Tickets are now on sale for the Retired Racehorse Projectâs $100,000 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium Presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA).
Retired Thoroughbred getting ready for competition
Top professional and amateur trainers will compete for $100,000 in prize money and crowd support to be crowned 'Americaâs Most Wanted Thoroughbred' on October 27-30, 2016 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
© 2016 by Audrey Crosby McLellan
The event features 500 Thoroughbred ex-racehorses performing in ten equestrian disciplines who have each received less than a yearâs training in a second career.
Top professional and amateur trainers from throughout North America compete for $100,000 in prize money and crowd support to be crowned âAmericaâs Most Wanted Thoroughbredâ. The action takes place October 27-30, 2016 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
Competition in Show Hunters, Field Hunters, Barrel Racing, Eventing, Polo, Dressage, Competitive Trails, and Freestyle takes place Thursday and Friday as each horse performs for top judges in their chosen discipline.
On Saturday, the top three competitors from each discipline compete in the Finale in the TCA Covered Arena where the crowd selects âAmericaâs Most Wanted Thoroughbredâ.
On Sunday, demonstrations and workshops are presented by top trainers in each discipline. They will share their secrets to selecting, caring for, retraining, and selling Thoroughbreds off the track, while racing industry celebrities will demonstrate how Thoroughbreds are trained and ridden for their first careers.
Attendees can also shop, browse, and talk with industry experts in the Sponsor Fair throughout the four days.
âThis event is for people who want to become better horsemen,â said RRP President Steuart Pittman. âItâs the perfect blend of horse show, expo, conference, and sale. You can caucus with interest groups of your peers, watch the horses and trainers that inspire you, see a demo on training ex-racehorses in your discipline, and shop for your own horse-of-a-lifetime.
And if thatâs not enough, you can catch the end of the race meet at Keeneland or tour the worldâs greatest Thoroughbred farms.â
Approximately half of the horses will be offered for sale, each will undergo an arrival exam by a veterinarian from Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and their veterinarians will be available to conduct pre-purchase exams. All sale horses will be catalogued online in advance and buyers may test-ride horses at sellersâ discretion.
Tickets are $10 per day or $25 for the event, and include access to seminars, competition, demonstrations, and the finale. Members of Retired Racehorse Project get free admission but should register online. RRP membership costs $45 and includes a subscription to Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, a copy of Retired Racehorse Resource Directory, and valuable discounts and benefits. Tickets are available at www.retiredracehorseproject.org/2016makeovertix.
Retired Racehorse Project (RRP), a 501(c)3 corporation, works to facilitate placement of Thoroughbred ex-racehorses in second careers by increasing demand for them in the marketplace and inspiring equestrians to provide the training that secures their futures.
RRP offers online directories, educational resources, publishes âOff-Track Thoroughbred Magazineâ, and holds the annual Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are available at www.retiredracehorseproject.org/support-rrp