Jen Roytz | Horse Racing Free Tips

480 Trainers Accepted to 2021 TB Makeover Class

Edited Press Release

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) has welcomed 484 accepted applications, representing 480 unique trainers and teams, to the 2021 class of the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The Thoroughbred Makeover is the world's largest and most lucrative retraining competition for ex-racehorses, and the 2021 class combined with 322 trainers from the postponed 2020 competition year will make this the biggest Makeover yet.

“After the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover, it was important to us to preserve the opportunity for our 2020 class to compete, and thanks to so many loyal sponsors and donors from the racing, breeding and sport horse worlds, we are going to be putting on the largest retraining competition in history,” said RRP executive director Jen Roytz.

The application process for the 2021 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 that the applicant has 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 off-track Thoroughbred and candidates' commitment to the RRP's mission of promoting off-track Thoroughbreds in second careers.

Accepted trainers are encouraged to register their horses at TBMakeover.org as soon as they acquire them. Horse registration closes July 31, but registration upon acquisition allows the RRP to better gather data on horses undergoing the Makeover process.

Accepted trainers for 2021 include Becky Huestis, assistant rider and manager for John Madden Sales; Darby Mazzarisi, champion hunter trainer; and Natalie (Voss) Nevills, a two-time Eclipse Award-winning turf writer for the Paulick Report. They join a diverse class of trainers hailing from 46 states and four Canadian provinces. Trainers range in age from 11 (will be 12 at the time of the Makeover as per rules) to 74.

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OTTB United App Will Bring Together Retired Racehorse Buyers, Sellers

The Retired Racehorse Project and OTTB United jointly announce today the release of OTTB United, a mobile app that unites sellers, buyers, and shippers of Thoroughbred ex-racehorses and gives back to the Thoroughbred placement community. The app is designed to make the entire process, from listing a horse, to communicating between buyer and seller, to organizing shipping to a horse's new home, as easy as a few taps of a button.

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, which takes a market-based approach to Thoroughbred aftercare to drive demand for ex-racehorses; 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 United founder Amy Rubin. “The organization's mission is at the center of everything we want to achieve, and helping off-the-track Thoroughbreds is our number-one goal. The Retired Racehorse Project has strengthened the Thoroughbred community, and it's our hope that the OTTB United app produced in partnership will unite that community on one platform.”

OTTB United was designed to meet the specific needs of the Thoroughbred industry and creates a network to help more ex-racehorses find good homes. Uniting sellers, buyers, and shippers on a mobile platform greatly simplifies the entire process from start to finish, and helps both buyers and sellers navigate changing rules on social media that prohibit animal sales.

“The RRP works to increase the market for Thoroughbreds after racing in the equestrian world and we are always seeking out new ways to make that process easier and more successful,” says RRP executive director Jen Roytz. “We understand and respect the reasons for social media sites to place animal sales posts under increased scrutiny and it has surely gone a long way to prevent unwanted animals to end up in the wrong hands. It has also, however, compromised the efforts of many upstanding and responsible Thoroughbred placement organizations who depend on the platforms to market their available horses to reputable homes. Through our partnership with OTTB United, we are able to offer a potential solution.”

OTTB United is free to download from Google Play and the App Store. A premium subscription is $4.99 monthly. The app is available in the US and Canada.

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Kentucky Horse Council’s Virtual KENA Meeting: Hosting Equine Events During A Pandemic

The Kentucky Horse Council has announced it will host a virtual meeting on September 1 for the Kentucky Equine Networking Association (KENA). The topic for this meeting, presented by WesBanco, will be “Can You Make a Right Call? Equine Events During a Pandemic.” The meeting will happen on Zoom at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. Registration is required.

Due to recent event cancellations in Kentucky, this topic is being presented to give exhibitors and participants a glimpse into the decision-making process that event organizers and facility managers are using to determine whether or not to proceed with their horse shows during COVID19. This virtual meeting will feature panelists who will discuss various factors that impacted their decision and the public reaction to their choices.

