We did it.
171 Thoroughbreds showed up and showcased their talent and trainability in ten different disciplines after less than ten months of training since racing. 179 others participated in the training process. Almost all of the 350 are on their path to secure futures in second careers.
1500 people showed up. 1000 bought tickets and another 500 came for free. 200 evaluation forms say that people had a blast and want to do it again. 59 sponsors and 96 volunteers want us to do it again.
Over 50,000 Thoroughbreds will have raced in 2015, and at least 15,000 of them will retire. These horses are in need of good trainers to prepare them for the jobs that will secure their futures. There are LOTS of trainers wanting to prove that they are good at this.
So...YES. There will be a 2016 Thoroughbred Makeover, and YES. It will be at the Kentucky Horse Park
We are working to create a Makeover entry system that serves the horses better than the first come, first served process that had trainers rushing to acquire horses this year. We have been listening to the input of competitors, judges, sponsors, and volunteers, and are still consulting and assessing the potential effects of all the proposals. If your ideas haven't been heard, it's not too late. Click here to take a survey.
The following two paragraphs will answer some basic questions that many are asking about the 2016 Thoroughbred Makeover:
The first step in the process will be to select from trainer applications a group that includes professionals, amateurs and juniors who can demonstrate proven success in the primary discipline for which they will train. The application form will be posted online Monday, January 4, with notice emailed to all RRP members and e-news subscribers. It will require references, competition results, and video in the primary discipline for which expertise is to be assessed. The form will be accompanied by a description of the approval process. To be considered for selection, trainers must be members in good standing of Retired Racehorse Project and agree to the terms of a participation agreement that sets forth the responsibilities of both RRP and the trainers.
Accepted trainers will acquire an eligible horse from a source of their choosing. To be eligible for the 2016 Makeover a horse must 1) be registered with The Jockey Club and have a lip tattoo, 2) have raced or had a published work after October 1, 2014, and 3) have not started in training for a second career beforeJanuary 1, 2016 other than a maximum of fifteen allowable rides. A detailed explanation will be provided describing the standards and enforcement to determine horse eligibility, particularly requirement #3.
2015 has been a year of creation for Retired Racehorse Project. 2016 will be about consolidation and growth.
We expect that Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine will inspire thousands to join RRP as members, providing an ongoing revenue stream to ensure that our programs and services continue far into the future. We know that the Retired Racehorse Resource Directory will fulfill its mission as "Your guide to acquiring, placing, selling, and serving the Off-Track Thoroughbred." And we expect that the 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium will not only transition hundreds of Thoroughbreds into second careers, but will prepare thousands of horse people to become responsible owners and outstanding trainers of these magnificent animals in the coming decades.
I look forward to seeing you at the winter horse expos, at Rolex Kentucky CCI**, at other events that we have not yet scheduled, and of course in the Covered Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park on the third weekend of October 2016.
- Steuart Pittman, President Retired Racehorse Project
Eventing Top Placings:
Eventing 1st Place: Michelle Warro on Best Things Inlife owned by Cynthia McGinnes
Eventing 2nd Place: Hillary Irwin on Nutello owned by Hillary Irwin
Eventing 3rd Place: Colleen Rutledge on Your A to Z's owned by Patricia Dale
Eventing 4th Place: Laine Ashker on Call Him Paddy owned by Laine Ashker
Eventing 5th Place: Tik Maynard on Mr. Pleasantree owned by Tik Maynard
Eventing Top Amateur: Amy Bunt
Eventing Top Junior: Sarah Bowman
For some riders, it’s easy to miss the moments in between the big goals like a championship or a long format event, but Jennie Brannigan is savoring her moment today at the Setters' Run Farm Carolina International CCI4*-S, where she took home the win on Tim and Nina Gardner’s FE Lifestyle.
Riders in the CCI4*-S at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International CCI4*-S were in for a change this afternoon as Brody Robertson made his show jumping course design debut in the class and built a challenging track that shuffled the top 10.
When Monbeg Zebedee came to Allison Springer’s barn nearly three years ago, she wasn’t sure where he might end up or how far his talent would take him. The Irish Sport Horse gelding (Dignifed van’t Zorgvliet x Bolacreane Dolly) had been purchased out of the Monart sale in Ireland by British five-star rider Kitty King as a sales prospect when he was 3, and King had started him but never competed him.
In their first trip down centerline at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International CCI4*-S, Monica Spencer and Artist slipped into the top spot this afternoon with a score of 28.6. The New Zealand native, who’s now based in The Plains, Virginia, has been partnered with “Max,” a 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Guillotine x Maxamore) she owns, since he was 4.