TRF Press Release: Jessica Paquette
Jessica@trfinc.org
October 18, 2021
Saratoga Springs, NY – The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will host a worldwide livestream event on Thursday, October 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET, celebrating the transformative power of horses through the TRF Lowell 20th Anniversary Horse Show.
For two decades, the TRF and Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida have been engaged in a powerful public-private partnership focused on saving horses and changing lives through the TRF Second Chances program. The virtual event will bring viewers inside the horse farm at the Lowell facility and provide an unprecedented opportunity to experience the connection between the horses on the women currently participating in the program. The Lowell Horse Show will also shine a spotlight on several women who have successfully graduated from the program and gone on to brighter futures post-incarceration.
The live event will be co-hosted by Kim Weir, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at the TRF and Lonny Powell, CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association (FTBOA). The two organizations collaborate closely to raise the funds required to care for the 50 horses in the TRF herd at Lowell Correctional Institution. Weir and Powell will be joined by Hall of Fame Thoroughbred Trainer, Mark Casse; FoxSports Racing Analyst, Acacia Courtney; and Niall Brennan of Niall Brennan Stables. The global audience will be invited to participate in an interactive online Q & A at the event’s conclusion.
“Everyone who works with and cares for horses knows that they make us better people. Without judgement, and without words, they teach us to be stronger, calmer, more present, more confident and more empathetic” shared Weir. “The Lowell Horse Show offers a unique window for the whole world to see, hear and feel the impact that the retired racehorses have on the lives of the women at Lowell. I believe that everyone who joins us on October 21st will be inspired, uplifted and perhaps more hopeful about the potential for Second Chances in our challenging world.”
There is no cost to view the event, which will be broadcast online to any connected device and streamed live on the TRF’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter feeds on October 21. A recording of the livestream will be available immediately following the event’s conclusion.
Sponsorship for the TRF Lowell 20th Anniversary Horse Show has raised more than $50,000 toward the operating cost of the TRF program in Ocala. All sponsorship dollars are dedicated toward the cost of care of the 50 retired Thoroughbred racehorses in Ocala within the TRF national herd.
The Platinum Sponsors for the horse show are the Heider Family Foundation and Dr. Nick and Stephanie Meittinis. Gold sponsors include the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association (FTBOA), Mary and Gary West and Dr. Calvin E. Burgart. The Silver Sponsors are Jill and Bob Baffert, Churchill Downs Incorporated, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Blue Moon Aftercare.
Supporting sponsors include Bergen Stables, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Casse Racing, Jellyfish Water Company, Lazy Dog Cookie Company, Little Red Feather Racing, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Niall Brennan Stables and Polyflex Horseshoes.
Media Partners from across the Thoroughbred Industry have extended their support for the 2021 livestream event along with a diverse and enthusiastic team of Promotional Partners who have helped the TRF reach new audiences for this year’s livestream event.
Last year, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation hosted a livestream horse show featuring the TRF Second Chances Program at the Blackburn Correctional Facility in Lexington, KY.
Details
When: Thursday, October 21st 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Worldwide, https://www.trfinc.org/event/trf-lowell-20th-anniversary-horse-show/
Direct Link to Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI3spYat2zE