Newsdate: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 - 08:05 am
Location: LEXINGTON, Kentucky

Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) has officially launched the 2015 Thoroughbred Makeover, announcing a projected $100,000 in cash and prizes to the top placed horses in ten equestrian disciplines. Contestant guidelines and entry forms were posted this morning at retiredracehorseproject.org.

A retired race horse ready for a second career

After five to nine months of training for a second career horses will perform at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium on October 23-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park during a weekend of seminars and activities presented by Thoroughbred industry leaders.
© 2015 by Barbara Sheridan

Professional, amateur, and junior trainers can enter any horse with a Jockey Club tattoo, as long as it raced or trained to race in the last two years and has not begun second career training. It is expected that during the coming weeks upwards of one hundred horses will be purchased for the competition and commence training at farms throughout the United States and Canada.  Entries close on June 1, 2015.

After five to nine months of training for a second career the horses will perform at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium on October 23-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The weekend includes seminars, demonstrations, a sponsor fair, a marketplace of the Makeover horses, and special activities presented by a host committee of Thoroughbred industry leaders.

One eager trainer is Rosie Napravnik, who announced her retirement as a jockey at Breeders’ Cup last fall and is expecting her first child in June. “I wouldn’t miss this event for the world,” said Rosie who is serving on the organizing committee. “Throughout my career I’ve seen and ridden some really nice horses that I’d love to get my hands on, and I’m so excited to finally have the opportunity to transition one into a second career myself!”

RRP President and three-day-eventer Steuart Pittman suspects that Rosie is not alone in her excitement. “My friends who ride and train Thoroughbreds outside of racing have been eagerly awaiting the launch of this Makeover for months,” he says.  “We expect a frenzy of horse shopping in the coming weeks and a flood of entries from some of the biggest and some of the smallest players on the equestrian scene.”

RRP is encouraging trainers to use its online Resource Directory, its Horse Listings, and its Direct From Racing sources, including CANTER USA affiliates, to find eligible horses for the competition. Each trainer will be given a web page to report progress, and the one who attracts the largest following will win the Thoroughbred Ambassador Award.

The first meeting to plan the weekend’s activities attracted representatives of central Kentucky’s top breeding farms, veterinary clinics, academics, aftercare organizations, and Thoroughbred sale companies. “It’s no surprise that the racing industry is embracing this event,” said organizing committee member and president of Thoroughbred Charities of America Dan Rosenberg. “It is a brilliant way to restore demand for Thoroughbreds, and restoring demand is the most effective strategy for securing the futures of our horses.”

Pittman adds, “We are thrilled to be showcasing the talent and trainability of these animals in the state where so many are bred. Doing it on the weekend before Keeneland hosts Breeders’ Cup spreads the message worldwide. It is the right event at the right time in the right place.”

Retired Racehorse Project works to facilitate placement of Thoroughbred ex-racehorses in second careers by increasing demand for them in the marketplace and inspiring an army of equestrians to provide the training that secures their futures.

RRP programs include online educational resources, programs at major horse expos, interactive databases including a Bloodline Brag and Retired Racehorse Resource Directory featuring 300 farms and organizations, and online horse listings with over 200 current listings, most of whom have some second career training.

RRP’s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium moves in its third year to Kentucky Horse Park on October 23-25, 2015.  www.retiredracehorseproject.org

Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover 2015, Kentucky Horse Park, October 23-25, 2015

Contestant information:

What?

The Thoroughbred Makeover is a national gathering of the farms, organizations, and individuals who transition Thoroughbred racehorses into second careers. Off-track Thoroughbreds with nine months of training or less will compete in up to ten disciplines for a projected $100,000 in cash and prizes. The weekend also includes seminars, demonstrations, a sponsor fair, a marketplace of horses, and a great party.

Where?

The classes will take place in the Covered Arena, surrounding outdoor arenas, and on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Stabling will be in the barns closest to the Covered Arena.

Why?

Over the past forty years major horse breeds established vibrant organizations, glossy publications, and huge events to market themselves. The Thoroughbreds that once dominated equestrian sport are today viewed as a part of America’s unwanted horse problem, with riders calling their ex-racehorses “rescues.”  This event is an effort to restore the market for these horses, educate a new generation of riders, and promote the work of the trainers who give these horses the skills that secure their futures. On the weekend before Breeders Cup we will thank racing for the magnificent horses it creates rather than blame it for creating a problem.

Who can enter?

Owners, farms, organizations, and trainers can enter one or multiple horses. Trainers can be professional, amateur, or junior, and multiple trainers may work with a single entry. All entries will be accepted once horse eligibility is confirmed. We expect upwards of 100 horses. 

Why enter?

The chance to win prize money, reaching a large market to sell your well-schooled horse, marketing your business, and putting pressure on yourself to do your very best training with a horse you care about are all good reasons to enter. Seeking adventure with people who share your passion is another. This will be fun.

When can you enter?

Entries open January 15 and close on June 1 or earlier if the Management Committee believes it has reached capacity. Entries will be approved soon after they are received, whereupon RRP announces them publicly and your Training Reports (see below) begin. The sooner you start the more time you have to train your horse.

