Bradenton Florida's Snooty Celebrates 66th Birthday!

Located in downtown Bradenton, Florida is the South Florida Museum is the home of Snooty, believed to be the oldest living manatee in captivity in the world.  July 19th was Snooty's 66th Birthday!  In honor of Snooty, the city of Bradenton, Florida threw the "Snooty the Manatee's 66th Birthday Bash, Arts and Wildlife Awareness Festival".

Marilyn Margold, Director of Living Collections at the SouthFlorida Museums, said "We've got exhibitors from 20, almost 25 different organizations which is going to be fabulous."  And it was!  There were record crowds in attendence and fun was had by all.  The festival was family-friendly, conservation-themed events.

When visiting the museum, it's always great fun to watch this big sea cow trying to say hello to his visitors.  He certainly a friendly fellow.  It's hard not to pat his shoulder or hold his flipper to say hello back, but touching is a no no.

All of the co-workers at the museum say he's not a pet, but the ambassador of the environment, a king of conservation.

Snooty was actually born in captivity in July of 1948.  His pregnant mother was captured by Miami fishermen, back before there were laws protecting this endangered species.  His mother was released, but Snooty remained in captivity.

Bradenton acquired Snooty in 1949 and has been a beloved fixture in our community ever since.  Snooty eats a specialized diet mimicking the sea mammal's vegetarian diet in the wild.

Snooty weighs approximately 1,020 pounds, and like most of us, he's showing a little extra weight like an extra waddle around his waddle and is a little lighter gray in color.  So he's not in the same shape as 20 years ago, but are any of us?

For Snooty's birthday, his cake consisted of cabbage, sweet potatoes and carrots, with some pineapples and strawberries thrown in.  Margold said he has a bit of a sweet tooth.

South Florida Museum is a lot more than just Snooty's home.  It also is the home of the region's premier astronomy education facility with a full dome planetarium theater, as well as a multimedia theater for films, lectures, live music and digital art performances.

Check it all out at http://www.southfloridamuseum.org/.  It even has a Snooty cam!

Bradenton - Sarasota Florida to host the 2014 Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final

Ran across this article the other day.  The Manatee Sarasota county Florida area is quickly becoming one of the great sports area in the country.  In conjunction with the Pentathlon our area will be hosting:

• The prestigious 2014 World Cup Final (June 5-8, 2014)
• The 2015 World Cup Competition, Round #1 (March 2015)
• The 2016 United States Olympic Team Trials (March 2016)
• The 2016 World Cup Final (June 2016)

We will also be hosts to the World Rowing Championship in 2017 and sponsors of Off Shore Power Boat races.  More on these later.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO.  USA Pentathlon announced today that the Union International de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the international governing body for the Olympic sport of Modern Pentathlon, has selected Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida as the host of four major Pentathlon events, including three World Cup competitions: the World Cup Final in 2014 and 2016 and the World Cup #1 first round competition in 2015.  Sarasota-Bradenton will also host the United States Pentathlon Olympic Team trials in 2016.

“The Pentathlon world is delighted to be coming to Sarasota-Bradenton, and looks forward to bringing the global Pentathlon family to the United States,” UIPM President Klaus Schormann said in announcing the UIPM Executive Board’s choice on November 24.  “The United States continues to play an important role in the Olympic Movement, and we support newly-elected IOC member and US Olympic Chairman, Larry Probst in his efforts to showcase all Olympic sports in his country.”

“For the first time in over 40 years, the international championship for one of the oldest and grandest Olympic sports will return to the United States,” USA Pentathlon Executive Director Rob Stull said.  “Sarasota-Bradenton’s cohesive vision and exceptional presentation secured World Cup events in each of the next three years; an amazing feat and a significant opportunity for the growth of Pentathlon in the United States and throughout North America.

“I congratulate the local organizing committee and its Chair, former Florida Secretary of State and Congresswoman Katherine Harris,” Mr. Stull continued.  “Without Congresswoman Harris’ determined leadership in bringing together a dynamic local team and articulating an effective vision, this achievement could not have occurred.”

"Winning these prestigious events constitutes a seminal moment in the evolution of Sarasota and Bradenton into truly world-class communities,” former Florida Secretary of State and Congresswoman Katherine Harris said.  “The Pentathlon brings together a diverse array of Olympic sports and their associated communities, giving our region a tremendous opportunity for exposure to a broad global audience.

“Sarasota and Bradenton offer a unique sense of scale to this event,” Congresswoman Harris added.  “We have grown large enough to provide the necessary resources and support, but our small-town hearts will ensure that Pentathletes and fans never receive greater attention or a warmer welcome.  Indeed, this cohesive community spirit is what enabled us to assemble a successful bid under an incredibly tight deadline.  I wish to thank Paul Blacketter and our local organizing committee for the amazing work they performed, and I look forward to working with them to ensure the success of these events.”

UIPM selected Sarasota-Bradenton from an illustrious group of cities in bidding to host Championship Pentathlon events; including Cairo, Egypt; Frankfurt, Germany; Acapulco, Mexico; Rome, Italy; Budapest, Hungary; Minsk, Belarus; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Cheng Du, China.

The 2014 World Cup Final will showcase the top 36 male and 36 female Pentathlon athletes from around the world.  Then, for the next three years, Sarasota-Bradenton will remain an essential stop along the “Road to Rio,” as some of the world’s top athletes prepare for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games.

Designed by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, the Modern Pentathlon combines five sports: equestrian show-jumping, fencing, swimming, running and pistol shooting.  This selection of disciplines was based upon the legendary tasks of a nineteenth century military courier, which could involve virtually anything necessary to deliver a message successfully, such as procuring the first available horse and jumping over an array of obstacles; defending from enemy attacks with a pistol and sword; swimming across intervening bodies of water; and running on foot.

Olympic Pentathletes ride an unfamiliar horse (drawn by lot) over a jumper course, fence other participating athletes with an épée sword, swim freestyle for 200 meters, and shoot a laser pistol while running a half-mile course (4 x 800 meters).  General George Patton was the first American Olympic competitor in this event, competing in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.