WELLINGTON, FLORIDA – December 11, 2003 – Mason Phelps, Jr. and Beverly Lake Wilkes in the name of Denim & Diamonds, the gala benefit for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation, are sponsoring a Children’s Fair on Saturday, December 27, 2003, at the Outback/Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon in Wellington, Florida. The Denim & Diamonds Children’s Fair will be held from noon until 3pm on the Great Lawn located behind the Special Events Pavilion at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club show grounds. Children 12 and under are admitted free to the Triathlon as well as to the Children’s Fair where they will be treated to a carnival of exhibits, rides, clowns, and festivities geared especially for family fun. Admission to the fair for those over 12 is included with their general admission ticket to the Triathlon. Gates open at noon and the Outback/Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon starts with a parade at 1pm.

At the Denim & Diamonds Children’s Fair, young equestrians-to-be can experience the joy of mounting up and taking a pony ride courtesy of Candice and Chandra. The Cockadoodledoo Petting Zoo offers kids the opportunity to get up-close and personal with a variety of barnyard and exotic animals. Youngsters can also try out a new look with hair braiding provided by Michael Angelo Salon & Spa. Cookie the Clown will delight children with his talents as a colorful face-painter. Parents can contribute to the charity and give their child a gift by purchasing a Make-A-Wish Balloon – each one has a gift attached. And what would a Children’s Fair be without a bouncy house – the Triathlon has a castle from www.Akidsparty.com. Families can also enjoy bidding at the Silent Auction from noon to 3pm in the loge of the Jockey Club, as well as shopping at vendor booths overlooking the Internationale Arena.

The Triathlon features competition in dressage, show jumping, and polo. Four star-studded teams of three are participating, including Olympians and high-goalers. Action in the arena will wrap up with an Olympic-style awards ceremony for the athletes. This year’s Triathlon benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. In closing, a representative from the Make-A-Wish Foundation will make a presentation.

General admission tickets are $10, with children 12 and under admitted free. VIP tables in the Jockey Club overlooking the Internationale Arena are $750, which includes seating for six and the Outback Steakhouse lamb-and-shrimp buffet. Non-reserved seating in the Jockey Club is $150 per person and includes the buffet.

Mason Phelps, Jr. and Beverly Lake Wilkes chaired and produced Denim & Diamonds annually from the mid-90s through 2000, and raised more than one million dollars for the US Equestrian Team. After a four-year hiatus, they will once again stage Denim & Diamonds on Sunday, February 15, 2004, beginning at 6:30pm, at the South Florida Expo Center located at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach. The theme will be “Denim & Diamonds: Back to the Future,” brought to life by event-planner extraordinaire Bruce Sutka. Headliner entertainment includes Chaka Khan, Bjorne Again, and the Wailing Aztecs. Mr. Phelps and Ms. Wilkes are sponsoring the Children’s Fair in the name of Denim & Diamonds to help make the Triathlon a success and to bring the message to more equestrians about the Denim & Diamonds gala benefit for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation.

For tickets/tables at the Outback/Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon, contact Mason Phelps, Jr. of Phelps Wilkes & Associates, Inc. at (561) 753-3389 or at info@phelpswilkes.com

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