kirsten green | Horse Racing Free Tips

Real Rider Cup Triples Previous Fundraising Record

Following a record-setting turnout in Lexington this past July, the 63 entered riders that have taken part in the Real Rider Cup have raised better than $160,000 this year, a number that rises to $173,000 when corporate sponsors are factored in. That amount more than triple any previous annual total for the event and brings the total raised since the inception of the Real Rider Cup to $410,000 raised for Thoroughbred aftercare.

“It's been an honor to have been a beneficiary of the Real Rider Cup since the beginning,” said Retired Racehorse Project executive director, Kirsten Green. “Aftercare is a critical stage in a racehorse's life, one that is made successful by many different types of organizations working synergistically towards the same result. [Event creator] Anita [Motion]'s selection of beneficiaries recognizes the essential need to fund aftercare organizations who serve the horses in a variety of ways.”

The Real Rider Cup returned to Fair Hill Friday with 32 horse and rider combinations along with hundreds of spectators. The Real Rider Cup brings together personalities from across the racing and breeding industry to increase awareness for and raise funds for aftercare. Each participant pledges to raise at least $1,000.

Riders, mounted on off-the-track Thoroughbreds and wearing the silks of their employers, colleagues, and clients contended a winding course of fences with the fastest clear rounds taking home top honors. Connections and institutions represented included Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Maryland Jockey Club, 1/ST Racing, Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center, Equine Veterinary Care, Country Life Farm, Hillwood Stables/Rodney Jenkins, Whitney Stables, and more. Noteworthy horses included Henry S. Clark Stakes winner Talk Show Man, who was ridden by both Maggie (Wolfendale) Morley and Penelope Miller, who once again faced off against on-track rival, back-to-back winner of the Maryland Million Turf Stakes Phlash Phelps, who was piloted by his long-time exercise rider Sabrina Morris. Multiple graded stakes placer turned event horse Adirondack King was ridden by Keira Nygaard. Additional black-type runners included Flash McCaul, Virginia Peach, Grandiflora, and hard-knocking campaigner Greek God, piloted by Maryland Jockey Club outrider Kaymarie Kreidel. The field also included 11 Thoroughbred Makeover graduates. Handicapper Jessica Paquette served as emcee, providing color commentary.

Individual results: win–Cassie Lively on Quite a Journey; place–Chelsea Buttermore on Fantastic Omen, and individual place rider from Lexington, Keira Nygaard, returned to ride again in Fair Hill to take the show placing on Aidrondack King.

Team Results: win–Team GSVH Pony Camp (Lively, Shore, Pfeiffer), Place: Team Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center (Bellgrave, Pennington, Buttermore); show: Team Animal Kingdom (Fewster, Crowell, Chubb).

Two overall awards will be determined in the coming days: Cassie Lively and Lexington individual winner, Jesslyn Woodall will face off in a “Who Jumped It Best?” jump-off, where members of the public may vote for their favorite round through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21 to determine the overall winner of the event. Vote now at therealridercup.com/2022-real-rider-cup-champion-jump-off/.

Pledges to the Real Rider Cup can still be made by clicking here.

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Erin O’Keefe Named RRP’s Development Director

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced today that Erin O'Keefe has been hired for the new position of development director. O'Keefe brings a decade of experience in many facets of the Thoroughbred industry from breeding to sales to racing. As development director, O'Keefe will be responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive development plan, activating opportunities for racing outreach, and supporting the executive director to maximize opportunities for speaking engagements and media representation.

“Erin's diverse background in the racing industry coupled with her hands-on experience in aftercare gives her a comprehensive perspective on the importance of our industries working together for the benefit of the horses,” said RRP Executive Director Kirsten Green. “Her passion for and deep understanding of the work we do is evident, and we're thrilled to add her to our team.”

“The Retired Racehorse Project's market-based approach to aftercare is about changing the conversation to create an industry where the transition to second careers is easy and automatic,” said O'Keefe. “I look forward to utilizing my knowledge of the Thoroughbred industry to help the RRP foster that conversation, and aid the industry in making impactful and lasting contributions for the benefit of the horses.”

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Kirsten Green Named RRP Executive Director

Kirsten Green, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP)'s managing director who served as interim executive director following the departure of Jen Roytz near the end of last year, has been named the new executive director of the organization. A national search by a hiring committee comprised of board members was conducted only to turn to Green, who is the RRP's longest-serving staff member.

“The hiring process made us hopeful for the future of Thoroughbred aftercare based on the quality of applicants who applied and their passion for the mission,” said RRP board chair Sue Smith. “After an extensive review process, the hiring committee ultimately made a determination based on the candidates' understanding of the industry, ability to guide and oversee a non-profit organization, and their vision for the future. We feel confident in our selection and are eager to expand our mission under Kirsten's leadership.”

A Maryland native, Green began as an RRP volunteer in 2012 and joined the organization in 2014. She has played an integral role in the RRP since, supporting its first two executive directors and ensuring the ongoing operations of the organization, implementation of events and initiatives, and serving as the direct report for an expanding staff. As executive director, Green will be responsible for building upon the partnerships established by Roytz with a particular focus on strategic planning and broadening the RRP's reach.

