Race to Give Launches 'Run-A-MUCK Challenge'

The “Race to Give,” began last month by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) as an online giving and awareness program to support Thoroughbred aftercare, has launched the “Run-A-MUCK Challenge.” Styled by Hagyard in a similar vein to the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” that swept the country in 2014, the Run-A-MUCK Challenge asks participants to challenge friends, family, colleagues, and vendors to either donate money directly to the Race to Give or to muck a stall (ideally both).

Participation guidelines on how to issue, accept, and document a challenge include:

1). Issue a challenge

• Call out three to five people by name on social media, stating something similar to the following, “To help support the Race to Give, I am challenging [insert name and affiliation] to donate [dollar amount of choice] or to muck the stall of my choosing.”
• End the challenge with, “You can either take your wallet out, or you can MUCK OUT!”
• Use the hashtag #aracetogive.

2). Confirm and capture the challenge outcome

• When people respond and commit to the donation, document it with a picture or video of them opening their wallet, writing a check, or filling out the online form.
• When people respond and commit to mucking a stall, capture a series of pictures or a video of the location of the stall, the condition of the stall, and the actual mucking or “Running-A-MUCK.”

3). Post on social media and thank participants

• Posting and re-posting the photos and/or videos on social media shows the challenge was accepted and completed, as well as brings awareness to Thoroughbred aftercare.
• Use the hashtag #aracetogive.
• Thank them. Have a little fun at their expense in the spirit of friendly, good-natured competition, but please also let them know they are appreciated for participating and for making a difference in the important topic of aftercare.

The Run-A-MUCK Challenge is meant to help build awareness and raise money for the Race to Give while also having fun. Please visit the Race to Give's website for more information.