After nine months of training 302 Thoroughbred horses that retired recently from 62 different racetracks across North America are on their way to Lexington, Kentucky. Their destination is the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium Presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America on October 27-30 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Each horse has a trainer that has invested up to ten months preparing for this event. They all hope to win a share of the $100,000 purse, but also to demonstrate within their riding disciplines that Thoroughbred ex-racehorses are the most trainable equine athletes on the planet.
The four-day event starts with competition in the following ten equestrian disciplines: barrel racing, competitive trails, dressage, eventing, field hunters, freestyle, polo, show hunters, show jumpers, and working ranch. The top three in each sport compete in the Saturday afternoon finale where America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred will be crowned. The event will be livestreamed at RetiredRacehorseProject.org.
“For anyone interested in training horses, this is as good as it gets,” said event organizer and RRP President Steuart Pittman. “The horses all started knowing only what they learned in the sport of racing, and each trainer applies his or her own methods to the process. You can’t help but learn something new.”
Education is, in fact, the purpose of the weekend. Five “Bridges to Second Careers Roundtables,” five seminars, and thirteen training demonstrations all seek to improve the quality of training and care that these horses receive from their post-racing owners. Visitors will meet Rosie Napravnik, Bernie Traurig, Chris McCarron, Elisa Wallace, Lance Graves, and dozens of other top riders, trainers, veterinarians, and educators.
The Makeover Horse Sale features 106 of the horses in the competition. Buyers can review the online catalog with prices, photos, and videos in advance. During the Makeover they will watch horses compete and do trial rides with seller’s consent. Each horse undergoes a short veterinary arrival exam, but full pre-purchase exams are the responsibility of the buyer.
For details and a full schedule of events go to RetiredRacehorseProject.org.
In addition to the online Contestant List, sortable by horse, trainer, state, and discipline, RRP has provided a link to a sortable contestant database and an analysis of horse sources for researchers and reporters.
Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds and build the bridges to second careers. It publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, hosts the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, maintains the Retired Racehorse Resource Directory, manages the online Bloodline Brag, and presents programs at major horse expos across the country. Visit RRP online at RetiredRacehorseProject.org.