A Trojan Gallapalooza honors Louisville heroes.
No way a two-buck win ticket on this horse can pay off. The equine- looking creature can't even get out of the gate. Might not fit into the gate either. But by every other measure, it's an odds-on favorite to win fans for Louisville. It's goal: to help Hometown Heroes, formerly known as the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation, "enhance Louisville's image as an exciting city with tourists, business visitors and people who simply may be passing through."
It can't run, it just lumbers.
Measuring an estimated 19 hands at the withers (if it had withers) or 8.5 feet to the top of its ears and stretching 10 feet from its nose to the tip of its tail, the magnificent steed is anchored securely on 1" X 6" deck boards. Built around a treated pine skeleton and reinforced with a 2" X 4" piece of lumber inside each leg, the horse stands in perpetual stud not because of its reproductive talents but because it's made out of them.
Created by retired Louisville advertising agency president Tom Halbleib and his close friend and former client Lou Johnson, the horse is a replica of the mythological Trojan Horse. They named the massive wood sculpture hirOuik (pronounced heroic) because "It has Greek roots and stands for hero which pretty much describes why we built him."
A little art, a little engineering, a lot of work.
Halbleib and Johnson were the ideal team for the creative project. Tom says his background in graphic design guided him in conceptualizing hirOuik and Lou added a practical understanding of the construction process. All the carpentry work was done in Halbleib's woodworking shop, formerly the garage behind his house.
Tom Halbleib has been involved as an advertising-marketing volunteer with the not-for-profit "Hometown Heroes" project since its inception in 2001. He says the idea to create a Trojan Horse happened when the group considered sponsoring a Galapalooza horse in Louisville's Operation Brightside 2009 fundraising competition. "It was obvious," he says, "Just as the mythical Trojan horse carried Greek heroes into Troy, hirOuik would carry photo images of the Louisville heroes displayed on buildings throughout the city.
Built like a man o' war. Not the horse, but a real man o' war.
Legend suggests that the original Trojan Horse was crafted from the wood of Spartan ships, so hirOuik features an exterior of thin strips of Douglas Fir and cedar. A gray stain finish provides the weatherworn look of an old sailing ship. And an antique wooden pulley and rope tied to a cleat on the top of the horse adds a touch of nautical authenticity. Along both sides of hirOuik is a row of eight windows subtly suggesting a time when ancient oarsmen may have maneuvered their ship into battle. Now each window has its own protective door that opens to reveal a photograph of one of Louisville's designated heroes. On the horse's right rump, a red "HH" brand identifies the Hometown Heroes project. And a Susan B. Anthony dollar is glued inside for good luck.
When asked about the weight of their critter, Halbleib and Johnson both answered, "Very heavy."
Show Your Support with a Shirt
We now have plans to offer T-Shirts showcasing the Trojan Horse, hirOuik. The design is finalized but the shirts aren't quite ready so check back soon to find out more information.