Art Walk Horse Sculpture Winners Announced In Freehold

FREEHOLD, NJ — The race is over and the winning sculptures in the Freehold Half Mile of Horses Art Walk installation were announced this week by the borough.

"Win, Place and Show" - the borough's designations - are:

• Win, "Let It Grow" by Paige E. Reed, sponsored by Freehold Art Gallery.
• Place, "Growing Change" by Melissa Hood, sponsored by Rotary Club of Freehold.
• Show, "Born in Freehold, USA" by Eileen Petruch, sponsored by 618 Restaurant.

"The Borough of Freehold and Neighborhood Preservation Program congratulate the winners and thank all the artists and sponsors who participated in this event," the borough said on its Facebook site.

In a nod to the borough's long equine history, 12 model horse sculptures were posed on pedestals along Main Street since August.

The project was funded by a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' Neighborhood Preservation Program and local sponsorships, said Dominica Napolitano, Neighborhood Preservation Program coordinator.

The Half Mile of Horses Art Walk is comprised of custom-painted horse sculptures decorating downtown Freehold’s Main Street, on display along East and West Main streets between Throckmorton and Spring streets, Napolitano said in August.

The sculptures are all designed by local artists and residents and visitors could view the artwork and vote on their favorites through a special link.

The link also provides the names of all the artists and the titles of the works. Each artist described the concept and sponsor under the photo of each entry.

For "Let It Grow," Reed wrote, in part: "My inspiration for this design comes from our hometown and the beautiful Garden State. This design includes fast facts about New Jersey, our hometown and good vibe quotes/inspirational sayings. Being an educator and lifelong resident of Freehold has provided me with a life of love, laughter, family and memories. With that, my number one goal and inspiration for this design is to 'Let it grow.'"

The horse motif was selected to pay homage to the borough’s connection with the horse, Napolitano said, adding that Freehold Borough is home to Freehold Raceway, one of the oldest half-mile tracks in the country. And western Monmouth County is known for its horse farms.
Freehold Raceway's website says the Monmouth County Agricultural Society, formed in 1853, rented land at the current Raceway site in 1854 for a meet. Racing is believed to have taken place there as early as 1831, the site says.

Mayor Kevin Kane said this summer the artists work was "innovative."

“I’m quite impressed by the talented artists and interesting concepts we have received,” Kane said in August.

And the Half Mile of Horses Art Walk may generate interest in the borough as an emerging arts destination, he added.