Horse eligibility

To be eligible for the Makeover horses a) must have a Jockey Club tattoo, b) must have raced at least once or been in race training after January 1, 2013, and c) must have no training in a discipline other than racing before January 15, 2015, other than a maximum of fifteen allowable rides.  The Management Committee will eliminate horses from the competition even after they have been approved if conclusive evidence emerges that second career training commenced before the January 15 start date.

Acquiring horses

If you are a trainer or owner who would like to participate, the first step is to acquire an eligible horse. RRP encourages you to use our online Resource Directory of organizations and farms in your area, our own Horse Listings, and our Direct From Racing list of sites that includes CANTER affiliates and others where large numbers of horses with no second career training can be found.

Disciplines and competitions

Horses may be trained for any of the following disciplines: dressage, show jumping, show hunter, eventing, trails, barrel racing, ranch work, foxhunting, polo, and “other.” Classes will be offered with prize money in those disciplines for which there is significant demand. Competitors are asked on the entry form which discipline(s) they expect to perform in, but are allowed to change, add, or remove disciplines as training progresses. Each discipline will have an organizing committee and chair that will develop format, judging, and rules that allow horses to perform at the level of their training without being overfaced. Classes will take place on Saturday.

America's Most WantedThoroughbred Contest

The winners of each discipline’s Saturday competition will compete Sunday afternoon in the Covered Arena for the title of America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred. Each horse will be shown in hand, perform basic flat work, and do a demonstration in its discipline. This will be a ticketed event that includes entertainment and special demonstrations. Each ticket will include a ballot to vote for America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred at the end of the performances.

Prizes

Distribution of prize money will be determined based on both the numbers of contestants in each discipline and the will of the sponsors. Special awards will be offered by category of trainer.

Sale and adoption

Owners may choose to keep their Makeover horses, sell them, or, in the case of nonprofit aftercare organizations, adopt them out in accordance with their guidelines. A catalogue of horses will be offered by RRP in advance of the event and during the weekend.

Buyers will be encouraged to evaluate horses throughout the weekend, with time set aside Sunday morning for trial rides. Horses for sale will undergo a veterinary inspection upon arrival to include observation, jog, and passive flexion.

Sellers are encouraged to provide known medical history and radiographs if available. Buyers will be provided with general information about injuries and blemishes common in ex-racehorses to guide them in making informed decisions, and veterinarians will be on site to perform pre-purchase exams. Retired Racehorse Project will not be a party to any transactions that take place.

Training reports

RRP will create a web page for each entry where trainers are encouraged to write reports, post videos, and recognize their own sponsors and supporters. RRP will provide links to these web pages on its web site and share highlights with its 85,000 Facebook fans. A high profile Thoroughbred Ambassador Award will go to the trainer whose blogs and videos reach the largest audience. 

Cost

A nonrefundable entry fee of $100 per horse will be due to RRP with the online Makeover entry. That fee includes entry in one discipline, launch of the entry’s blog page, and inclusion in the promotion of the contest. Entry in additional disciplines at the Makeover will cost $25 each. Stabling for the weekend will be $100 per horse and will be assessed and payable in October.

Scratches and owner transfer

Scratched horses may be replaced with alternate eligible horses for no additional fee. Horses sold or adopted before the Makeover may continue in the contest with the new owner, trainer, or rider. Scratches, replacements, and ownership transfers should be reported to Kirsten Lagerquist (Kirsten@retiredracehorseproject.org).

Drugs and welfare

USEF Drugs and Medication Rules will be in effect at the Makeover, and samples may be collected throughout the weekend.

Any horse that arrives at the Makeover with a Henneke Body Condition Score of less than 3 (out of 9) will not be allowed to compete.

Alleged instances of abuse or neglect during the training process or at the Makeover will be investigated by the RRP Makeover Management Committee and be grounds for elimination.

Weekend's activities

Exhibitors are encouraged to arrive in time to attend seminars throughout Friday on training, farm management, horse marketing, business and nonprofit management, horse selection, soundness issues, and more with all-star panels of experts. Nobody will want to miss the party Friday night with live music, celebrity Thoroughbred storytelling, and Equicizer racing. Saturday will be packed with Makeover classes in ten disciplines, and Sunday will feature the Thoroughbred Marketplace in the morning and the America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred Contest and demonstrations in the afternoon, including a very exciting Jockey Challenge. If that isn’t enough, our eventing friends are holding the Hagyard Midsouth Team Challenge at the Horse Park alongside us all weekend, and it is a big weekend of racing at Keeneland just a week before Breeders’ Cup.

Lodging

Don’t wait to book hotel rooms.  It is a busy weekend in Lexington. RRP will list on its web site hotels where we have reserved room blocks.

Host committee

The first meeting to plan the Makeover took place at Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center in November 2014 and included representatives of Thoroughbred Charities of America, Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton, Darley, Three Chimneys, WinStar, Bourbon Lane, Hagyard Equine Medical Center, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Secretariat Center, New Vocations, Kentucky Equine Humane Center, Breeders’ Cup Host Committee, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Jockey Club, Blood-Horse, Mid-South Team Challenge, and Old Friends.

A dedicated committee is forming of sponsors and volunteers representing both the racing and the riding industries in central Kentucky. Contact Kirsten Lagerquist (Kirsten@retiredracehorseproject.org) to volunteer.