Source:  News Release

Calling All Charities! The FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge Presented by Fidelity Investments® is Back and Bigger than Ever in 2012

Wellington, FL - Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) is now accepting applications for the 2012 FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge (GCC), presented by Fidelity Investments^®. The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) will once again host the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge (GCC) presented by Fidelity Investments on the evening of Friday, February 17, 2012, which will take place under the lights of the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

The GCC is an exhilarating pro/am relay style team competition consisting of two junior/amateur riders combined with one Olympic or world-class rider. This year, the goal is to raise a record $1.5 million. 100% of all proceeds will be donated to 32 charities that are randomly selected from a pool of applicants at ESP's Second Annual Holiday Horsefest at the Meyer Amphitheatre on December 11, 2011. The selected charities will then be randomly assigned to one of 32 family sponsored teams. This follows the success of the 2011 GCC event, which raised over $1 million dollars for Palm Beach charities. The winning team of riders will be awarded $150,000 for its Charity and every Team/Charity selected will win at least $10,000.

Mark Bellissimo, CEO of ESP commented, "This event allows us to educate, showcase, and to financially support the broad missions of 32 randomly selected charities from Palm Beach County. It is unique to get this many charities involved in a single event, so it is not about a specific charity but the spirit of giving. My family, my fellow Wellington Equestrian Partners, and the equestrian community are very fortunate to enjoy this lifestyle and this is a great opportunity for us to give back to our community."

Dennis Shaughnessy, Chairman of FTI Consulting, the Title Sponsor of the Winter Equestrian Festival and the Great Charity Challenge, added, "Through our sponsorship of the annual FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, our firm is able to extend our support into the local Palm Beach community, where our executive headquarters are based, and contribute to the success of this important fundraising effort. The FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments provides an excellent opportunity for the equestrian world to give back to the community that supports it, and we are proud to participate in the 2012 initiative."

To apply, please visit www.equestriansport.com and click on the red button labeled "Great Charity Challenge Register Here." Once the necessary forms are completed, please send them, along with a copy of your charity's 501c3 letter of determination, to Brooke Bidgood atbrooke@equestriansport.com. Applications are due by December 1, 2011, and charities will be randomly selected and announced on Sunday, December 11, 2011 at the second annual Holiday HorseFest event held at the Meyer Amphitheater in West Palm Beach.

Eligibility requirements for participating charities are as follows:

• Brief history of the organization (including mission statement)
• Significant achievements of the past 2 years
• Brief resumes of key staff members and/or volunteers
• A complete list of the charity's/organization's Board of Directors (include home and business addresses and phone numbers)
• Provide a brief description or budget regarding how any money won in the 2012 FTI Great Charity Challenge would be used by the charity/organization.
• The organization/charity's financial balance sheet to be approved and signed by the board treasurer for the last completed fiscal year (an auditor's compilation or review will be acceptable).
• The organization/charity's most recent annual financial statement approved by board treasurer.
• The salaries and job titles of the 3 highest paid employees or consultants (please note if board members are compensated or if they receive compensation for or receive travel expenses.
• A copy of charity/organization's IRS letter of tax exemption to verify non-profit status

ESP reserves the right to determine the final eligibility of all applicants.

The FTI Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments, is similar to that of the FTI WEF's "Saturday Night Lights" series. It is a family fun event, with a live band, children's fair, and both casual and fine dining. Don't miss out on the excitement as fans line the stadium to cheer on their favorite team and charity. Whether you are interested in participating in the event or just want to support a great cause, join us on February 17, 2012 to help us reach our fundraising goal of $1.5 million!

Updates on the GCC will be announced throughout the fall.

 

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 11 through April 1. The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are "AA" rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $6 million in prize money will be awarded.

About FTI Consulting 
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 3,800 employees located in 23 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.4 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2010. More information can be found atwww.fticonsulting.com. 

About Fidelity Investments 
Fidelity Investments is one of the world's largest providers of financial services, with assets under administration of $3.2 trillion, including managed assets of more than $1.4 trillion, as of September 30, 2011. Founded in 1946, the firm is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing and many other financial products and services to more than 20 million individuals and institutions, as well as through 5,000 financial intermediary firms. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visitwww.fidelity.com.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.   

For inquiries about the Great Charity Challenge, please contact Brooke Bidgood at brooke@equestriansport.com.