“Taking over the role of executive director for the RRP is an honor,” said Green. “Serving under Jen Roytz and Steuart Pittman has allowed me to experience the growth of the organization from the front row and to learn from their perspectives and vision. Through their leadership, the RRP has solidified itself as an essential part of the aftercare landscape, leveraging the market to find next-career paths for hundreds of horses annually and steadily increasing their value. I'm thankful to be following in their tracks as well as to have the support of an incredibly talented and passionate staff and a diverse and dynamic board of directors. I'm excited to work with each of them to advance our charitable mission and define what's next for the organization.”

Roytz served the RRP for four years as executive director before stepping back last year. “For as long as I've been involved with the RRP, Kirsten has been a key factor in its growth and success and I am so very pleased to see her step into this role,” she said. “Over the past decade, the RRP has grown to serve a critical role in aftercare, working to create demand for Thoroughbreds as sport horses, and in doing so, increasing the number of equestrians eager to adopt or purchase them at the conclusion of their racing careers. But there is much more that can and needs to be done. Her vision for the future of the RRP–and potentially for Thoroughbred aftercare as a whole–is forward-thinking and inspiring.”

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RRP Elects New Board Members And Officers

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is pleased to announce the election of a new board chair, Sue Smith, and vice chair, Richard Lamb, along with the addition of three new board members: Malinda Lawrence, JudithAnn Hartman, and Clare and Tom Mansmann (sharing one seat). Newly-elected members may serve two consecutive three-year terms.

Former vice chair, Sue Smith, has stepped into the leadership role to take the place of outgoing chair, Dr. Carolyn Karlson. Sue, also the executive director of CANTER Pennsylvania, has served on the RRP board since 2015 and brings substantial institutional knowledge to the table in combination with her extensive experience in aftercare and equestrian sport.

Richard Lamb has taken over the role of vice chair, having joined the board in January of 2020 after several years officiating at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. A popular coach and clinician, Richard holds certifications with the British Horse Society and the United Stated Eventing Association's Instructor Certification and Young Event Horse Trainer programs and has also served as coach for the US Pony Club Team at USEF National Pony Jumper Championships and members of the 2012 US Olympic Modern Pentathlon.

“It is an honor to be nominated to the position of board chair, as the RRP's mission is crucial to the continued success of Thoroughbred aftercare. I am proud that we have developed a versatile, engaged board bridging both the racing and sport industries,” said Smith. “Like all of our board members, I bring a unique perspective with fourteen years' experience in aftercare. I've worked alongside trainers on the backside of tracks who have felt the direct impact of the RRP both in increasing demand for ex-racehorses and adding value to horses directly off the track. This shift is palpable and gives me great hope for the future of the industry and the breed. I look forward to another exciting year with the organization and hope to carry on in the spirit of my predecessors.”

A founding RRP board member that served through 2015, Malinda Lawrence continued to actively volunteer for the organization and has returned to the board to serve again; she has also been voted into the role of secretary. An attorney for the federal government, Malinda can be credited with establishing the RRP's nonprofit status and laying a strong administrative foundation for the organization in its earliest years. A Pony Club graduate and eventing enthusiast, Malinda has owned two OTTBs over the last two decades, both of whom participated in some of the RRP's first clinics and demonstrations over 10 years ago. She also serves on the United States Eventing Association's Legal Committee.

JudithAnn Hartman is a long-standing supporter of the RRP who sponsors the Top Maryland-Bred special award at the Thoroughbred Makeover under the name of her racing and breeding operation, Copper Beech Stables. Judy is also a breeder of Welsh Mountain Ponies and actively competes them in combined driving. Judy earned her doctorate in chemistry from Harvard University and, prior to going full-time in her racing and breeding endeavors, worked in research and development as well as serving as a professor of chemistry at the United States Naval Academy.

Clare and Tom Mansmann, who operate Pacific Farms in Hume, Virginia, have competed in the Thoroughbred Makeover since 2016, regularly attending with multiple horses and engaging their clients and students in the process. They have been advocates for and promotors of the RRP, organizing demonstrations, cultivating community amongst trainers, and crediting their involvement with the organization for reigniting their passion for training horses. They are a dynamic pair, with riding backgrounds spanning from exercise riding and upper level eventing to foxhunting and cutting.

“We're excited to welcome Malinda, Judy, and the Mansmanns to our board,” said RRP interim executive director Kirsten Green. “Although they are new to their board positions, they are not strangers to the RRP and we're grateful for the diverse experience and perspective they bring to the table.”

The board also voted to extend member emeritus status to outgoing board chair, Dr. Carolyn Karlson. A board member since 2012, Carolyn moved into the role of board chair following Steuart Pittman's step-down in 2018. Carolyn was a catalyst for the bringing the Thoroughbred Makeover into existence, conceiving of the format for the first Makeover in 2013 and being the RRP's biggest benefactor since. With over 25 years of experience in higher education, Carolyn now spends her time offering college admissions counseling through Starting Gate College Consulting as well as breeding and racing under her own Sisu Racing Stables.

“I'm so honored to have more than ten years of memories with the RRP, from our first Makeover at Pimlico Race Course with 26 retired racehorses, to the Mega-Makeover of 2021 at the Kentucky Horse Park”, said Carolyn. “Never could I have imagined the thousands of horses and trainers the RRP would go on to help and serve since its inception. It's my greatest honor to have played a part in that progression and I can't wait to see what the next ten years hold for the RRP.”

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