Tag: Jim Pendergest

Pendergest, Reeves Head Online Racecourse Manager Program

The inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, presented by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky, will take place Monday, June 14 at 11 a.m. ET. Entitled “Cultivation of Turf for Compaction and Wear,” Monday's two-hour session will feature presentations by Keeneland Director of Racing Surfaces Jim Pendergest and Atlantic Tractor's Jamie Reeves, who will present John Deere research and development findings.

The upcoming program includes:

  • “Turfgrass aeration–why, how, when” – Mike Boekholder, Boekholder & Associates
  • “How often in practice: Lessons from Del Mar, Woodbine, Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs” – panel discussion led by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL)
  • “Tractor selection (100 hp with creep), tires and tow versus 3-pt. (John Deere Research and Development)” – Jamie Reeves, Atlantic Tractor
  • “Topdressing and surface maintenance. What can you add or use to eliminate wear and divots? Why pick one thing over another?” – Geoffrey Rinehart, MS, Turfgrass Management Lecturer, University of Maryland, and Logan Freeman, Mountain Branch Golf Club, Joppa Maryland
  • “Divot mix, germinating seed and the use of cutouts” – Jim Pendergest and John N. “Trey” Rogers, III, Ph. D., Professor of Turfgrass Research, Michigan State University
  • “Selection of cultivation equipment” – Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University.

To pre-register, visit https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/

The Racecourse Manager Certification program curriculum is an online curriculum designed for turf surface maintenance personnel. The online classes are free. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks that enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance. The curriculum for the turf management course was developed by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the RSTL.

The post Pendergest, Reeves Head Online Racecourse Manager Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Pendergest, Reeves Highlight Second Session Of Racecourse Manager Certification Program

The inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, an online curriculum for turf surface maintenance personnel, will host its second session on Monday, June 14 at 11 a.m. ET, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky announced today.

Entitled “Cultivation of Turf for Compaction and Wear,” Monday's two-hour session will feature presentations by Keeneland Director of Racing Surfaces Jim Pendergest and Atlantic Tractor's Jamie Reeves, who will present John Deere research and development findings.

Topics and participants include:

  • “Turfgrass aeration – why, how, when.” – Mike Boekholder, Boekholder & Associates;
  • “How often in practice: Lessons from Del Mar, Woodbine, Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs.” – panel discussion led by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL);
  • “Tractor selection (100 hp with creep), tires and tow versus 3-pt. (John Deere Research and Development)” – Jamie Reeves, Atlantic Tractor;
  • “Topdressing and surface maintenance. What can you add or use to eliminate wear and divots? Why pick one thing over another?” – Geoffrey Rinehart, MS, Turfgrass Management Lecturer, University of Maryland, and Logan Freeman, Mountain Branch Golf Club, Joppa Maryland;
  • “Divot mix, germinating seed and the use of cutouts.” – Jim Pendergest and John N. “Trey” Rogers, III, Ph. D., Professor of Turfgrass Research, Michigan State University;
  • “Selection of cultivation equipment.” – Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University.

Individuals who pre-register at https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/ will be sent a Zoom link prior to the Monday's webinar.

The Racecourse Manager Certification program curriculum is designed for those already engaged in careers with turf surface maintenance. The online classes are free. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks that enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.

The curriculum for the turf management course was developed by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL).

The post Pendergest, Reeves Highlight Second Session Of Racecourse Manager Certification Program appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Keeneland To Expand Year-Round Training Facility In Lexington

Keeneland on Wednesday announced plans to build six new barns and make other enhancements at The Thoroughbred Center (TTC), its 245-acre, year-round training facility on Paris Pike on the northeast side of Lexington. Home to 900-1,000 horses, TTC is within a six-hour drive to 10 race tracks.

Plans call for two existing concrete barns to be demolished and replaced with six state-of-the-art barns. Improvements around the barns will be made to walking rings, muck disposal and drainage, as well as to landscaping and access to and from the training track in those areas.

“Keeneland is excited to break ground on these significant improvements to the barn area at TTC for the benefit of our horses and horsemen, many of whom stable at the facility year-round,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “This investment reflects the strength of the Kentucky racing circuit and Keeneland's confidence in the future of the Thoroughbred industry in Kentucky and throughout the world.”

“TTC is vital to the health of the Kentucky racing circuit, providing a home base for a number of trainers, and we are thrilled to make these enhancements for them,” TTC General Manager and Keeneland Director of Racing Surfaces Jim Pendergest said. “Horsemen are drawn to Kentucky by the strong purse structure now in place and expected to continue to improve, particularly with the support of historical horse racing.”

Work on the project is anticipated to begin in May pending approval from local planning and zoning authorities, with completion by Keeneland's 2021 Fall Meet, which begins Oct. 8. Keeneland will work with trainers stabled at TTC to find alternate locations for their horses during construction.

“This project is an important aspect of Keeneland's ongoing efforts to accommodate our horse population with safe and quality facilities throughout the year,” Keeneland Equine Safety Director Dr. Stuart Brown said.

Keeneland has owned The Thoroughbred Center, which originally opened in 1969, since April 2000. The facility has two dirt tracks: 5 furlongs and 7½ furlongs.

The post Keeneland To Expand Year-Round Training Facility In Lexington appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights