March 6, 2002 – Ocala, Florida has conducted a public arts project called Horse Fever, where 52 art-decorated horses are up for pre-bidding on the internet at www.horsefeverauction.com. All proceeds will go back to specific charities in the horse industry and to support the local arts scene.

Horse Fever in Ocala utilized local groups and sponsors. All the public arts projects, no matter what location, have roughly the same timelines. A call for artists goes out, a jury picks the best designs, horses are purchased, delivered, decorated and then put on display. But all good things come to an end, and Horse Fever will have at least one ending on March 22, 2002, when all the horses are auctioned off live at Oak Plantation in Ocala.

Ocala, Florida has more real equines residing there than anywhere else in Florida, with 20,000 horses, 1200 farms and a $2.2 billion horse industry.

Now add the show horses of the artistic kind to Ocala, Florida.

"Our show of horses is truly an art show. We didn't do whimsy things, craft things; we did art," said Laurie Menard, chairwoman of the Horse Fever Steering Committee. Horse Fever is a combined effort of the Marion Cultural Alliance and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association.

"And why was it a surprise to people that we had such great artists here?" Menard asks. "All this talent, the quality of art has pulled people to respect public art and to have fun with real art." Menard noted another distinction. Horse Fever artists came from diverse backgrounds, including airbrush artists who decorate cars for a living, and an architect who is also an artist. "Our art represents our area," said Paula King, chairwoman of the board of directors of the Marion Cultural Alliance.