The U.S. Postal Service unveiled its new Horses stamps today at the kickoff for the 164th annual Pony Express Re-Ride. The event, held at the Patee House Museum, celebrates the historic mail route from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.
"Beyond their grace and majesty, horses have long been integral to American culture and society," said Jamiel Freeman, St. Joseph postmaster. "Their participation in the Pony Express is a testament to their reputation as loyal and hardworking, and the Postal Service is honored to celebrate them on these new Forever stamps."
Pam Simmons, president of the National Pony Express Association, echoed these sentiments. "We are honored that the Postal Service chose the National Pony Express Association's 2024 Re-Ride kickoff celebration in St. Joseph, MO, to release the horse stamp," Simmons said. "Horses have been such a vital part of our country's history and by honoring these magnificent animals, we are acknowledging their beauty and stamina as well as their part in our history and vital role for the Pony Express."
The new stamp collection features five photographs of individual horses. The images include a gray-maned dappled white stallion, a russet-coated horse with a copper mane and white facial markings, and a golden chestnut with a white mane. Additionally, the collection showcases a horse with a brown spotted coat against a snowy backdrop, and a chestnut horse with a white blaze against a black background. The selvage of the pane depicts a chestnut horse with a black muzzle and mane peering out of a Dutch barn window.
Derry Noyes, an art director for the USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs by Stephanie Moon and Karen Wegehenkel. The stamps are available for purchase at Post Offices and on the USPS website, usps.com. As Forever stamps, they will always hold the value of the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
The launch of the Horses stamps is being promoted with the hashtag #HorsesStamps. Additionally, a video about the stamps will be posted on the Postal Service's Facebook and Twitter pages two hours after the ceremony.
The Pony Express Re-Ride is a 10-day annual event in which riders retrace the historic mail route from St. Joseph to Sacramento. The 2024 Re-Ride schedule and more information can be found on the National Pony Express Association's website: nationalponyexpress.org.
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