ST
JOSEPH, Mo., June 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service today
dedicated its new Horses stamps at today's kickoff for the 164th
Pony Express Re-Ride, a 10-day annual event in which riders retrace
the historic route from St. Joseph,
MO to Sacramento, CA.
The ceremony was held at the Patee House Museum in St. Joseph.
"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."
"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," said Pam Simmons,
president of the National Pony Express Association. "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 pane of 20 stamps features five photographs of individual
horses. Three of the five appear in their natural environments
against a background of green foliage: a gray-maned dappled white
stallion; a horse with a russet coat, copper mane and white facial
markings; and a golden chestnut with a chalky white mane. A horse
with a brown spotted coat and light-colored mane is captured
standing against a snowy wooded background, and a chestnut horse
with a white blaze is photographed against a simple black
background. The selvage depicts a chestnut horse with a black
muzzle and mane peering out of a Dutch barn window.
Derry Noyes, an art director for
USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs by
Stephanie Moon and Karen Wegehenkel.
The Horses stamps are available at Post Offices and on usps.com.
The Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current
First-Class Mail 1‑ounce price.
News about the stamps is being shared with the
hashtag #HorsesStamps. A video about the
stamps will be posted two hours after the ceremony on the Postal
Service's Facebook and Twitter pages at facebook.com/USPS
and twitter.com/usps.
More information about the Pony Express Re-Ride, including the
2024 Re-Ride schedule, can be found at
https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/current-reride/.
About the Pony Express
The Pony Express operated for 18 months in 1860 and 1861. It
revolutionized communication in the pre-telegraph era. Riders on
horseback relayed mail and news along a 1,966-mile route between
St. Joseph, MO, and Sacramento, CA. The Pony Express Re-Ride is an
annual event that commemorates this historic feat.
Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products
through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by
calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations
nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the
USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon.
Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an
independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing
and to serve every American community through the affordable,
reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 167 million
addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan
Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year
transformation plan, Delivering for America, to
modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial
sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and
shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of
America's most valued and trusted brands.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for
operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and
services to fund its operations.
For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and
audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us
on X, formerly known as Twitter;
Instagram; Pinterest; Threads
and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel
and like us on Facebook. For more information about the
Postal Service, visit usps.com and
facts.usps.com.
National contact: Felicia M.
Lott
felicia.m.lott@usps.gov
usps.com/news
Local contact: Tara L.
Jarrett
tara.l.jarrett@usps.gov
usps.com/news
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SOURCE U.S. Postal Service