by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 16, 2020
Nearly every week the Standardbred Retirement Foundation has revealed that nearly every week, it has found finds trotters and pacers tagged for slaughter who were either homed by past owners or trainers with good intentions, or were given to an organization for this purpose. So why are they now tagged for slaughter?
There are many terms and conditions by which a horse can be adopted. An organization having a 501(c)3 status does not mean a horse will be homed, protected and followed-up appropriately. Having a 501(c)3 status means that the federal government recognizes that there is a need for the service.
Horses live well into their 30s. SRF’s data compiled over nearly three decades indicate horses likely will need more than one home, or perhaps as many 11 homes in their lifetime.
Owners and trainers should understand every organization is different. One well- known organization entitled their adoption agreement “Conditional Bill of Sale and Adoption Agreement.” It states that if their adopted horse is in an unsatisfactory condition or environment, it is not obligated to take possession. That means they are not obligated to help the animal.
When trying to do what is right and moral for a horse and using an organization to help, SRF recommends looking into the adoption process; their adoption agreement; if they follow-up, how it is done, and for how long.
To personally home a horse, SRF’s adoption agreement at AdoptaHorse.org can be copied into a new agreement with the individual’s name replacing SRF. SRF’s preliminary application is also on the website. The full application is easily available by contacting SRFHorsesandKids@gmail.com.
Horse adoption is complicated. While SRF would like to know that every horse is safe after racing and breeding, it is financially unable to find loving homes for all of them. Until the racing industry can offer a means to provide safety for these animals, SRF recommends that “due diligence” be used. SRF is available to answer any questions to assist in someone personally homing a horse. https://www.adoptahorse.org/
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 13, 2020
The Rutgers Equine Science Center is holding its Summer Showcase from noon-2 p.m. July 17. It will include updates, an equine anatomy lesson, a tour of the equine exercise physiology lab and an update on equine research.
A new quiz game is being introduced, just remember that to play, you need a second internet capable device (a phone or tablet) but you don’t have to download anything, since it’s web-based.
Register to secure a spot. A confirmation e-mail with details on how to connect to the WebEx will be sent to you.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 7, 2020
The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is postponing its 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium until 2021.
The RRP, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA), plans to host an expanded Thoroughbred Makeover Oct. 12-17, 2021 that will offer separate classes in all ten disciplines for both 2020 and 2021 entries.
The Thoroughbred Makeover draws hundreds of competitors from more than 40 states and multiple Canadian provinces, each of whom has taken on the challenge of bringing along a Thoroughbred in his or her first year of retraining post-racing.
In a normal year, the event also includes the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace (a large-scale horse shopping experience), a vendor fair with more than 70 on-site retailers and other equine businesses, seminars, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit and various social and networking events.
To comply with COVID-19 pandemic event guidelines as recommended by the U.S. Equestrian Federation and the Kentucky Horse Park, many of these aspects, which monetize a significant portion of the event, would have to be eliminated or heavily modified.
“This was a decision that was not entered into lightly,” said the RRP’s executive director Jen Roytz.
“We went to great lengths to look at the feasibility of putting on the event from various perspectives, including preparedness of our competitors, current sponsorship commitments, the cost and steps necessary to implement Covid-19 risk management protocols for an event like ours, and what changes we would need to make to the event to comply with state and venue regulations.
“We also explored various ‘what if’ scenarios with our legal counsel, insurance company, and board, and what their impacts could be on not only the event, but our organization as a whole.”
With the Thoroughbred Makeover being a competition for horses in their first year of training after racing, the organization sent out two surveys to its competitors, one in April and one in June, to better understand how the pandemic was affecting its competitors’ ability to prepare their horses.
Questions in the survey also aimed to gauge how their competitors would feel about the changes to the event that would have to be made in 2020 in order to put it on.
Trainers expressed concern about having their horses adequately prepared for the show environment, as well as financial concerns due to lost income during shutdowns. In some cases, horses could not receive necessary maintenance care or undergo elective veterinary or therapy procedures due to the Covid situation. Furthermore, every state’s pandemic guidelines were different, which affected competitors.
