Last week I snuck into the "horse barn" out at the Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center to take a peak at the Gallopalooza horses that are being painted, adorned and sculpted. There were more than 30 horses in various stages of completion -- scattered about the large open room.
I caught up with artist Fred Ruffenach, who was delicately gluing purple beads onto his horse head. I also ran into artist Amy Goforth, who has two horses to paint this year. She's doing one fairly elaborate horse for a doctor's office, and then one pretty standard, real-life-looking horse for another client.
This year, the horses come in five different poses, including a colt. All the horses must be completed by March 27. There will be a public preview April 9-11 at Churchill Downs, and then the horses will be scattered about town on April 19.
