“The well-being of the equine athlete must always be at the forefront of the decisions we make,” IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “I look forward to sharing with the membership and key stakeholders the ways in which industry standards and practices are continuously enhanced, particularly through scientific advances in improving existing safeguards. The importance of our sport embracing an even more active role in public discourse on the issue and ensuring that our sport remains as a fully engaged and integral part of our communities cannot be understated.”

Nick Luck will serve as the moderator for the conference, which includes discussions on horse racing in an evolving society, approaches and strategies to shape the narratives surrounding equine welfare and protecting the sport's equine athletes, and effective public engagement and response, particularly in relation to the issue of equine welfare.

A live video stream of conference will be available on the IFHA's website. A replay of the live video stream and presentations will be available in the days following the event.

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“The Churchill Downs Racing Club has been a real thrill and has generated hundreds of new Thoroughbred owners,” said Gary Palmisano, Churchill Downs Racing Club Director. “Warrior's Club has taken his members and the club on an incredible journey and he deserves, like all Thoroughbreds, to live out his days in a place where people can visit him and he can enjoy his retirement.”

Warrior's Club was the first horse for the Churchill Downs Racing Club which was started in 2016 and the son of Warrior's Reward took the 200 partners involved in his group on a whirlwind ride over the course of four years winning races at marquee tracks across the country with victories at Churchill Downs, Saratoga, Oaklawn and Keeneland. Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, Warrior's Club amassed earnings of over $850,000 including a victory in the Grade III Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland Race Course and competed at the sport's highest level, even participating in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (GI).

The Churchill Downs Racing Club has a commitment to aftercare. Through the success of Warrior's Club on the racetrack, the group was able to purchase several other horses, all of whom have gone on to second careers and homes after racing. To date, the club has either claimed back or purchased back all but two horses, both of whom are actively still racing, to ensure safe and happy retirements.

On behalf of Warrior's Club and the Churchill Downs Racing Club donations also were made to Second Stride, New Vocations, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and Thoroughbred Charities of America.

The TRF Sanctuary Farm at Chestnut Hall opened in April 2021. The farm, a first-of-its kind, was designed to give the Louisville community and fans from around the world a direct connection to the horses at the heart of horse racing. The new TRF Sanctuary Farm at Chestnut Hall will be the permanent home of 11 horses from the organization's national herd of 500 retired Thoroughbred racehorses. These “herd ambassadors” will serve as educators to tell the story of the long life and diverse second careers that await these equine athletes when their racing days are done. Located on nearly 30 acres of historic farmland in Oldham County and featuring a beautiful farmhouse restored to serve as an event venue, Chestnut Hall has been created for the express purpose of connecting Thoroughbred horses to the people of Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond. Starting mid-May, the farm will be open to the public for tours through Visit Horse Country and will be available as a unique venue for educational events and fundraisers for nonprofits across the Louisville community.

Read more here.

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Apr. 6: Aftercare in 2021

Moderator: Nick Luck (U.K.)

Panelists:

• IFAR Chair Di Arbuthnot
• trainer Jessica Harrington (Ire)
• eventer Tik Maynard (U.S.)
• Herringswell Stable's Graham and Anita Motion (U.S.)
• Aga Khan Studs Racing Office Manager Nemone Routh (Fr)

Apr. 13: Aftercare for Racing Administrators and Regulators

Moderator: Caroline Searcy (Aus)

Panelists:

• Martin Burns: General Manager, Welfare & Sustainability, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing
• Simon Cooper: Director, Weatherbys, General Stud Book (U.K.)
• Anna Smet: Manager, Animal Welfare, Racing and Wagering Western Australia

Apr. 20: Global Insights on Aftercare (Aftercare Providers, Equine Charities)

Moderator: Donna Brothers (U.S.)

Panelists:

• Stacie Clark: Operations Consultant, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (U.S.)
• John Osborne: Director of Equine Welfare and Bloodstock, Horse Racing Ireland
• Ignacio Pavlovsky: Veterinarian, Owner, and Breeder (Arg)
• Lisa Coffey: Founder and Director, Racing Hearts Equine Assisted Therapy (Aus)
• Kristin Werner: Senior Counsel, The Jockey Club (U.S.); Administrator, Thoroughbred Incentive Program

Apr. 27: Aftercare for Racing Industry Participants: Owners, Breeders, and Trainers

Moderator: Francesca Cumani (U.K.)

Panelists:

• Mark Fisher: Kotare Bioethics Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand
• Eliot Forbes: Chief Executive Officer, AniMark Ltd. (Aus) member, IFAR Steering Committee
• Tom Reilly: Chief Executive Officer, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse
• Christopher Riggs: Director, Equine Welfare Research Foundation; Chief Advisor, Veterinary Science, The Hong Kong Jockey Club

“By hosting this year's IFAR virtually, we are able to include participation from a greater range of aftercare advocates, experts, and regulators from around the world,” said Arbuthnot. “Each session that we have planned will offer listeners the opportunity to learn from our speakers, engage with them through a live Q&A, and share the best practices they have learned with their native racing jurisdictions.”

