Hallway Feeds an Official Sponsorship Partner of TOBA

Hallways Feeds is now an official sponsorship partner of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), the organization announced via press release Monday.

Founded in 1964, Hallways Feeds and the Hall family have a long history in Bluegrass and whose products can be found throughout Kentucky, at all major equine population centers throughout the country and in more than one dozen countries globally.

“The team at Hallway Feeds is proud to serve as a partner to those involved in the Thoroughbred industry; from supplying feed to the stallions and mares on the farms, playing a role in the development of young, growing horses, preparing horses for the sale, horses in training and racing, and careers after racing,” said Hallway Feeds' director of sales and marketing Anthony H. Koch .

“It is only natural that we support the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association in their mission to improve the sport.”

The post Hallway Feeds an Official Sponsorship Partner of TOBA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The Road Back: Joshua Franks, A Story Of Horses, Hope And Healing

Stable Recovery is a rehabilitation program in Lexington, Kentucky that provides a safe living environment and a peer-driven, therapeutic community for men in the early stages of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Along with going to 12-step meetings and support groups, residents attend the School of Horsemanship at Taylor Made Farm to learn a new vocation in the Thoroughbred industry. The School of Horsemanship is a project that was created by Taylor Made two years ago and has since seen over 100 men go through the program. Many of those graduates have gone on to pursue a career in an equine-related field. Spy Coast Farm, Brook Ledge, Hallway Feeds, Will Walden Racing, Rood & Riddle, WinStar Farm and Godolphin have recently partnered with Stable Recovery as the program looks to expand its reach throughout Lexington.

In this month's installment of TDN's series, 'The Road Back,' we introduce you to graduate Joshua Franks, now program coordinator for the School of Horsemanship.

When Joshua Franks speaks about horses and the impact they've had on his life, the passion reverberates through every spoken word.

But it was only a year and a half ago that Franks first laid a hand on a horse, a moment he remembers vividly.

“It was at Keeneland, in Barn 10, and the horse was Big Lake [American Pharoah]. It was like I touched a ghost. Walking up to that horse, it was just magical.”

It marked a turning point in Franks's life. A page was opening to the start of a new chapter, one driven by faith, purpose and passion, that would pave over a past marred by drug addiction and incarceration.

Taylor Made Stallion Complex sign | Sarah Andrew

“I was born in California, but my mom and dad separated at a young age and then my mom moved back to Kentucky, so I grew up in Boone County. I lived with a single mom and two younger brothers. We lived in poverty,” said Franks. “In my household, I didn't grow up with goals. My mom didn't know how to love, there wasn't a lot of love in the home, so growing up, I felt lost and alone. I got addicted to drugs at a young age and from there it spiraled out of control.”

His issues with drug use eventually led him to prison, where he served a 10-year sentence. After he was released in 2020, he entered Recovery Works, a comprehensive inpatient addiction treatment center in Georgetown, Ky. It was there that he heard about Stable Recovery and its partner, the Taylor Made School of Horsemanship.

At this point, according to Franks, God stepped in. Because though he'd fallen down a path that many don't come back from, the light that kept him going was a hope that one day he would end up working within the Thoroughbred industry in some capacity. And the inspiration behind that? It was none other than the queen herself, Zenyatta (Street Cry).

“I believe she kind of changed the whole direction of my life. I used to watch Zenyatta race and she was electric. She touched me in a way that I can't even describe. She would bring tears to my eyes. Every hair on my arm would stand up when I watched her, and when she lost her last race, it just captured my heart,” said Franks. “I always wondered how to get here, how to get to Lexington to work with horses, but I never had that outlet. I think God knew in the depths of my heart what I truly loved. He met me where I was.”

Franks came to Taylor Made to enter Stable Recovery and partake in the School of Horsemanship program in July of 2022, soaking up everything he could in the barn and on the farm, before graduating and heading out to join fellow School of Horsemanship graduate Will Walden at the track. He worked as the foreman of the young trainer's stable, a time highlighted by a first stakes victory for the Walden team when Kate's Kingdom (Animal Kingdom) took the 2022 My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park.

Joshua Franks | Kelcey Loges/Taylor Made Farm

Though Franks did struggle with a two-day relapse while on the road, he returned to Taylor Made last December to continue to work on himself, his sobriety and his career as a horseman.

