The 2nd Annual LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society’s Graduate Horse Present is about to run this Saturday, October 19, from 8 am to 4 pm. The occasion will happen at LongRun’s farm in Hillsburgh, Ontario, the place horse lovers and racing followers can see ex-racehorses of their new careers as they strut their stuff with their adoptive homeowners and riders.
It was Lauren Millet-Simpson, LongRun’s farm supervisor, and Julie Belanger, LongRun’s social media particular person, who first acquired the concept, impressed by the Thoroughbred Makeover occasion in Kentucky that’s hosted by the Retired Racehorse Challenge and held every October. The Makeover occasion showcases off-the-track Thoroughbreds of their post-racing careers, one thing Millet-Simpson and Belanger felt may very well be performed in Canada. They took the concept to LongRun’s board of administrators, who felt a present that targeted on OTTB’s who had gone by way of LongRun’s program could be a good way to advertise the horses and this system.
A proud present attendee; there are lessons over fences, on the flat and in-hand. (Julie Wright photograph)
The graduate present consists of six lessons and two divisions. The hunter division has two 2’3” over-fences lessons and one hunter underneath saddle class. Then for many who adopted horses however don’t bounce, the present creators included a flat division consisting of a pleasure hack class, a dressage class which will be performed underneath English or Western tack, and a conformation in-hand class for many who don’t experience their horse.
“We actually need to embody completely everyone, so for those who wished to come back to the present, there was at the very least one class, no matter what you do along with your horse, that you would take part in,” Millet-Simpson explains.
On the inaugural occasion in 2023, the Graduate Present had 11 horses competing and the suggestions was overwhelmingly optimistic. “Everybody that was right here talked about simply how enjoyable it was,” says Millet-Simpson. “There’s no stress. The competitors could be very pleasant. All people is simply right here to have a extremely good time and exhibit their horse.”
To this point it appears to be like just like the Graduate Present will virtually double in measurement, and it has garnered help from inside the racing trade and horse trade on the whole together with prizes from Woodbine, CTHA, HBPA, Jockey Membership of Canada, and Ontario Racing, in addition to native companies and shops akin to Greenhawk. Ribbons shall be awarded 1st-Fifth ribbons with money prizes in addition to general division winners.
Millet-Simpson provides the present can be a fantastic alternative for folks from either side of the equation – racetrack folks and adopters – to combine and mingle. “There have been a number of racetrack connections final 12 months that noticed their horse of their new self-discipline, they usually had been capable of chat with the brand new adopter and inform tales about ‘when this horse was on the observe, he cherished to do that, and we used to play this recreation’,” she says. “And it was actually cool for the riders to get to fulfill the previous connections and ask questions on what their horse was like earlier than. That was one of many huge attracts for everybody.”
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