Friday, June 26, 2009

Debbie Ray, Bernie and the fabulous waiter, Eddie. Blue Dog Cafe.



Calzone create a viral video campaign to promote EatLafayette. All part of a comprehensive media and experiential process to drive customers to dine in locally-owned restaurants in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Mission Exceeded.

Louisiana Thoroughbred Yearling Sale Expanded to Two Days Due To Overwhelming Number Of Consignments

(New Orleans, La.) - It appears that the Louisiana thoroughbred business is continuing to grow despite hard economic times. The Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana announced today that due to overwhelming support for its yearling sale, the event would be extended to a two-day sale.

“The Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana is in existence to provide the breeders of Louisiana a viable and professionally operated venue to sell the horses they breed,” said Tom Early, CEO for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association and sales coordinator for The Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana. “After numerous discussions we determined that limiting the number of yearlings sold would be detrimental to our cause.”

The Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana Annual Yearling Sale will now be held on the original date of September 28, 2009 as well as September 29, 2009. The sale will be held at the Ike Hamilton Center in West Monroe, Louisiana. Once the total number of entrants is determined the sale then will be split equally between the days.

Last year the sales company reported 62% increase in overall revenue and a 46% average price increase over the 2007 sale. “We believe that the success of last year’s sale and our breeders’ incentive program are contributing to the large number of yearlings being entered in our sale,” said Early.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Calzone Makes the News Happen.

PENINSULA GAMING AGREES TO ACQUIRE AMELIA BELLE CASINO - June 22, 2009 - This news needed to hit Louisiana and national media quickly. Calzone is the long time PR firm for Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino in Opelousas, Louisiana. When its parent company needed the news out, the time between the call and the deployment to the media was less than an hour. Within 90 minutes the CBS affiliate was conducting an interview and what followed through other media outlets was a consistent message of that revealed a thoughtful acquisition and a good economic news story.

AP, Business Week, Forbes and a plethora of media in the Gulf Coast region picked up the story. The acquisition creates a synergy of two very compatible properties. The best news is that no jobs were lost.

Click here to see the whole news story.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Calzone along with its electronic media partner, Cox Media, developed the latest in social media connections for the EatLafayette campaign. Check out the spot!


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Thursday, June 4, 2009

Top Louisiana honors set to be announced

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association Annual Awards Event Set For Saturday at Evangeline Downs

(New Orleans, LA) - The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association will present its annual awards event at Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino this Saturday, June 6, 2009. The Annual Membership Meeting honors the association's top breeders and Louisiana-bred thoroughbred horses.

Some of the award winners were announced earlier this year, but the Overall Horse of the Year Award is being kept under wraps until Saturday.

The Stallion of Year is based on the amount of monies earned by his (Louisiana-bred) offspring during 2008. The 2008 Stallion of the Year is Leestown, with his progeny earning $2,495,892.

The Breeder of the Year is based on the amount of Breeders Awards earned in 2008. For the seventh time in a row, the Breeder of the Year is Foxwood Plantation Ltd., (Bill Boorhem) with earnings of $325,037.99.

The remaining Horse of the Year awards are based on votes cast from the nearly 1,500 Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association members.

Two-year Old Filly
Morning Memory

Two-year Old Colt or Gelding
Foreign Production


Three-year Old Filly
Superior Storm

Three-year Old Colt or Gelding
Ide like A Double

Four-year Old & UP Filly or Mare
Coach Mike

Four-year Old & Up Male
Autobeacat

The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association evolved from a small group of horsemen who united in 1961 when only 142 Thoroughbred foals were registered in the state. Since that time, the Thoroughbred industry in Louisiana has grown to become one of the state's top industries.

Through the efforts of the LTBA and the implementation of the breeding incentive program, Louisiana-breds have flourished. The foal crop has been on a steady incline that will saw more than 2500 foals born in Louisiana in 2008. Increased purses at the state's racetracks and an increase in better quality horses have resulted in higher prices for horses and have given rise to increased interest in racing and breeding horses in Louisiana. The 2008 Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana Yearling Sales reported the only yearling sale in the country that was up compared to last year's sale.

Louisiana's racing and breeding industry plays an important role in the state's economic well-being and contributes a significant source of state revenue. The combined impact of both racing and breeding and their related industries generates nearly $930 million annually and employs nearly 9,000 people.

For more information about the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association go to: www.louisianabred.com.



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