While the Retired Racehorse Project will not be holding the TCA Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium in person this year, we'll still have plenty of virtual offerings for Thoroughbred lovers during what would have been Makeover week.
Retired race horse looking over fence from from pasture
Plenty of offerings for Thoroughbred lovers during what would have been Makeover week are avaiiable online the week of October 5th, 2020 during virtual events celebrating the off-track Thoroughbred!
© 2010 by David Ohmer New window.
Join the RRP online the week of October 5th, 2020 for virtual events celebrating the off-track Thoroughbred!
Picking Prospects Virtual Clinic: Monday, September 21 at 3:00 PM ET
In partnership with EQUITANA USA, this webinar will feature a panel of Thoroughbred experts which will analyze the conformation and movement of a selection of recently-retired prospects, as well as detail what they like to see in their respective disciplines. This webinar is free to attend via Zoom, but registration is required. Learn more and register online at the EQUITANA USA website.
Silent Auction, sponsored by Ocala Jockey Club: September 28-October 10
The Silent Auction kicks off our fundraising for 2021 and we always count on offering an exciting array of items, including coveted racing memorabilia, art, unique gifts, and once in a lifetime experiences. The online auction catalog will go live on September 28th with bidding closing at 4:00 PM Saturday, October 10th. Items are typically displayed at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, but due to the event's postponement, the silent auction has transitioned to entirely virtual this year.
Make 2020 Over Virtual 5K: Week of October 5
“It’s not the Makeover, but it’s fine.” Join us for a virtual walk/run/ride — you choose how to finish your 5K! Fundraise for the RRP and then do your run the week of October 5; participants will earn $10 in RRP Store credit for every $100 raised for the organization. Fundraising period will continue through the end of October. Sign up by October 7 to receive your free event t-shirt! Register online.
Virtual Vendor Fair: Week of October
Get your shopping on from the comforts of home! Our vendors who signed up to attend the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover will be showcasing their products and services via the RRP’s Facebook page and e-newsletter. Keep an eye out for special discount codes to score savings from your favorite vendors. Make sure you're on our mailing list to receive a special e-blast featuring our Virtual Vendors the week of October 5, and visit tbmakeover.org for a full list later in September.
Webinar Series: Monday-Wednesday October 5-7 at 7:00 PM ET
Presented by Horse Media Group, our popular Friday seminar series will be offered online, featuring an array of panelists and great topics relevant to Thoroughbreds as they transition to second careers. Plenty of time will be given for Q&A. Webinars are free to attend via Zoom and Facebook Live, but registration is required to be eligible for door prizes. Webinar topics have been announced: see the detailed schedule here.
- Do More, Spend Less: Monday, October 5, sponsored by Godolphin Lifetime Care
- OTTB Behavior: Why Does My Horse Do That? Tuesday, October 6, sponsored by Maryland Jockey Club
- Dealing With Gastric Ulcers: Wednesday, October 7, sponsored by Triple Crown Feed
Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit: Tuesday, October 6
The Retired Racehorse Project, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and Thoroughbred Charities of America will produce the second annual Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit, focusing on education and networking among those with a professional interest in the retraining and rehoming of Thoroughbreds. The Summit is free to attend via Zoom, but registration is required. Registration information will be released later in September.
TERF Makeover Master Class: Friday, October 9
Presented by Thoroughbred Education & Research Foundation, the Makeover Master Class is taking on a virtual twist! Three trainers in three different locations around the country will work with three different Thoroughbred prospects and demonstrate their methods for approaching early rides and their retraining process. The recorded Master Class will be followed by an interactive Q&A panel with the three trainers. The Master Class and Q&A session is free to attend via Zoom and Facebook.
ASPCA Makeover Marketplace
Some trainers of 2020 Makeover horses have opted to make them available for sale or adoption and have listed them in the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace. The catalog is available to browse online, and was also printed in the Fall issue of Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine. In lieu of an in-person showcase event, a video compilation of this year's Marketplace horses will be released on the RRP’s social media on Friday, October 9.
The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds in the equestrian world. In addition to producing the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, the organization also publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, hosts off-track Thoroughbred retraining clinics and programming at major horse expos and events around the country, and maintains the online Thoroughbred Sport Tracker (the internet’s only user-driven database tracking second career talent and accomplishments of registered Thoroughbreds). Visit the RRP online at RetiredRacehorseProject.org.
Press release by Kristen Kovatch Bentley