“We worked hard to identify what the best course of action would be, not only for our constituents and horses, but for the long-term viability and stability of our organization,” continued Roytz.
“Our competitor survey responses showed us not only that a significant percentage of our competitors were behind on their training due to a variety of factors, but also, that if we were to implement the changes that the pandemic would force us to make, it would not only put our organization in a precarious position financially but would negatively impact our competitors’ enjoyment of the event.”
A critical aspect of the Thoroughbred Makeover on the part of participating trainers is having recently retired racehorses, all of which are relatively green in terms of their show career, adequately prepared for a big show environment at the Kentucky Horse Park. Typically, this is achieved by trainers exposing their horses to various competitive environments in the ten-month training period prior to the Makeover.
“The Thoroughbred Makeover at its core is designed to serve the mission of the RRP as a showcase of the versatility and trainability of the breed,” said Managing Director and Event Organizer Kirsten Green.
“Much of the feedback we’ve received, as well as the results of our surveys, tell us that the majority of our competitors are not feeling as confident as they typically would about their ability to showcase their horses as well as they otherwise would have. We don’t yet know when the Canadian border will reopen, we’re seeing states re-implementing quarantine mandates for travelers, trainers having their income impacted and more. That is only compounded by the financial challenges we and other nonprofits have faced in recent months and changes we would have to make in order to move forward with the event. By postponing the competition until next year and expanding the Marketplace virtually for this year, we felt it was the best way to create the most opportunities for all involved, while also doing what is in the best interest of the horses and our organization.”
Several aspects of the 2020 TCA Thoroughbred Makeover will be run virtually this year in October, including a virtual vendor fair, webinars in place of seminars, and the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace. The Marketplace will transition into an expanded online showcase of transitioned Thoroughbreds who were intended to compete in October and be offered for sale or adoption at the Makeover.
“I know I speak on behalf of the entire RRP board and staff when I say this was an incredibly difficult decision, but we feel it’s the right one,” said RRP board president Carolyn Karlson.
“The challenges presented by the pandemic are unprecedented. The RRP expanded its online educational offerings this year to better support those retraining horses amid all of the travel and shelter-in-place restrictions, like our Five-Minute Clinic series and webinars, and we have several more exciting initiatives to roll out as the year goes on. We are steadfast to our commitment to our competitors, sponsors, vendors, volunteers, supporters and, most importantly, the horses we and they serve.”
Trainers who entered this year’s Thoroughbred Makeover will have the opportunity to retain their registered 2020 horses to compete in a special 2020 division at the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover. They also have the option to withdraw their 2020 horses and roll their entry fee to the 2021 competition with a new 2021-eligible horse. In some cases, some 2020-entered horses will be able to retain their eligibility for the 2021 division as long as they do not exceed the maximum of 15 retraining rides before December 1, 2020.
Added Roytz, “We are incredibly grateful to the TCA, ASPCA and our other major sponsors and donors for being exceedingly understanding and supportive of this decision. Many of them have also been affected by this pandemic and anticipate feeling the effects well into the coming year, but were eager to help us find ways to support both this year’s and next year’s classes of Makeover competitors in meaningful ways.”
For more information and updates about the Thoroughbred Makeover, please visit tbmakeover.org. More announcements about virtual activities and events will be released throughout the summer and early fall. Sign up to receive the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace catalog at tbmakeover.org/catalogsignup.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 3, 2020
The Millbrook Horse Trials in New York, slated for July 30-Aug. 2, has been cancelled, which could mean additional entries for the Horse Park of New Jersey’s July 24-27 horse trials.
The Horse Park event has FEI competition in addition to national divisions. Will Millbrook’s cancellation send more entries to the park’s competition?
During Covid, it’s hard to predict what the riders will do.
“I don’t know which way they’ll go,” the park event’s co-organizer, Morgan Rowsell said, “but we’ll try to do our best to accept everybody we can.”
If that means adding an extra day, he’s up for it. The July event follows a very successful June horse trials at the park in Allentown. (See the headlined stories on this website.)
Morgan noted FEI riders are seeking to qualify for this fall’s three-day events–Jockey Club (Florida), Morven Park (Virginia) and the Virginia Horse Trials.