“I think God took my pain, with addiction and all of that, and gave me something that would really touch my heart. It's really special,” said Franks.

Things have come full circle for the 37-year-old, who now works full-time as the program coordinator for the School of Horsemanship.

“The biggest thing about this program is that we're trying to help people stay sober. It isn't necessarily about trying to change the horse industry, you know that comes with it along the way, but first and foremost we want to save lives,” said Franks. “The best advice I'd give people is to seek God and trust God. That's something I've done every day. I hit my knees, day and night, and throughout the day. He's developed something that's astronomical for a guy like me.”

Franks spends day in and day out with the men in the program that spans 90 days, teaching recovering individuals' life skills and employable skills through working with the horses on the farm, participating in support groups and attending 12-step meetings.

“When they come in, I try to lead them in recovery first and then into horses. I tell them all the time, 'This job will always be here.' When it comes down to it, I want them to stay sober and develop a good foundation,” said Franks.

One of the most crucial aspects of the program is instituting structure, something that a lot of the participants have never had in their lives. During the program they go to work daily, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., while also keeping up with a schedule throughout the week that includes Monday Motivation classes, School of Horsemanship meetings on Wednesdays, Community meetings on Thursdays and in-house meetings, called 'Off to the Races,' on Saturdays.

“A lot of us didn't grow up with that stuff, we didn't grow up with structure, so it's a really intense 90 days. This program is like no other. [CEO] Christian [Countzler] is very stern, he expects things to go a certain way, which I appreciate. I've been other places where as bad as it is, there's drugs filling these places, there's no accountability, while here, Christian demands that. All the outside issues, we don't have to deal with those. We're here to recover and to help each other recover,” said Franks. “It goes hand-in-hand with how detailed the horse industry is. From the way the blankets are folded, to bandages, to medical charts, to bringing your horses in in the morning and checking to make sure they're well, with no cuts or swelling. It all comes down to structure and accountability.”

As much as the program places an emphasis on the individual's well-being and progress in their journey to sobriety, it also helps them build comradery and a recovery network amongst their peers and the staff.

Joshua Franks | Kelcey Loges/Taylor Made Farm

“What I try to do in my barn is to gain momentum behind guys, find out what they're good at and team build around them, getting them pointed in the right direction. Getting them to work together, lean on each other, that's important. Sometimes throughout the day I might stop the barn, get them all together and rally them. I think momentum is key with recovery,” said Franks. “When they get out of treatment, most of them haven't seen the doctor, or maybe they have court stuff going on, so we try to get all of that taken care of in those 90 days. That way, when they gain full-time employment, they already have that foundation set.

“They come in here broken, they need to feel good about themselves, so I try to place them in good positions to help build themselves up.”

Franks, who is just days away from celebrating his one-year anniversary of sobriety on Dec. 24, admits that if he'd told his younger self that this is where he'd be at this point in his life, he would have never believed it. But when he looks back on the places he's been, a valley of lows and lower, Franks knows he has found renewed purpose and a true home in the presence of horses.

“I heard Will Walden say this and it's so true: the horse doesn't ask where I'm from or what I've done, they accept me as who I am. They are the heroes. They are the therapeutic value in this thing for guys like me,” he said. “What I've noticed is that most of your broken souls don't have any family support, just like myself when I came into this. My mother is deceased, my father is deceased, I never really had family growing up, that was nonexistent, so the horses became my friends. It was tough for me sitting here when they would have family days and I would have no one show or call, but the horses, they're the ones that were there for me.”

If you come out to Taylor Made and look around, you'll likely see someone working on the farm that is in recovery. But it's not until you've seen a man working with a horse, standing there with a glimmer of hope in his eye, that you understand the true impact of the program developed by Frank Taylor and Countzler.

A shining testament to that, Franks gives the utmost credit to the program, Taylor Made and the Thoroughbred industry as a whole for where he is today.

“Nobody could put this together but God. He takes our pain and he develops it into something magnificent,” he said. “I will say this. Though I loved her dearly, my mom and I weren't close and she didn't know how to express her love. But the only thing I knew about my mom was that her favorite animal was a horse. I'm not sure if that was passed on to me, but I do believe she looks over me every day on this farm.

