Blog Post

Owner Conference Series Concludes with Aftercare Panel

  • By Admin
  • •
  • 09 Dec, 2021
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“Start thinking about your exit strategy before you even have a horse,” she said. “Aftercare should not be an afterthought.

The 2021 Thoroughbred Owner Conference series held its final session Tuesday, December 7, with a panel focused on the importance of Thoroughbred aftercare. Held virtually this year in lieu of an in-person conference, the series was hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Dean Dorton Equine, Stoll Keenon Ogden, and Stonestreet Farm. 

The free conference series, which consisted of 10 virtual panels on a range of topics, attracted nearly 1,200 registrants from seven countries. All sessions were recorded and are available to registered guests.

“The 2021 virtual Thoroughbred Owner Conference series has been a remarkable success by just about every measure,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “There have been over 5,500 views of the live and recorded panels, and the feedback from attendees has been incredibly positive.”

Following the success of the 2021 online series, OwnerView plans to continue with another series of ownership panels in 2022. More information on the dates and topics will be released in January.

Tuesday’s session was sponsored by Canterbury Park and Gainesway Farm and moderated by Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and administrator of the Thoroughbred Incentive Program. Panelists were Michael Blowen, founder of Old Friends; Stacie Clark, operations consultant for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA); and Erin Crady, executive director of the Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA).

Clark spoke on the work of the TAA, which accredits aftercare organizations and provides funding to support those organizations. She said that she has been heartened by the publicity from positive stories of horses being retrained and rehomed in recent years, giving owners confidence that their horses can thrive off the racetrack.

“What has really been amazing is an owner can come into the sport and know that there is an option for their horses and there is a safety net,” she said.

Blowen agreed, noting that “there’s a new awareness not just when these horses are racing and breeding but also when their racing and breeding days are over.”

Old Friends is a sanctuary facility that is home to more than 200 stallions, mares, and geldings that experienced varying levels of success on the racetrack and in the breeding shed. These horses serve as equine ambassadors during public tours of the property, which raise money for the farm’s operations.

The TCA provides grants to approved non-profit organizations that work toward improving the lives of Thoroughbred racehorses and the people who care for them. Crady emphasized that racehorse owners should be including aftercare in their business plans from the onset and that it is critical for horses to be retired while they are still sound to maximize their career potential beyond the racetrack.

“Start thinking about your exit strategy before you even have a horse,” she said. “Aftercare should not be an afterthought.

“A sound Thoroughbred is so incredibly versatile. Don’t push for that one last race.”

The session started with the presentation of the 2021 New Owner of the Year, sponsored by The Stronach Group and 1/ST RACING, to Boat Racing. Boat Racing owns a handful of horses via yearling sales, 2-year-old in training sales, and pinhooking, but their primary claim to fame came from their significant minority share of Hot Rod Charlie, who won the grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby in 2021. He also placed in this year’s Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (both grade 1).

“We’ve fallen in love with this sport and fallen in love with these majestic animals,” said Patrick O’Neill of Boat Racing. “We’re hopeful that we’ll be a part of this industry for many years to come.”

OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on aspects of ownership such as trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing.

The need for a central resource to encourage Thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012.

 Alberta Horse Trials Association and the CTHS Alberta Thoroughbred of the Year Award

By Admin • 22 Feb, 2023
Congratulations to Mikayla Hoffman and her Alberta bred partner Heavenish Hall on receiving the Alberta Horse Trials Association2022 Year End 'Thoroughbred of the Year' Award – Sponsored by the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society – AB Division. Mikayla also received the Top Rider of the Year (sponsored by AHTA). Heavenish Hall was bred and raced in Alberta by Doug Clement & Darlene Harder. The Fisher Pond gelding started five times but finished no higher than fourth. Best of luck in the upcoming 2023 season to this outstanding partnership!

