Kentucky Horse Park

The "Giddy Up & Get Down to the '80s" at Central Kentucky Riding for Hope's 23rd Night of the Stars fundraiser will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 27 at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington. Located at the Kentucky Horse Park, CKRH is a 45-year-old nonprofit that offers a variety of equine-assisted services and activities for people of all ages. The '80s-themed event will feature a sit-down dinner, cocktails, pony meet-and-greets, inspiring riding demonstrations and silent auction. The highlight is a Live Auction of CKRH participants and their equine partners in...

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program will host its 9th Annual Open Barn & BBQ, presented by Seidman Stables on Thursday, Apr. 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET at their Lexington facility at Mereworth Farm, the organization said in a Tuesday press release. Free and open to the public, the event--held concurrently with the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, taking place at the Kentucky Horse Park--will feature educational seminars along with the chance to meet adoptable horses while touring the facility. Click here for more information.

Edited Press Release Officials from The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) have announced today that Vendor Fair applications for the 2026 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, are now open. The Vendor Fair will run throughout the competition from Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The Vendor Fair will return to Jay Trump Drive, overlooking the Stonelea Arena in the Hunter/Jumper Complex, in the middle of the action at the Thoroughbred Makeover. After a successful debut of the 10-discipline Makeover Championship format in...

With the encouragement of Sergio de Sousa from Hidden Brook Farm and Carrie Brogden from Machmer Hall, a group of 17 Thoroughbred industry stakeholders have pledged to donate a total of $35,000 in prize money for a series of TAKE2 Thoroughbred Hunter and Jumper Classics at the Kentucky Horse Shows and Split Rock Jumping Tour in 2026. The 20 TAKE2 Classics, offering $1,750 in prize money each, will be held at 10 horse shows at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, between May and September. The TAKE2 Classics sponsors...

Applications to compete in the 2026 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium are now being accepted through Jan. 23, announced the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP). The Thoroughbred Makeover is the largest and most lucrative retraining competition in North America for recently-retired Thoroughbreds and former broodmares. It takes place Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The makeover is the banner event of the RRP and is meant to showcase the athleticism, trainability, and versatility of the recently-retired racehorse. The event awards $139,000 in prize money and is expected...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will serve as a sponsor of the Freestyle discipline at this year's Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. The 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, will take place at the Kentucky Horse Park Oct. 8-11. The event is designed to showcase the talent and versatility of off-track Thoroughbreds, while supporting their transition to successful second careers. The Freestyle discipline will take place Oct. 9 in the Covered Arena beginning at 8 a.m. This discipline is a free-form competition designed...

The list of former breeders, owners, trainers, stallion farms and other connections participating in the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) Makeover Champions, an initiative to encourage more public support of Thoroughbreds in careers beyond racing via the Thoroughbred Makeover, was unveiled Wednesday morning. Makeover Champions have pledged to share updates about their former connected horses that are participating in next week's Thoroughbred Makeover, the largest and most lucrative retraining competition in North America for recently-retired racehorses and former broodmares. Additionally, many participating Champions will attend the event in person to connect...

Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, a 44-year-old nonprofit that offers a variety of equine-assisted therapies and activities for people of all ages, hosts its inaugural Benefit Match featuring Lexington Polo and tailgating at the Secretariat Field at the Kentucky Horse Park on Sunday, Sept. 28. "We are extremely grateful to Lexington Polo for presenting this benefit, which will be their final polo event of the season," CKRH Executive Director Pat Kline said. "We look forward to outstanding polo action and the chance for us to enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon...

Donations of items and experiences are now being accepted by the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction. The annual auction raises funds to support the production of the Thoroughbred Makeover and the advancement of the RRP's mission to increase demand for Thoroughbreds beyond racing through education, inspiration, and service. Popular contributions to the auction in the past have included experiences such as polo lessons or fox hunting, racing memorabilia such as stallion halters and shoes, equestrian or racing artwork, tack and stable items, and hotel stays or race day...

Though Lexington, Kentucky is commonly known as the 'Horse Capital of the World,' serving as a central hub for the Thoroughbred industry, there are many who live in the area that have no knowledge of how multi-faceted the world of horse racing truly is. In an effort to bridge that gap, first-year trainees on the Godolphin Flying Start (GFS) course—currently based in Lexington—coordinated with leaders across the greater equine industry to host a "Thoroughbred Industry Day" for the Leadership Lexington group on Thursday, May 8. Spanning eleven months, Leadership Lexington...

Sponsorships for The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)'s 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, are currently available. The event takes place at the Kentucky Horse Park on Oct. 8-11. "Partnering with the Thoroughbred Makeover makes companies more than just a sponsor," said Megan Garlich, RRP development manager. "Our sponsoring partners join a passionate team of individuals and organizations committed to the advancement of Thoroughbreds in equestrian sport and the development of dedicated trainers who invest in their future. We are grateful to the many sponsors...

A monument by sculptor Jocelyn Russell commemorating the story of the late Cody Dorman and 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish will be installed at the Kentucky Horse Park, with dedication scheduled for this October. Titled "The Bond: Two Hearts—One Spirit," the monument's creation will be documented at CodysWishMonument.com. "The relationship we share with the horse is special," said Lee Carter, Director of the Kentucky Horse Park. "It can raise our spirits and improve our well-being. There is no better example of this than the bond between Cody Dorman...