The Finale Championship of the 2022 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, welcomed the five top-placed horses after two days of preliminary competition to compete for additional honors before an enthusiastic crowd and a worldwide audience watching via livestream.
Rider on Thoroughbred practicing skills on obstacle course
She’s A Bold One lived up to her name, demonstrating a bold, forward ride through the indoor course and the mare’s adjustability and quality of gaits were apparent, moving her to first place position
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A panel of judges who watched the entire day of competition ranked the ten winners to determine the overall Thoroughbred Makeover Champion, sponsored by Churchill Downs. When the points were tallied, the honor went to She’s A Bold One, trained by junior Jenna Denver of Imlay City, MI.
She’s A Bold One is a 2018 chestnut mare bred in Kentucky by Downtown Bloodstock Partnership. By Midshipman out of the Strong Contender mare Bold Contender, She’s A Bold One is unraced, but was in race training and last ran a timed work on January 12, 2021.
She’s A Bold One’s route to earning the Carolyn Karlson Trophy took her through Eventing. She finished fifth in the preliminary round, netting Top Junior honors as well. The pair also finished fourth in Dressage and took home the Top Junior prize in that discipline as well.
Entering the Finale on a blank slate, She’s A Bold One lived up to her name, demonstrating a bold, forward ride through the indoor course of show jumping fences and cross-country portables. The mare’s adjustability and quality of gaits were apparent, moving her decisively into the first place position. The pair then returned for Dressage, finishing second in a very close field.
“It’s surreal still,” said Denver after accepting the trophy. “But I’m so happy. She went straight from Eventing right to Dressage, and she did that very well, and I think that stands out. At home, it’s a balance of dressage and jumping, but I focus on the overall fitness of the horse. I think that’s really important for both disciplines. She’s my first Thoroughbred I’ve trained myself completely — it feels really good and it’s a really good achievement that I’ve produced my own horse.”
The People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Achieve Equine, was determined by text-in popular vote open to both in-person and livestream attendees. This award was given to Prince of New York, trained by Chris Bennings, the winner of Show Jumper as well as second place in Show Hunter. Prince of New York is a 2016 dark bay/brown stallion bred in New York by Clark O. Brewster; he made eight starts with two wins for total earnings of $40,256 with his last race on August 31, 2020. By Cairo Prince out of the Olmodavor mare Ocarson, Prince of New York was a $100,000 yearling purchase from Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, consigned by Hidden Brook.
Thoroughbred Makeover Finale Results (in order of go):
Eventing, sponsored by Phoenix Performance Products: She’s A Bold One and Jenna Denver (junior)
Show Jumper, sponsored by Excel Equine: Prince of New York and Chris Bennings (professional)
Show Hunter, sponsored by Beyond the Wire: Racing Ace and Amanda Gomez (professional)
Field Hunter, sponsored by Masters of Foxhounds Association: Mike Mike and Cameron Sadler (amateur)
Dressage, sponsored by PTHA’s Turning For Home: Buckeye Warrior and Holly Zecchin (professional)
Polo, sponsored by United States Polo Association: Anna One Anna Two and Bushwood Polo (team)
Freestyle, sponsored by New Start: Supreme Irene and Monique Cameron (professional)
Barrel Racing, sponsored by SmartPak: Not Gonna Happen and Brooke Frederick (professional)
Competitive Trail, sponsored by Godolphin Lifetime Care: Hieronymus and Isabel Wells (junior)
Ranch Work, sponsored by Triple Crown Feed: Dont Ask Kinmon and Alice Beckman (professional)
Find full results from the 2022 Thoroughbred Makeover at TheRRP.org/makeover-results.
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 world’s largest and most lucrative retraining competition for recently-retired racehorses, the organization also publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, produces the Master Class retraining clinic series, and presents programming at major horse expos and events around the country. The RRP maintains an educational library of content to empower more equestrians to ride a Thoroughbred.
Press release by Kristen Kovatch Bentley