For more information on the upcoming virtual forums, please visit www.internationalracehorseaftercare.com.

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“Rosie is one of our favorites and it's great to have her back at the Fair Grounds to help shed light on such an important cause and to share her valuable insight with the fans,” said Fair Grounds Senior Director of Racing Jason Boulet.

“Before and after my riding career, I've been exposed to a lot of the other things that horses can do, and that's a big part of the reason why I'm so passionate about it and why it's so important to me,” Napravnik said about Thoroughbred aftercare. “After riding so many of those horses and seeing how much they put out for us on the racetrack, it's just something I can't avoid making a part of my life.”

To make a financial donation to the Louisiana chapter of New Vocations and support the Fair Grounds Day at the Races, please go to https://horseadoption.com/donate.

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Expected topics to be covered during these sessions include owner and trainer responsibility, traceability, the use of racehorses in equine-assisted therapy, case studies for aftercare progress in different racing jurisdictions, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on racehorse aftercare. The full list of topics and speakers, which will include representatives from around the world, will be announced at a later date.

“Although the continuing effects of COVID-19 have prevented us from being able to host a traditional live IFAR conference, we are looking forward to being able to reach an even wider global audience to discuss aftercare and its importance to the racing industry,” said Di Arbuthnot, chair of IFAR. “We wanted to advise the racing and breeding industries of our plans as soon as possible so that interested parties could save these dates in April for what promises to be an enlightening series of presentations and discussions.”

IFAR has previously been held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2020; the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation's General Assembly in Oslo, Norway, in May 2019; the Asian Racing Conference in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2018; and the Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., in May 2017.

IFAR is an independent forum that recognizes geographical and industry differences among racing countries and is designed to enhance Thoroughbred aftercare worldwide. Working with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, IFAR will raise awareness of the importance of welfare for Thoroughbreds, improve education on lifetime care, and help increase demand for former racehorses in other equestrian sports.

For more information on IFAR, click here.

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The bill mandates that all racehorses be microchipped, requires breeding organizations to have a dedicated fund set-aside for aftercare programs, and provides that monies generated by enforcement will be dedicated to the cost of aftercare.

The bill will also increase Gaming Commission insight into transfers of horses and ownership, as all microchipping information will go to the Gaming Commission as well as to The Jockey Club.

Finally, the bill establishes a tax check-off on individual and corporate franchise tax returns that will bring awareness and more funding for the ongoing care of retired race horses.

“The reason why I love this bill is that it came from the industry itself and we flushed out the details,” said Addabbo. “We worked with the breeders and the horsemen. They were all a part of the initial draft of the bill. All around the industry, we found support and those in the animal rights groups all support it as well.”

On the bill's chances in the New York State Assembly, Addabbo said he sees no roadblocks.

“I can't image who can be against the ban of horse slaughter and more funds to care for the retired horses,” said Addabbo. “Importantly, there is no cost to the state involved.”

The bill goes beyond other what other states have passed on the same issue.

“In doing our due diligence, we did find this was quite unique and somewhat ground-breaking which did entice the animal advocates to embrace it,” said Addabbo. “Maybe we do become the model for other states. I'm only hopeful. The aftercare of our horses is essential so maybe we do pave the way for others.”

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Expected topics to be covered during these sessions include owner and trainer responsibility, traceability, the use of racehorses in equine-assisted therapy, case studies for aftercare progress in different racing jurisdictions, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on racehorse aftercare. The full list of topics and speakers, which will include representatives from around the world, will be announced at a later date.

“Although the continuing effects of COVID-19 have prevented us from being able to host a traditional live IFAR conference, we are looking forward to being able to reach an even wider global audience to discuss aftercare and its importance to the racing industry,” said Di Arbuthnot, chair of IFAR.

The past two years, IFAR was held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town, South Africa and the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation's General Assembly in Oslo, Norway.

For more information on IFAR, visit www.internationalracehorseaftercare.com.

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When racing in most states was a giant question mark for months on end, for many horses that would have otherwise stayed in training throughout the spring season, the decision was made to enter them into retirement.

Since the first of the year, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has brought in 240 horses to their rehabilitation and rehoming program, a 23% increase from last year’s statistics.

Thankfully, they’ve also seen an influx in their adoptions, which are up 34% this year compared to 2019.

Despite a global pandemic, the show had to go on at New Vocations. And every show requires funding.

For nearly two decades, the respected aftercare organization has held an All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show in an effort to raise money for the general operation of their eight facilities which serve over 40 racetracks throughout the country.

“The New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show is something that we’ve been doing since 2003,” said Andrea Mandella, New Vocations’ Director of Development and Donor Relations. “The first show was at Turfway Park. It has grown into a really big event that we now do every year in September here at the Kentucky Horse Park.”

The show has turned into New Vocations’ largest annual fundraiser, bringing in $117,000 last year.