Anne Guillory, an attorney in the Louisville office of Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, will discuss the legal issues an event organizer faces during a pandemic as well as the efficacy of waivers. Jen Roytz, Executive Director of the Retired Racehorse Project, will discuss the factors that led to RRP deciding to cancel the Thoroughbred Makeover scheduled for October 7-11, 2020. Justin Billings, Chief Show Officer of the American Quarter Horse Association, will discuss proceeding with the 2020 AQHYA World Show. Nicole Rivera, Sales and Event Manager for the Kentucky Horse Park, will discuss the challenges the international venue faces hosting events during this time.

“2020 has presented incredible challenges to the equine industry, most recently manifested in the cancellation of major horse shows and equine events in Kentucky,” Kentucky Horse Council Executive Director Katy Ross. “We believe this well-rounded panel will provide great insight to the decisions that have been made regarding cancelling or going forward with events due to COVID19.”

KENA is charged with the mission of providing an educational and social venue for equine professionals and horse enthusiasts from all disciplines. Organized by the Kentucky Horse Council, KENA provides the opportunity for attendees to share ideas, business strategies and knowledge, and to obtain up-to-date information on horse and farm management and on issues affecting the equine industry. KENA is made possible by the generous support of sponsors, including Dinsmore Equine Law Group, WesBanco, Neogen, University of Louisville Equine Industry Program, KESMARC Kentucky, and Equine Land Conservation Resources.

The September meeting is presented by WesBanco, a multi-state bank with offices throughout Kentucky. WesBanco is a generous supporter of the KENA dinner series.

The Kentucky Equine Networking Association welcomes all Kentucky horse owners, professionals and enthusiasts to participate in the July meeting.

For more information and to register, click here.

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Retired Racehorse Project’s Makeover Marketplace Transitions To Virtual Event

While the in-person horse shopping and adoption experience at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium may no longer be possible this year with the postponement of the event to 2021, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP), thanks to a generous grant from the ASPCA, will continue to produce the Makeover Marketplace and promote transitioned Thoroughbreds as premier sport horse prospects online.

Expected to feature dozens of restarted Thoroughbreds, the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace catalog will once again be offered in print as well as digitally. Sign-ups are now open to receive the catalog, which will be printed in the Fall 2020 issue of Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, the RRP's award-winning quarterly publication. The catalog will be printed in color and feature each horse's Jockey Club name and basic details, price or adoption fee, home location, description and photo, as well as trainer contact information. Each advertisement will also include a QR code that will direct smartphone users to the horse's full online listing, which may include additional information and video.

“The ASPCA Makeover Marketplace has become one of the country's premier horse shopping and adoption opportunities for equestrians looking for well-started sport horse prospects,” said Jen Roytz, Executive Director of the RRP. “Traditionally, horse shopping includes extensive travel, often going to multiple farms in different states in order to consider horses, but changing mandates and travel restrictions during the pandemic are limiting those opportunities. The Marketplace lets you browse from the comfort of your couch and peruse dozens of photos, videos and descriptions of equine athletes for adoption or sale who have had the proper care, nutrition and training to make a successful transition to a competitive or recreational career after racing.”

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Dewey Square, 2015 Thoroughbred Makeover Marketplace graduate, now owned by Nicholas D'Amore and in training with Kate Chadderton. Photo by Amy Dragoo

The ASPCA Makeover Marketplace has become an adopter's or buyer's trusted source for Thoroughbreds for sport or pleasure. Though the Thoroughbred Makeover competition will not be taking place this year, each horse entered in the Marketplace catalog will have undergone preparation for the event, with emphasis placed on a healthy transition from the track and training for a big show environment. Past ASPCA Makeover Marketplace graduates have gone on to successful careers in eventing, hunter/jumper, field hunter, western performance, pleasure and trail riding.

“Creating opportunities for more equine enthusiasts to find their Right Horse is a vital component of our work,” said Dr. Emily Weiss, Vice President of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “The RRP continues to support us in shifting the perspective of who a retired racehorse is and showcasing the incredible potential they will bring to their next homes. While we will miss seeing all the event-goers and talented competitors this year, we celebrate this innovative virtual Marketplace experience that will help transition more great horses to their next chapter.”

The digital catalog will be released at tbmakeover.org the week of August 10, and individual horses will be featured on the RRP's social media. Watch the RRP's Facebook page for additional virtual spotlights of Marketplace horses this fall.

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