Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) will host a “Celebrity Bartender Showdown” and silent auction to benefit horses, donkeys and mules through Brooke USA during the 2016 Nutrena United States Eventing Association (USEA) American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Land Rover.

The event is set to take place during the long-anticipated “Sounds of Nashville” Concert presented by Coca Cola on Saturday, Sept. 3. Brooke USA Ambassadors and Team USA Eventing members Boyd Martin and Lauren Kieffer will be joined by Bobby Costello and Brooke USA Board Member Jim Wolf to raise money and awareness for the “Buy a Donkey a Drink” campaign, which will run through the entire 2016 Tryon Fall Series.

One-of-a-kind items will be up for bidding during the silent auction, including personal items donated by the celebrity bartenders. All proceeds raised from the auction will benefit Brooke USA. Auction items include:

• Pieces from the official 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Athlete Kit donated by Boyd Martin.

• A lesson with Bobby Costello at Will Faudree’s Gavilan Farm in Southern Pines, N.C.

• An assortment of Troy & Son’s Moonshine

• One Wild Card entry at the 2017 Wellington Eventing Showcase to be hosted at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Fla., provided horse and rider combination have met all of the requirements to compete at the CCI*** level.

• One VIP Table for six for the duration of the 2017 Wellington Eventing Showcase at PBIEC.

• One free entry in any division for the 2017 USEA American Eventing Championships at TIEC, which will include two VIP Hospitality Passes and two tickets to all other ticketed events to be hosted at the AEC in 2017.

• A $200 shopping spree for AEC merchandise at Tryon Tack.

Team USA Olympic members, Boyd Martin and Lauren Kieffer, along with Bobby Costello and Jim Wolf, will be behind the bar concocting drinks and signing autographs throughout the evening.

Sip on a signature orange sangria, Moscow mule, or orangeade while listening to the sounds of “Raised by the Radio” star Mitch Rossell, who has opened for the legendary Garth Brooks, and country music singer Julia Cole, who has opened for country music sensation Hunter Hayes. Each drink and all tips raised throughout the night will benefit Brooke USA.

General admission to the concert is free and open to the public with gates opening at 5 p.m.

For more information about Tryon International Equestrian Center please call 828-863-1000 or visit tryon.com. To donate to this lifesaving campaign, go to BuyaDonkeyaDrink.org or email Info@BrookeUSA.org. For more information on Brooke USA, visit BrookeUSA.org.

– article submitted by TIEC