Connie Price and daughter Dana Price Thurnau of Connie's Customs Limited Edition Show Clothing have generously donated a gorgeous show jacket that will be auctioned Friday, March 12th at the March To The Arch horse show in St. Louis, Missouri. The money raised will be donated to the McDonnell Pediatric Cancer Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Dana explained more about the jacket and its special significance to GoHorseShow.com  

Why did Connie's Customs feel the need to donate such a wonderful item?

DPT: The jacket has been something that my Mom and I thought of doing a couple years ago when we attended the March to the Arch. We have always donated items to the auction but due to the scheduling conflict with the March Mania Paint show, we have opted to stay right there in Tulsa for the past two years. When we heard the dates were changed for this year, and that we could attend both shows, I knew this was our opportunity to make a jacket and donate. So, this has been my "fun winter project" that I have worked on in between crystalling custom orders and just living life.

This jacket has special meaning to everyone at Connie’s Customs. Please explain.

DPT: It’s truly amazing the impact doing something like this has on you when you've been touched by cancer in your life or someone close around you has been affected. The jacket body itself was donated by our sewer, Victoria Haivy. Her husband is currently battling cancer and she insisted on donating the jacket body when my Mom explained to her why we were ordering it. She said it would make her feel good inside. Additionally, I just had an infiltrative basal cell carcinoma removed. Being a nurse by profession, I have dealt with it a lot, but it puts a whole new perspective on life the closer it gets to you.

DPT: The jacket is a medium, size 8/10. It is made of black stretch gabardine sides and sleeves and the center panel front and back is made of black pig suede. The collar and cuffs are trimmed in pink bubble gum colored leather with silver rims and nail heads and large AB Swarovski crystals.

We wanted to keep the design western, yet have a fun, kind of tattoo edge with the wings. I knew I wanted to incorporate the cancer ribbon into it, but not have it "scream" cancer as I wanted it to be something tasteful and classy, that would help to raise lots of money, and something I personally would bid on and would wear around the show pen. I guess this is when I came up with the idea of the cancer ribbon being made of barb wire (easier said than done!)

What would you like it to bring in the auction?

DPT: I really don't know if we want to assign a retail value to it.  The painted jackets have been a hot item, and that is what I would compare it to in our inventory as it is a one of a kind. They are averaging around $4000. I don't want to scare people away from it but I think they will realize what they are getting when they see it, and besides, it’s for a great cause! It’s hard to put a dollar amount on something you thoroughly enjoy doing. I didn’t keep track of our time invested (not that it really matters any ways). It’s the cause and meaning behind it that is the driving force.

Thank you Dana and happy bidding to everyone at the March To The Arch!

Visit Connie's Customs online at conniesustoms.com