“Everyone has been so supportive of Stable Recovery. This is a non-profit organization and to know that there are people around the world that care about us enough to help get us back on our feet and heading in the right direction, it's special. I'm very grateful.”

The post The Road Back: Joshua Franks, A Story Of Horses, Hope And Healing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Partners With Hallway Feeds

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced a new partnership with Lexington, Kentucky-based equine feed manufacturer Hallway Feeds, the organization said in a release Friday.

Family-owned and operated by the Hall Family since 1964, the company is prepared to make a major financial commitment to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare through this collaboration. Select Hallway Feeds bags will proudly feature the 'Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Proud Supporter' Seal. In addition, the partnership will include race presentations and event booths.

“Hallway Feeds is proud to support the efforts of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. As a company that supplies feeds to all facets of the Thoroughbred industry it is fitting that we take an active role in their aftercare,” said Lee Hall, Vice President, Hallway Feeds.

“Lee Hall has established Hallway Feeds as a prominent supplier of horse feeds, not only in Kentucky but also across the United States and globally,” said Craig Bandoroff, Owner of Denali Stud and TAA Vice President. “Recognizing the critical role of accredited aftercare, Lee has committed Hallway Feeds as a strategic partner to advance the cause, actively participating in spreading the important message and mission of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.”

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Sixth Annual Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Held At Keeneland

The Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, now in its sixth year in the United States, concluded Friday afternoon during an awards ceremony at Keeneland Racecourse's entertainment center in Lexington, Ky.  Winners were announced in a total of seven categories, including the newly added award for Support Services. Caton Bredar served as the master of ceremonies with Steve Asmussen as the guest of honor.

Katie LaMonica, Charities Manager at Godolphin USA commented, “We feel so fortunate to be able to once again bring all of the finalists back to an in-person event. While last year's virtual ceremony still provided a platform from which we could recognize these outstanding people, it just means so much more to bring them to together and let them have their moment in the spotlight among family, friends and colleagues.”

Lee Hall, Vice President of Hallway Feeds, sponsor of this year's Dedication to Breeding Award, said, “It's an honor for Hallway Feeds to be part of such an important and meaningful event. We interact with so many workers from area farms, racetracks and other organizations that we see firsthand what they do day in and day out. To see these tremendous, hard-working individuals get a well-deserved pat on the back is very, very special.”

The full list of winners and runners-up is as follows:

Newcomer Award, sponsored by NYRA
Winner: Olivia Desch, Stallion Season Sales, WinStar Farm
(Runners-up: Emily Csenar Horse Healthcare Assistant, Taylor Made Farm; Joshua McLemore, Assistant Starter, Keeneland Racecourse)

Support Services Award, sponsored by I Am Horse Racing
Winner: Brenda Wilhelm, Operator, Charles Town Race Track Kitchen
(Runners-up: David Kyle, Plant Manager, Fasig-Tipton; Katherine Todd Smith, Horse Identifier, Self Employed)

Katherine McKee Administration Award sponsored by Keeneland
Winner: Kelsey Marshall, Vice President of Partner Relations, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
(Runners-up: Lori Johnson, Associate Registrar, The Jockey Club; Sue Kenny, Office Manager, Herringswell Stables)

Dedication to Breeding Award sponsored by Hallway Feeds
Winner: Calvin Smith, Assistant Broodmare Manager, Runnymede Farm, Pennsylvania
(Runners-up: Luis Coronado, Broodmare Manager, Machmer Hall Sales; Wayne Howard, Stallion Manager, Spendthrift Farm)

Dedication to Racing Award, sponsored by the NTRA
Winner: Lorita Lindemann, Assistant Trainer, Joe Sharp Racing Stable and Brad H. Cox Racing Stable
(Runners-up: Benjamin “Benny” Betts, Training Manager, retired Ocala Jockey Club; Tessa Bisha, Assistant Trainer, Brad H. Cox Racing Stable)

Leadership Award, sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
Winner: Robert Turner, Yearling Farm Manager, Stonestreet Farm
(Runners-up: Billy Sellers, Stallion Manager, Lane's End Farm; Joseph Littrell, Farm Manager, Stone Farm)

Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, sponsored by Churchill Downs
Winner: Nicholas Caras, Program Director, New York Race Track Chaplaincy
Runner-up: Diana Pinones, Director of Racetrack Operations, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association

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