There should be even more riders looking for an FEI outing in the East when you add to the equation the fact that the organizer of Canada’s MARS Bromont CCI event and eventing Nations Cup slated for mid-August “has decided to consider dates further along the calendar,”
On July 2, the Canadian government extended the mandatory 14-day quarantine order for most people entering the country until the end of August to help curb the spread of the virus.
The order was set to expire July 7, but now will run until Aug. 31. That would make it difficult to run an event on the order of the MARS competition with competitors from the U.S.
Although the Millbrook organizers had been hopeful conditions were improving in their area, they noted “the recent increase in the spread of the coronavirus, related new regulatory restrictions, and the impact this has had on support within our communities has convinced us that we should not proceed.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 3, 2020
Concerned that the riding programs at the Somerset County Park Commission’s Lord Stirling Stable in Basking Ridge won’t resume next year after its 2020 Covid shutdown, a woman who understands the importance of the stable has started a petition to Save Lord Stirling Stable and what it offers.
The lesson horses were sold and all activities at the facility were suspended for the year due to a pandemic-related shortfall in the Park Commission’s budget after golf revenues suffered for several months. The stable already was running at a loss of as much as $500,000, (Click here for the background on Lord Stirling’s closing) and the park commission has not committed to bringing back the lesson program and other activities in 2021.
A trail ride at Lord Stirling stable last year. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Lord Stirling’s closing is not just a county issue. In 2018, people from more than 4,000 households across the state were involved in Lord Stirling’s programs, which are offered at a lower rate to county residents.
And another reason to keep Lord Stirling going is that nationally, there are fewer and fewer stables that offer lessons to beginners or lower level riders, which means there are far less opportunities to begin riding than there were even a decade ago.
Sharon Vopal, a Realtor from Basking Ridge who rode at the facility as a child and then enrolled her daughters, knows firsthand how important Lord Stirling’s offerings are to a wide variety of people.
On a personal basis, one of her 12-year-old twins who has Down Syndrome blossomed during her interaction with horses and instructors, an individual example of how being involved with riding can make a difference in people’s lives.
In addition to lessons, Sharon pointed out, Lord Stirling offers many other activities, including trail rides, hunter paces, horse care workshops, horse shows, pony parties, summer camps and therapeutic riding.
Over the last half-century, generations of those who ride at the stable have bonded not only with horses, instructors and the stable staff, but also with each other.
As Sharon put it, Lord Stirling “is so much more than just a riding stable to county residents and the ridership—it is their home”
That inspired her to draft the petition, Save Lord Stirling Stables, which has more than 3,600 signatures as of this morning.
Speaking of her children, she said, “I want horses in their live forever.
“I doubt that will happen if this place closes,” Sharon added, citing the expense of being involved with horses in private settings elsewhere.
She also feels the sense of community created at the stable is important. Sharon would like to see it expanded with more activities for the general public, so they can appreciate the beauty and atmosphere of the former dairy farm.
Basking Ridge is part of Bernards Township, where Sharon has asked the local governing body to pass a resolution supporting the reopening of Lord Stirling. She hopes to approach other towns in the county to do the same, and plans to appear at the freeholder meeting July 14 and the park commission meeting July 16 to lobby for the reopening, with the signed petition to back up her case.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 1, 2020
HITS impresario Tom Struzzieri said a series of shows planned for his Saugerties, N.Y., venue will pick up on July 6 after New York state issued a cease and desist order for his show that was to have run today through Sunday.
HITS could have faced fines of as much as $1,000 a day under an executive order related to the Covid-19 state of emergency if it went ahead with the Vermont Summer Special show.
Tom said New York State “arbitrarily” decided that his show in Saugerties, couldn’t run, even though other shows were held elsewhere in the state.
Deftly switching gears, Tom said Saugerties will “have feature classes starting Monday. New York State has given us a 100 percent guarantee we can start on July 6.”
Beginning that day, Saugerties will host five straight weeks of shows, having combined forces with the Vermont series, which wasn’t allowed to run in its state.
“We’re positive we can do a very safe horse show for you if you come, we’ve practiced it,” said Tom, who had to cancel his spring series earlier in the year due to the Covid situation.