2023 Thoroughbred Makeover to Include Pilot Broodmare Division

By Admin • 15 Nov, 2022
Recognizing the growing need to champion an underserved population of the Thoroughbred industry, the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced today that the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, will include a pilot program for a broodmare division of competition. Recently-retired broodmares will compete alongside traditional Makeover entrants in all ten offered disciplines, but will be pinned and recognized separately, competing for a separate pot of $10,000 in prize money.

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An Alberta, Canada based FREE LISTING SERVICE geared towards re-employing racehorses, pony horses, broodmares at the end of their career(s) in the racing industry.

Paulick Report - Ensuring Horses Stay Retired From Racing

By Admin • 27 Apr, 2022
“If an owner wishes to mark their certificates as 'Retired From Racing,' there's a process to do that for Thoroughbreds that are registered with The Jockey Club,” Bailey said. “It involves returning the completed form, which includes the notarized signature of both parties, photographs so that we can verify the identity of the horse, and The Jockey Club Certificate of Foal Registration to our office so that it can be recorded and stamped accordingly.”

T.I.P. Announces Shows & Youth Ambassadors for 2022, Expanded Championships at Thoroughbred Makeover

By Admin • 11 Jan, 2022
The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) today announced that it has approved more than 7,000 awards and classes at more than 1,400 shows in 46 states and six Canadian provinces in 2022. Awards are available for multiple disciplines, including eventing, dressage, Western and English pleasure, hunter/jumper, endurance, barrel racing, and polocrosse. A full calendar of shows offering awards is available at tjctip.com/CalendarOfEvents and will be updated as show dates are confirmed.

After the Wire Looks Ahead to 2021

By Lindsay Ward • 04 Mar, 2021
An Alberta, Canada based FREE LISTING SERVICE geared towards re-employing racehorses, pony horses, broodmares at the end of their career(s) in the racing industry.

T.I.P. Announces Shows, Award Offerings, and Youth Ambassadors for 2021 Title

By Admin • 19 Jan, 2021
T.I.P. Announces Shows, Award Offerings, and Youth Ambassadors for 2021 The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) today announced that it has approved more than 7,000 awards and classes at more than 1,500 shows in 42 states, Puerto Rico, and six Canadian provinces in 2021. Awards are available for multiple disciplines, including eventing, dressage, Western and English pleasure, hunter/jumper, endurance, Western performance, games, and polocrosse. Awards are again available at some events for Thoroughbreds within their first two years of showing or for Thoroughbreds within two years of their last start.

Saskatchewan Equine Expo NEW DATES: October 28 – 31, 2021 

By Admin • 19 Jan, 2021
OTTB Challenge Rules Overview The OTTB Challenge is a competition in which trainers acquire a recently retired racehorse and prepare it over a period not to exceed fifteen months for competition in one or two of 5 riding sports. Formats for competition are designed to test the quality and progress of each horse’s training. The OTTB Challenge takes place at Prairieland Park during the Saskatchewan Equine Expo 2021.

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program

By Admin • 30 Sep, 2020
We're thrilled to see these OTTBs and their fabulous riders doing such a great job. Congratulations to Monica Russell and Dasher (Reserve Champion - Hunter in the Low West Division); Katie J. Arbour and Fern's Somer, (3rd in Jumper in High West Division); and Rebecca Knickle and Bay Bayou for the Alberta Bred Performance Winner.

Gaby Wall and Alberta bred Woodbridge Miss

By Admin • 04 Mar, 2020
Thank you to The Western Thoroughbred for sharing this lovely photo of Gaby Wall and the Alberta bred Woodbridge Miss. This five year old Heavenly Chorus mare is out of the Silver Deputy mare, A Beautiful Dream. She was bred by Moonshine Meadows Ranch and sold through the 2016 CTHS Alberta Thoroughbred sale. Gaby plans to train Woodbridge MIss for the Off Track Thoroughbred Challenge at the Saskatchewan Equine Expo. http://www.saskatchewanequineexpo.ca/events/ #ABBredsrock
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