The five-day event featured 452 Thoroughbreds from over 26 states, some traveling from as far as Oregon, California, and Texas.

Class divisions include hunters, jumpers, equitation, dressage, as well as western and driving. “War Horse” classes are available to any retired racehorse that started over 50 times, or earned over $100,000. The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) also holds their annual championships in conjunction with the event.

This year, the show is scheduled for September 3-6, dates that have been set on the calendar well before the Coronavirus forced the rescheduling of the Kentucky Derby for September 5.

And while the New Vocations team is said they were looking forward to their annual event, and excited about showcasing the Derby festivities on the big screen of the Rolex arena, they first need to find the capital to make the show possible.

“We’re struggling to find funding in the current climate with COVID,” Mandella said. “Right now our sponsorships are down 50%.”

Mandella said that the money raised during the show goes to the organization’s general operations fund to provide feed, daily upkeep, veterinary care, and any other necessities for the horses in their program. The average cost to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome each retired horse through the duration of their stay is $3,000.

One gelding that has recently gone through the New Vocations program is now working towards making an appearance at their annual show.

Gozer the Gozerian, a 4-year-old son of Astrology, was adopted last year by Leandra Cooper, the facility manager and trainer at New Vocations’ home base in Lexington.

“He just had a personality that was like a magnet to me,” Cooper said while giving ‘Gozer’ a pat. “He was super sweet and right from the beginning, I knew that he was a horse that I was drawn to immediately.”

Unplaced in two starts as a juvenile in 2018, Gozer was given time off last year before starting full-time training for his second career in December.

“It became apparent pretty quickly that he liked to jump,” Cooper said. “He really likes to work. That’s one of the things that’s great about Thoroughbreds- they have this work ethic. They generally really are true athletes where they like to be in a program. They like to have challenges and he certainly is no exception to that.”

As Gozer continues to progress in his training, Cooper has her eyes set on looking to taking her gelding to the show in September.

“Our big target this year will be the New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show,” she said. “We’re really looking forward to competing at this show because it’s so unique to have something where you’re competing against all Thoroughbreds. Especially in an atmosphere of such grandiosity where you’re able to be in the Rolex Ring, something you dream of competing in since you’re a kid, and here we are able to have the opportunity to compete with all these other Thoroughbreds.”

Both Cooper and Mandella spoke of the unique atmosphere the show has developed.

“It’s really amazing to be able to take horses that come off the track with several different career paths,” Mandella said. “Some of them were competitive and winners, some were unraced, and some just weren’t interested in racing and have gone into second careers and all of a sudden they’re excelling. So everyone has a different, unique story, which makes it amazing to watch 400 of them out there doing their thing. And that’s what we strive to provide for them.”

Cooper agreed. “It feels fun and inclusive, and it’s amazing to see all the different levels that these horses are able to compete at and all the different varieties. The people are really committed to the breed and it’s just a celebration, in so many different ways, of their accomplishments. It’s a neat show, and it’s the only one like it.”

The team behind the popular event is pushing now more than ever to find sponsors. While donations can be accepted at any time, the deadline to have a sponsorship recognized in the program is Friday, July 17.

“Typically our donors come from all over the country,” Mandella said. “They’re Thoroughbred owners and breeders, people who have adopted through our program and are showing their horses at the event, and people within the industry that support us, like veterinarians and feed suppliers.”

The majority of sponsorships range anywhere from $100 to become a class sponsor, to $50,000 to be the title show sponsor. A number of different sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of differing donations.

Mandella said that the average cost to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome a retired horse through the duration of their stay in the New Vocations program is $3,000.

“We’re hoping that our previous sponsors and maybe some new ones will decide to get involved and help us continue to put on this show that we find so important,” Mandella said. “It gives us the ability to illustrate how these horses go from the racetrack to a second career. To put them all together and let them compete against each other is a really awesome event.”

For more information on the event and how to participate, click here.

For those interested in becoming a sponsor for the New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show, contact Andrea Mandella at andrea@horseadoption.com.

The post The Show Must Go On for New Vocations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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To be eligible, horses must be registered Thoroughbreds trained by a licensed trainer in the United States; horses must be located at a U.S .licensed racetrack or training facility, or verified to be eligible for the 2020 racing season; and horses will require a current Coggins, health certificate, and the completed “We Are Here” documentation.

“When racetracks closed down, I began to worry that the horses and their wonderful caretakers were going to need us at the very moment most aftercare facilities were either closed or dealing with severe financial strain,” said Dorothy Crowell, Deputy Director of We Are Here Initiative and Secretariat Center Board President. “The Kentucky Horse Park stepped up to the plate to offer 100 stalls, and a partnership was formed with the Secretariat Center to provide a place for these horses to go until such a time as space opens in the various Aftercares nationwide.”

For more information about the We Are Here Initiative, visit www.wahi.info. To contact the We Are Here Hotline, dial 833-WAH-OTTB (833-924-6882).

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