RRP

In this new TDN column, Christie DeBernardis will tell the stories of accomplished and/or popular former racehorses who are now enjoying second careers as show horses, track ponies, etc. Champion sprinter Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) and Laura Moquett's relationship goes back to when he was just a 2-year-old who refused to go around the racetrack without some coaxing. Fast forward seven years and that cantankerous juvenile is now an Eclipse winner and Breeders' Cup winner and has been retired from racing as Moquett's personal riding horse. On Thursday, less than 13...

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) will again serve as the title sponsor of the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)'s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. The Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition and showcase, featuring trainers from across North America who have worked throughout the year to prepare recently retired Thoroughbred ex-racehorses to compete for more than $100,000 in a variety of equestrian sports. TCA has worked to support Thoroughbred aftercare, as well as programs that provide health and human services for backstretch and farm workers, for more than three decades. TCA...

Kirsten Green, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)'s managing director who served as interim executive director following the departure of Jen Roytz near the end of last year, has been named the new executive director of the organization. A national search by a hiring committee comprised of board members was conducted only to turn to Green, who is the RRP's longest-serving staff member. "The hiring process made us hopeful for the future of Thoroughbred aftercare based on the quality of applicants who applied and their passion for the mission," said RRP...

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) has elected new officers and board members for three-year terms. Sue Smith, Richard Lamb, Malinda Lawrence, JudithAnn Hartman, and Clare and Tom Mansmann have all moved into new roles. Smith, the former vice chair and current executive director of CANTER Pennsylvania, has been named the new board chair. She has served on the RRP board since 2015. Dr. Carolyn Karlson, who conceived of the format for the first Thoroughbred Makeover in 2013, is the outgoing chair and was voted member emeritus status. "It is an...

After serving for four years as Retired Racehorse Project's executive director and five years prior to that as a board member, Jen Roytz will be stepping down from her leadership role at the end of the year. Longtime staff member and current managing director, Kirsten Green, will serve as interim executive director while the organization conducts a national search for the role. Under Roytz's leadership the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) has expanded in both size and scope. The Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium has become the largest and most lucrative...

The RRP is accepting donations now for the 2021 Silent Auction, which runs online with items on display at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The 2021 Silent Auction is sponsored by Ocala Jockey Club. Click here for the donation form. The silent auction opens Oct. 8.

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) and The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) will hold the inaugural T.I.P. Barrel Racing Championships at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium this October at the Kentucky Horse Park. The annual T.I.P. Championships features competition in disciplines including hunters, jumpers, English pleasure, Western pleasure, and classical and Western dressage. The 2021 T.I.P. Barrel Racing Championships will feature prize money and additional prizes for the top horses. "Thoroughbreds have made their presence known in recent years in Western disciplines, particularly barrel racing, so we are...

OTTB United, a mobile app that unites sellers, buyers, and shippers of Thoroughbred ex-racehorses and gives back to the Thoroughbred placement community was released by the Retired Racehorse Project and OTTB United Tuesday. The app is also designed to give back to the Thoroughbred placement community: a portion of the premium subscription fee is donated to the Retired Racehorse Project. Subscribers can select from a list of aftercare organizations and for-profit resellers to receive an additional contribution. "We are so fortunate to partner with the Retired Racehorse Project," says OTTB...

The silent auction portion of the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)'s fundraising for the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover opened Thursday. The online auction will close Saturday, Oct. 10, at 4:00 p.m. ET. Racing memorabilia, experiences or services, artwork, jewelry, and equestrian items are among the items up for bid. Halters worn by Authentic (Into Mischief), Tiz The Law (Constitution), Catholic Boy (More Than Ready), English Channel (Smart Strike), and Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic) are among the items included. "Although we'll certainly miss gathering at the Kentucky Horse Park for the Makeover and...

Thoroughbred Charities of America has extended its support of the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium through 2021. RRP will host a "double Makeover" for both 2020 and 2021 entries at the Kentucky Horse Park Oct. 12-17, 2021. Some aspects of the 2020 TCA Thoroughbred Makeover will be offered virtually this year, including seminars (presented as webinars), the Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit, a virtual 5K, the vendor fair, and the innovative Makeover Master Class training demonstration and discussion. "The work of the Retired Racehorse Project is an integral part...

USA Equestrian Trust is accepting proposals from IRS-registered equine non-profit organizations for its 2020 grants program. In 2019, the organization awarded more than $100,000 in grants to fund equine-focused projects by more than a dozen non-profits. To submit an application, visit trusthorses.org and complete the online form Any organization applying must submit copies of its IRS non-profit determination letter and most recent Form 990, as well as a proposed budget for its project. The deadline to submit applications for the foundation's 2020 grants program is 11:59 p.m. PT Wednesday, April...

A total of 616 entries, representing 604 unique trainers and teams, were accepted Friday for the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The application process for the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover required trainers to demonstrate their skills and expertise through competition results, videos and references, as well as a letter from a vet stating that the applicant had the necessary skills and knowledge to appropriately care for a horse transitioning off the track. The RRP's selection committee took into consideration both candidates' ability to effectively retrain an...