Horse Country

About the time 'spring was about to sprung,' we all got hit...and hit very hard. As a way to adapt and hopefully share, about 8:30 each morning I posted short videos on Twitter. The grass was just starting to green and the birds were starting to sing and yes, we were welcoming our first crop of Oscar Performance babies here at Mill Ridge Farm. It made for a very uplifting setting and the response to these videos is heartwarming. At the same time, Horse Country was actively working with their...

Today, I wanted to share some moments that have meant a lot to me these past few weeks. When we started doing virtual tours, it was initiated to continue the mission of Horse Country, and to hope to lessen the blow to fans who wanted to come visit, but were now not able. However, I have been so inspired by giving the virtual tours, because viewers appreciate them so much. I share here a screen shot from one where an ER doctor on the front lines watched, and ambulance workers...

The virtual parade of Visit Horse Country tours rolls on as farms continue to release online tours, providing stir-crazy racing fans access to the breathtaking landscape exclusive to the Bluegrass Region. Friday, Spendthrift Farm released their first virtual farm visit with a behind-the-scenes look at the "Future Stars of Tomorrow." "People are pretty familiar with our stallion tour, but I think they love to get a peek of the behind-the-scenes bit that they don't normally experience," said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. [tdn_vimeo_embed title="Spendthrift Virtual Tour" admp4="https://player.vimeo.com/external/387502202.sd.mp4?s=cf428b9cad5dfa3e16e7abe4109f03ed6b3e94cf&profile_id=165" videomp4= "https://player.vimeo.com/external/401474978.sd.mp4?s=8f590c9f699efaa9cb5e9785dbcdd0dec88448dc&profile_id=165" thumbnail=...

Fasig Tipton, Keeneland, Breeders' Cup offer emergency support to Visit Horse Country as Virtual Tours Spike Worldwide Attention on Kentucky's Horse Industry Two weeks ago, operations at Horse Country HQ switched tracks, along with many others, as we and our members began to absorb the realities around COVID-19. Faced with growing warnings about transmission, travel interruptions, and event cancellations or postponements, experiences at member locations became deprioritized in favor of caution and best practices. That Wednesday, Mar. 11, was the last day of normal operations before we began a record...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: ANTONY BECK Over the past few days, I have read with interest the letters from Allison Bishop and Dermot Ryan about the important role that Visit Horse Country plays in introducing new people to our sport. I would like to add my voice to the conversation. Each day, as the sun rises over the Bluegrass, we direct our full attention to nurturing our horses. We make this investment in hope that the horses we care for will sire or foal the next big winner or that...