A hero is a person who is admired for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. There are heroes all around the horse racing industry and the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) recognizes some of these selfless servants through its White Horse Awards. Established in 2003, the White Horse Awards recognizes individuals within the horse racing industry for their acts of selflessness and bravery.
RTCA celebrated their honorees and the ministry's 50th anniversary at the RTCA's Night of Faith, Hope, & Love event on Tuesday evening (Nov. 1). The first such event of it's kind was held at Keeneland in conjunction with the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
The large audience was a blend of horsemen, horsewomen, backstretch workers, and members of the public. Along with a great meal and wonderful music, the keynote speaker Oscar Tshiebwe (National Collegiate Men's Basketball Player of the Year) shared his story of faith.
The honorees are as follows:
2022 RTCA Community Service Award- Shannon Kelly from the Jockey Club Safety Net was named the Community Service Award winner. In a video, Chaplains from race tracks across the country thanked Kelly for her dedication to the industry, specifically naming examples of how she was so instrumental in serving the backstretch community during the pandemic. She was praised for always putting her whole heart and soul into caring for the backstretch community and the sport.
2022 White Horse Award – The 2022 White Horse Award went to Nery Delcid for bravely preventing a fire from spreading at Churchill Downs. The fire in one of the stalls was maliciously set by someone in the barn during the night and Nery acted quickly by calling 911, dousing the flames and calling security. He alerted the workers who were sleeping in the barn and together they helped control the fire. Thanks to Nery's quick actions, there was no significant damage, and no human or horse was injured.
More about the Race Track Chaplaincy of America – The overall mission of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA), through its Councils and Chaplains, is to minister to the spiritual, emotional, physical, social, and educational needs of those persons involved in all aspects of the horse racing industry. “Follow” us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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