Dec. 04--Fifteen of the decorative horses that lined Michigan Avenue and other downtown streets in the fall were auctioned off Wednesday at a fundraiser for families of slain and injured police officers, officials announced.
The life-size 100-pound fiberglass horses, each paid for by a sponsor and uniquely designed by an artist, paid homage to Chicago Police Department members who were killed or injured in the line of duty.
The 90 horses were each erected in honor of a specific officer. Some of the sponsors researched and picked specific officers to remember; others were randomly assigned names, including some dating to the early 1900s. Sponsors then worked with artists to design the horses.
All have bridles that include a version of the Chicago police checkerboard design. The saddles were sculpted from an original Chicago police horse saddle.
The horses drew the attention of many people on Michigan Avenue, including some who took photos with them. Five horses were damaged during the display but were quickly repaired, said Billy Bracken, who runs Agency360, which helped organize the Horses of Honor project with the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. The police foundation supports the families of injured or slain law enforcement officers.
The horses were removed from public view just before the Festival of Lights on Nov. 22. Many have already been purchased by their original sponsor or were sold on eBay, with people bidding $500 and $2,000. People from across the country have expressed interest in the horses; one buyer from the United Kingdom saw the horses during a visit to Chicago and wrote to inquire about the project, Bracken said.
The 15 select horses that remained went up for bid at a live auction Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E. Wacker Drive. All were sold, Police Memorial Foundation Director Phil Cline said Wednesday night.
Included is the horse sponsored by the cast and crew of NBC's "Chicago P.D." That horse is signed by cast members.
All proceeds go to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.
asweeney@tribpub.com
