” said Butch Medlin, owner of Heritage Horse Show.  “In addition to enjoying competitive equestrian events, everyone loves to watch the dog costume contests and silly dog tricks. It’s a fun day for the whole family and I enjoy meeting people from all over South Florida who come out to support this great cause.”

In the two years Heritage Horse Show has held the Ride for the Animals fundraiser, nearly $6,500 has been raised for the Humane Society of Broward County through a combination of raffle ticket sales, class entry fees and event sponsorships.

“Finish Line is always looking for ways to support our local community. The Humane Society of Broward County is a great organization and is just minutes from our retail store,” said Patrick McHugh, President of Finish Line Feed, Inc., located in Dania Beach. “We are well known in the equestrian community for being a provider of top-quality hay and horse feed but not everyone knows we also offer a full line of supplies and premium foods for all types of pets including dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, and even squirrels. This event presented a fantastic opportunity to support a worthy cause while exposing our products and services to a broader audience.”

Heritage and Finish Line were joined by other event sponsors including Just Fur Fun, a designer of handcrafted accessories for dogs, cats, horses and people.