Retired Racehorse Project announced today the opening of trainer applications for the 2018 $100,000 Thoroughbred Makeover. Applications will be accepted through January 15, 2018, and trainer approvals will be announced on February 1, 2018.
The Thoroughbred Makeover features competition in 10 different disciplines among recently-retired racing Thoroughbreds with less than 10 months of retraining for a second career. Disciplines offered are barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunters, freestyle, polo, show hunter, show jumper, and ranch work.
Horses and their trainers will compete for $100,000 in prize money and the title of America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred (determined by audience vote) at the Kentucky Horse Park on October 4-7, 2018. The event includes seminars, demonstrations, sponsor fair, and a livestreamed finale featuring the top five horses in each discipline. Many of the horses competing will also be offered for sale.
Professional, amateur, and junior trainers are welcome to apply, and do not need to have acquired their horse at the time of application. Applicants must demonstrate expertise in at least one of the Makeover disciplines through competition highlights, references, and optional video links.
Approved trainers can acquire eligible Thoroughbreds through whatever source they choose, or can ride under contract with an owner. Horses must have raced or had a published work on or after July 1, 2016 and must not have started training for a second career before December 1, 2017.
Thoroughbred Makeover Links:
Rule Changes for 2018
Working Ranch is now referred to as Ranch Work and incorporates elements from the American Quarter Horse Association Ranch Riding and Ranch Trail classes to test the skills required of a working ranch horse. We will no longer be utilizing cattle in this division. We believe this format change will help attract more western entries, as many riders do not have access to work cattle on a regular basis in preparation for the Makeover.
In the Polo division, we have added a 7-minute chukker to the Finale. All five qualifying riders and one volunteer rider will play as if in a game, with the competitive nature and speed being determined by the players and the judges prior to the Finale.
The Competitive Trail division has adopted the rules and scoring guidelines of the International Mountain Trail Challenge Association. The course distance will be condensed to an area that can be observed by two judges. Competitors will continue to negotiate the trail course in small groups that will be randomly chosen.
2017 Thoroughbred Makeover Recap
The 2025 USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Symposium, Hosted by Galway Downs is just one week away, and the USEA is proud to present the list of ECP Faculty that will be on site leading this three-day, immersive educational experience. On Jan. 14-16, eventing enthusiasts will convene in Temecula, California, to learn how coaches can hone their evaluation skills at all levels by identifying the correct, incremental steps of progression needed for each individual horse and rider combination. Keep reading to meet the faculty that will help facilitate these discussions and exercises.
The third annual USEA Emerging Athletes U21 program (EA21) National Camp concluded on Saturday after a week filled with education and enjoyment. Under the guidance of EA21 Director of Coaching, David O’Connor, 12 selected athletes participated in this year's camp, held at Sweet Dixie South in Reddick, Florida.
From the classroom lecture to the riding sessions, the focus on the final day brought those final finishing touches to bear on the athletes of the 2024-2025 Emerging Athletes Under 21 (EA21) National Camp held at Sweet Dixie South.
“There are 385 million people in the U.S., and only 3.8 million have horses,” David O’Connor said as he began the classroom session on day 4 of the Emerging Athletes Under 21 (EA21) National Camp. “Not all of them are into eventing.”