aftercare

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has opened a satellite facility near Ocala, Florida as it continues to expand its aftercare efforts. The nation's oldest and largest racehorse adoption charity now has nine facilities in six states. "Part of our long-term plan has been to open a facility near Ocala," said New Vocations' Program Director Anna Ford. "Three years ago, we were looking into it but then we got the call to open a facility in Louisiana. We put Florida on pause because the need was greater in Louisiana at that...

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has opened a satellite facility at Trillium Sport Horses near Ocala, Florida. Erin MacDonald, an international three-day eventing rider, will oversee the facility's focus on rehabbing, retraining, and rehoming retiring Thoroughbred racehorses. "On average, 60 horses each year are shipped more than 700 miles from Florida to our Lexington facility," said Anna Ford, the program director for New Vocations. "Horses coming from Florida racetracks and training centers will now have a much shorter travel distance and duration as they start their next chapters." New Vocations,...

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law Wednesday a bill prohibiting the slaughter of racehorses and racehorse breeding stock for a commercial purpose; requiring that all racehorses competing in the state, as well as all horses used for breeding purposes, be microchipped; requiring that the state's Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding funds set aside money for aftercare programs and put all funds raised through fines relating to be used to support aftercare; amending the tax law to allow individuals and corporations to contribute to aftercare facilities; and mandating a public...

The first annual "Race to Give" campaign, begun in September by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) as an online giving and awareness program to support Thoroughbred aftercare, wrapped Friday with over $125,000 raised. Officials from Hagyard presented a check to TCA totaling $125,117 in a winner's circle ceremony at Churchill Downs. "Starting a new charitable effort is always a challenge and usually takes some time to build momentum," said Hagyard's Dr. Luke Fallon, DVM. "So we tried to set a realistic goal, but I think...

A total of $3.7 million will be awarded as grants to 82 accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced Thursday. Since inception in 2012, the TAA has now awarded more than $24.5 million in grants to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations. "The ability to grant $3.7 million towards the care of retired racehorses is a tremendous achievement," said TAA President Jimmy Bell. "As the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance continues to grow to match the needs of our industry, monetary contributions by participants at every level are paramount to the success...

The fifth annual Florida Thoroughbred Transformation Expo will be held at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala, FL, Dec. 10-12. Founded and hosted by the aftercare organization Run for the Ribbons, the expo, which offers $25,000 in prize money, features competition in seven different disciplines, including dressage, working ranch, show jumping, hunters, eventing, polo and freestyle. Each event will have a restricted and open division and are only open to off-the-track or unraced Thoroughbreds registered with The Jockey Club/tattooed. The event will also include a vendor fair and educational seminars....

An early estimate of funds raised during the New Vocations Breeders' Cup Pledge totals more than $140,000. A record eight horses with pledging connections, including GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter), won their championship races over the two-day Breeders' Cup event. Additional pledges are still coming in and final donations are still being tallied. "It was truly amazing to have eight pledged contenders win this year," said Anna Ford, New Vocations Thoroughbred Program Director. "We were thrilled with the number of owners and trainers who joined the Pledge...

More than 60--or over one-third--of the 2021 Breeders' Cup entrants and their connections have pledged support for Thoroughbred aftercare by committing to the New Vocations Breeders' Cup Pledge. In the Pledge, owners and trainers donate a percentage of their Breeders' Cup earnings to support New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program's mission to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome retired racehorses. Now in its 12th year, the Pledge has raised over $800,000 with 100% of the funds supporting the program. "Breeders' Cup is a very exciting time of year for our industry," said Anna...

Nearly 200 Thoroughbreds competed in The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) Championships held earlier this month in Aiken, South Carolina. There were classes covering seven disciplines and there were 26 divisions spanning hunters, jumpers, dressage, combined tests, Western dressage, English pleasure and Western pleasure. That meant a lot of variety among the competitors, all of them with a unique story. There was a 27-year-old horse and a 2-year-old horse. There were horses that didn't accomplish much of anything during their racing careers and then there was one, Two Notch...

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...

Run for the Ribbons (RFTR), a charitable organization which focuses on Thoroughbred aftercare, will host the 5th annual Florida Thoroughbred Transformation Expo at the Florida Horse Park. The Expo, which will be held Dec. 10-12, features the disciplines of dressage, working ranch, show jumper, show hunter, eventing, polo, and freestyle, as well as a "Parade of Thoroughbreds." Vendors, seminars, and demonstrations will also be a part of each day. There is no cost to attend as a spectator. Prize money and ribbons will be awarded. RFTR is a Thoroughbred Incentive...

Grants totaling over $788,000 were awarded this year, Thoroughbred Charities of America announced Wednesday. Eighty two grant applications were received earlier this year during the organization's annual grant cycle. Ultimately, 69 organizations were approved for a grant, including 46 aftercare organizations, 14 backstretch and farm worker programs, five equine-assisted therapy organizations, three Thoroughbred incentive programs, and one research organization. Included in the granting total is over $12,000 expended from the Horses First Fund, an emergency fund, administered by TCA and established LNJ Foxwoods, that assists Thoroughbreds and their caretakers in...