Kentucky Equine Education Project | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rood & Riddle’s Hats Off Day Offers Free Admission To Kentucky Horse Park On July 31

Presented by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Hats Off Day on Saturday, July 31st celebrates the impact of the horse industry with a day of free admission to the Lexington-based Kentucky Horse Park. Now in its 18th year, Hats Off Day offers family-friendly activities which begin at 3:00 p.m. including horse and pony rides, interactive educational booths, and a Grand Prix show jumping competition. Free hats, provided by area horse farms and businesses will be distributed at the entrance, while supplies last!

Sponsored by Central Bank and other industry leaders, Hats Off Day is the only day of the year that admission to the Kentucky Horse Park is free, and serves as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. More than $1.11 million has been raised for worthy organizations in Kentucky since the inaugural event in 2003.

“The Kentucky Horse Park provides our state with a beautiful backdrop to learn about Kentucky's signature industry,” said Dr. Tom Riddle, founder of Hats Off Day and co-founder of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. “Hats Off Day allows families to get up-close-and-personal with these majestic animals.”

Hats Off Day is delighted to welcome the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) back as a sponsor. KEEP has been a leader in promoting the horse industry including spearheading the movement this year supporting the preservation of historical horse racing in Kentucky.

Stadium activities on Hats Off Day begin at 6:45 p.m. with a demonstration by Long Run Woodford Hounds and the celebration of the Kentucky Horse Park's Mustang Troop. Additionally, the Rood & Riddle Comeback Award will be presented. This annual award honors an outstanding horse that has experienced a medical condition, was treated by Rood & Riddle veterinarians, and then returned to greatness. Previous winners include Thoroughbred two-time Horse of the Year, Wise Dan; Kentucky Derby winner and two-time Horse of the Year, California Chrome; show jumper, Cyklon 1083; Lexington mounted police horse, Yoder; and Saddlebred World Champion, Tempt Me. The theme of this year's event is “The Beauty of the Show Hunter,” a fitting tribute to the 2021 Rood & Riddle Comeback Award winner, Celtic Fire, a highly successful show hunter.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m., the featured entertainment of the event is the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix show jumping competition, a 25-year-old tradition that draws internationally known horses and riders.

Hats Off Day is one of the many ways Rood & Riddle supports Kentucky's equine industry. Through veterinary service, educational opportunities and seminars and community support, Rood & Riddle impacts the entire state with initiatives that strengthen the equine industry.

For more information on Hats Off Day, including the event schedule, visit the event's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/hatsoffday.

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Kentucky Equine Education Project Announces 2021 Scholarship Recipients

The Kentucky Equine Education Project Foundation (KEEP), and The Race For Education (RFE) are proud to announce their 2021 scholarship recipients.

In addition to these 11 Kentucky students, the Race For Education awarded it's annual Robert J. Frankel Scholarship to 3 New York state students: Reina Ceballos, Joseph Lee and Carlos Lopez. Now in it's 11th year, the Robert J. Frankel Scholarship, in honor of the late Robert (Bobby) J. Frankel, is awarded to a student whose family is employed in the Thoroughbred industry, pursuing any field of study at a college or university in California or New York state. All three Frankel Scholarship recipients, whose parents work in the barns at various tracks in New York, will be attending universities in New York.

“Kentucky is the horse capitol of the world and having the Commonwealth's colleges and universities prepare the next generation of leadership is vital to the horse industry's continued success. KEEP congratulates this year's scholarship awardees and looks forward to the future impact they will have on the industry,” said Elisabeth Jensen, KEEP's Executive Vice President.

2021 Race For Education KEEP Foundation Scholarship
Ambre Azcona – University of Kentucky
Lily Crouch – University of Kentucky
ALeah Gardner – Morehead State University
Harrison Goode – University of Kentucky
Wheaton Hardwick – Kentucky Community & Technical College
Emma Ingalls – Asbury University
Emily James – Midway University
Alina Knore – Morehead State University
Elizabeth Lynch – Midway University
Kaitlyn Praisler – Morehead State University
Ava Simmons – Murray State University

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KEEP, RFE Announce Scholarship Recipients

The Kentucky Equine Education Project Foundation and The Race for Education have announced the recipients of their 2021 scholarships.

The KEEP Foundation board of directors approved over $35,000 in scholarships to 11 students attending 10 universities across the Commonwealth. All of the 2021 scholarship recipients are students currently enrolled with a university or college in Kentucky in an equine and/or agriculture related major. The 11 students are: Ambre Azcona-University of Kentucky; Lily Crouch-University of Kentucky; Aleah Gardner-Morehead State University; Harrison Goode-University of Kentucky; Wheaton Hardwick-Kentucky Community & Technical College; Emma Ingalls-Asbury University; Emily James-Midway University; Alina Knore-Morehead State University; Elizabeth Lynch-Midway University; Kaitlyn Praisler-Morehead State University; Ava Simmons-Murray State University.

The Race For Education awarded its annual Robert J. Frankel Scholarship to three New York state students: Reina Ceballos, Joseph Lee and Carlos Lopez. Now in its 11th year, the Robert J. Frankel Scholarship is awarded to a student whose family is employed in the Thoroughbred industry, pursuing any field of study at a college or university in California or New York state. All three Frankel Scholarship recipients, whose parents work in the barns at various tracks in New York, will be attending universities in New York.

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Equine Workforce Development Initiative Launches Thoroughbred Farm Data Collection Project

The Equine Workforce Development Initiative has launched a Thoroughbred industry workforce data collection effort for the state of Kentucky to better identify employer needs and fill staff shortages.

The Equine Workforce Development Initiative is a collaborative effort between the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation Workforce Center, created to address the shortage of skilled equine workers across the state. The goal of the initiative is to understand the needs of employers and subsequently use that information to better inform educational and community partners who can assist with filling gaps in the equine industry's workforce.

The work and results of the Equine Workforce Development Initiative all stem from employer collaboratives in which employers engage in conversation about the most pressing issues of the industry. In a 2019 study conducted by the Thoroughbred Farm collaborative, it was projected by just ten farms that there was a need for 255 new and replacement grooms before 2021. With an estimated five-hundred Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky, this is little more than a drop in the proverbial water bucket of actual talent needed.

“Like many states and industries around the country, the equine industry in Kentucky is struggling to find qualified workers to fill its ranks,” states Laurie Mays, Equine Talent Pipeline Project Manager with KEEP and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “However, the lack of concrete data needed to substantiate the current workforce crisis has hindered progress in equine workforce development. The creation of the Thoroughbred Data Collection Project survey will allow the industry to obtain the vital information needed to advance crucial conversations with organizations and individuals who support workforce growth in our unique industry.”

The Thoroughbred Data Collection Project was derived from the Thoroughbred farm collaborative group to obtain concrete evidence of the state of the equine workforce. Despite the widely acknowledged fact that workforce shortages are prevalent in the Thoroughbred industry, there is limited industry-specific data that quantifies the scope of workforce needs and where deficiencies exist. Without statistical evidence of staffing challenges, the industry's quest for community engagement, initial job training, upskilling, and financial assistance is difficult.

The data collection process, completed by Thoroughbred Farms around Kentucky, will occur through a brief online survey developed collaboratively with the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program. The anonymous survey will identify the size of farms and demand projections for particular positions, analyze trends in recruitment and hiring, as well as understand staff retention and reasons for turnover. After analysis from the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program, the information provided will form an industry baseline to enhance existing projects and assist in identifying new programs and initiatives that need to be implemented.

For more information about the Thoroughbred Data Collection Project or to participate in the survey, contact Laurie Mays at lmays@kychamber.com.

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