March 19, 2021
Contact: Jessica Paquette TRF
For Immediate Release jessicamariepaquette@gmail.com
THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT FOUNDATION TO PREMIER TRF SECOND CHANCES EXHIBIT IN CONJUNCTION WITH AIKEN THOROUGHBRED RACING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM
Saratoga Springs, NY – The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), in collaboration with the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum, will host a live-streaming, virtual exhibit premier on Monday, March 22nd from 6-6:30 p.m. ET to debut the “Saving Horses, Saving Lives, A Celebration – Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Exhibit”, a new addition to the museum.
“It is extremely important to tell the story of the important work that the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is doing not only in South Carolina, but all over the country,” said Lisa Hall, the Museum Coordinator at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum. “Their programs not only give retired racehorses a second chance at life, they also give inmates the chance to participate in a vocational training program in equine care and management. Those skills will give the inmates a chance to become productive members of society once they have served their sentences. The Hall of Fame is extremely proud to be able to highlight the TRF in this exhibit.”
Participants in the free livestream event will have the opportunity to “virtually visit” the historic Aiken museum, meet the team that has brought the exhibit to life and preview the exhibit itself. The event will be hosted by Kim Weir, the TRF’s Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving alongside the Museum’s Lisa Hall. There will be several special guest appearances including Dr. Reid McClellan, an instructor with Groom Elite, Chris Griffin, a graduate of the program and longtime volunteer William Cox.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to showcase the life changing work that is being done through the TRF Second Chances program,” said TRF Board Member Paul Saylor. “We are appreciative of the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum for bringing this exhibit to life and invite everyone who believes in second chances to tune in and enjoy the livestream.”
The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation has been a part of the equine landscape in South Carolina since 2004 and has provided care for over 75 horses living in the state including those at the TRF Second Chances Program at Wateree River Correctional Institution in Camden, South Carolina.
The livestream will be available on TRF’s Facebook Live, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to request a reminder about the event on Monday evening. A recording of the event will be available on-demand any time after the livestream.
What: Virtual Exhibit premier of “Saving Horses, Saving Lives, A Celebration – Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Exhibit”
When: Monday, March 22nd, 6:00-6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Facebook Live, YouTube
For interviews and coverage opportunities, please contact:
Jessica Paquette – jessicamariepaquette@gmail.com
978-606-6059
-30-
About TRF: Founded in 1983, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is a national organization devoted to saving Thoroughbred horses no longer able to compete at the racetrack from possible neglect, abuse, and slaughter. As the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country, the TRF provides sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds throughout their lifetime.
Best known for its pioneering TRF Second Chances program, the organization provides incarcerated individuals with vocational training through its accredited equine care and stable management program. At eight correctional facilities, including one juvenile justice facility, across the country this program offers second careers to its horses and a second chance at life for program graduates upon release from prison.
The TRF cares for 500+ rescued and retired Thoroughbreds at Second Chances prison farms and Sanctuary Farms across the country. The organization is funded entirely by private donations. The TRF is accredited by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and has a Platinum rating with Guide Star.
About the TRF Second Chances Program: The TRF Second Chances Program is the nationally-acclaimed, flagship undertaking of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF). This program, first launched in 1984 at the Wallkill Correctional Facility in Wallkill, NY, places retired Thoroughbred racehorses from the TRF herd in the care of the inmates within seven correctional facilities across the US. Participating in a skills-oriented vocational training program, the offenders learn how to care for the aging equine athletes while gaining valuable life-skills that will equip them for success when they return to society. Since its launch in 2004, the TRF Second Chances Program at the Wateree River Correctional Institution in Camden, South Carolina has provided lifelong sanctuary to retired Thoroughbred racehorses after their racing careers have ended, while instilling vocational and life-skills in hundreds of men seeking a Second Chance in society after completing their terms at Wateree.
For more information visit: https://www.trfinc.org/