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Category: Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Announces Holiday Giving Campaign
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2023 TAA Accreditation Application Now Available
The 2023 application for accreditation by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is now available on OpenWater and can be accessed HERE.
Thoroughbred aftercare nonprofits interested in applying must complete the application by the closing date of April 1 at 6 p.m. ET. Since TAA accreditation is only granted for a specific period of time, organizations with accreditation status ending in 2022 that want to remain accredited need to re-apply.
“Going into our 11th year of accreditation, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance looks forward to working with new applicants and returning organizations to reach the highest standard of aftercare,” said TAA Accreditation and Grants Manager, Janice Towles.
Accreditation status is determined after a complete review of five areas of an aftercare organization: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Organizations passing the application review will be subject to site inspections of all facilities housing Thoroughbreds.
Organizations that receive accreditation are eligible to receive financial grants from the TAA, but prior grants awarded are no indication of potential future awards. In 2022 the TAA awarded $3.6 million to accredited organizations as grants earmarked specifically for equine care, totaling more than $28.1 million awarded since 2012.
Any organization interested in applying for TAA accreditation must fulfill the following five minimum requirements:
1. Organization must have a current status as a 501(c)(3) federal not-for-profit (U.S.) or must be a registered charity within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
2. Organization must have been in operation for at least three years. The TAA will confirm operation information, including with the secretary of state or provincial business registry.
3. At time of application, organization must either (1) currently exclusively own and provide care for a minimum of 5 registered Thoroughbreds, or (2) currently exclusively own and provide care for at least 3-4 registered Thoroughbreds AND must have exclusively owned and provided care for at least 10 registered Thoroughbreds over the previous 12 months. Registered Thoroughbreds leased by the organization or owned by third parties at the same facility should not be included.
4. Organization must have a written euthanasia policy consistent with the American Association of Equine Practitioners.
5. Organization, or a principal of the organization or individual directly related to the organization, shall not have any current legal proceedings pending against them which adversely impact the aftercare operations, the organization’s standards of care, or the 501(c)(3) status of the organization.
For more information on the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation process, click here.
TAA Accredits 29 Organizations
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced today that 29 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations have been awarded accreditation.
The 29 organizations include 25 previously accredited organizations and four that received accreditation for the first time. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accrediting body in Thoroughbred aftercare, now has a network of 82 organizations with approximately 180 facilities in North America.
“Congratulations to the 29 organizations who earned their Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation,” said Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance President Jimmy Bell. “Receiving that stamp of approval is a true testament to an organization’s dedication to providing the best care possible for our Thoroughbreds.
“A total of 82 accredited organizations across North America will represent the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance during our tenth year,” Bell continued. “As we expand our roster of accredited organizations, we continue to encourage industry participants to support the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s mission to provide funding for the thousands of retired racehorses Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organizations have in their care.”
The 29 organizations earning accreditation this year are: ACTT Naturally, Inc.; After The Homestretch; Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue; Beyond The Roses Equine Rescue & Retirement; Blue Bloods Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement, Inc.; Circle A Home for Horses; Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care (Florida TRAC); Hope After Racing Thoroughbreds; Hope for Horses, Inc.; Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation; James River Horse Foundation; Life Horse; LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society; Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue; New Beginnings Thoroughbreds, Inc.; New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society; Racing For Home, Inc.; Redwings Horse Sanctuary; ReRun, Inc.; Second Wind Thoroughbred Project, Inc.; Secretariat Center; South Florida SPCA; Southern California Thoroughbred Rescue; Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga; Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.; Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation; Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc.; Virginia Thoroughbred Project; Win Place Home, Inc.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited organizations undergo a thorough application and inspection process prior to accreditation being awarded to ensure they meet Code of Standards, which covers five key areas: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Facility inspections are conducted at all facilities housing Thoroughbreds for each organization. Ongoing updates and re-inspections are required of all organizations as a condition of accreditation.
“As a member of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Accreditation Committee, its eye opening to see first-hand how much goes into the lengthy process of reviewing and vetting every single organization,” said Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance board member Susie Hart. “Earning accreditation is no easy feat and I feel confident with the 82 amazing groups we will represent for 2022.”
All organizations that hold Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation are eligible to receive financial grants to support the care of their Thoroughbreds. Grant applications are currently being reviewed and the total grant amount awarded by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be announced this month. Since 2012, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has awarded $20.7 million to accredited organizations.
Press Release: Inaugural Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit to be Held at Thoroughbred Makeover
| On October 1, 2019, the Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA), Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), Thoroughbred Incentive Program and Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) will join together to present the inaugural Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit, a conference focused on education and networking among those with a professional interest in the retraining and rehoming of Thoroughbreds after racing. The conference will be held the day before the start of preliminary competition at the Retired Racehorse Project’s annual Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America.
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit will focus on topics such as finance, business management, board governance and grant and sponsorship-seeking best-practices. There will also be a roundtable session for individuals and organizations to discuss and idea-share on challenges affecting them. “The Thoroughbred Makeover is the perfect opportunity to convene aftercare advocates for a couple hours to learn, discuss and share some best business practices,” said Erin Crady, executive director of TCA. “The session may be particularly helpful for grant-seeking nonprofit aftercare organizations, however most topics will be generalizable to for-profit retraining and rehoming operations as well.” Featured speakers will include Mike Meuser, TAA president and a Lexington-based attorney with the law firm of Miller, Griffin & Marks whose specialty includes equine law and civil litigation and Jen Shah, TAA treasurer and a CPA who serves as the head of equine services for Dean Dorton, a Lexington-based financial consulting firm, as well as representatives from grant-funding organizations, including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Thoroughbred Charities of America, ASPCA and The Right Horse Initiative. “We at the TAA are thankful for Mike Meuser and Jen Shah’s leadership and knowledge about both the nonprofit sector and the equine industry, and we think this will be a great experience for TAA-accredited organizations and those wanting to become accredited to learn from these experts,” said TAA operations consultant Stacie Clark. The conference is a collaboration of the four presenting organizations in an effort to bring together the Thoroughbred aftercare community. “Whether we work in the for-profit sector, for a non-profit organization or work to rehome or otherwise advocate for Thoroughbreds after racing as private individuals, we all often face similar challenges as both horse people and as professionals,” said Jen Roytz, executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project. “We worked hard to curate a collection of topics and speakers for this inaugural Summit that will offer valuable insight to those in all sectors of Thoroughbred aftercare, and we look forward to expanding the subjects broached in future years.” Tickets for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit are free, however limited seating is available, so those planning to attend are asked to register. Parking at the Kentucky Horse Park is $5 per car without a Kentucky Horse Park or Thoroughbred Makeover parking pass. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit will be held in the Covered Arena Lounge at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky on October 1 from 3:00 to 5:00. It is held in conjunction with the $100,000 Thoroughbred Makeover, a training competition for horses in their first year of retraining after retirement from racing. This year’s Makeover will feature approximately 450 Thoroughbreds coming from 40 states and 4 provinces to compete across ten disciplines, including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunters, freestyle, polo, ranch work, show hunter and show jumping. The full schedule of events can be found at tbmakeover.org. For more information on the Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit, go to the designated webpage at TBMakeover.org. |
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Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds and build the bridges to second careers. It publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, hosts the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, maintains the Retired Racehorse Resource Directory, manages the online Thoroughbred Sport Tracker, and presents programs at major horse expos across the country. Visit RRP online at RetiredRacehorseProject.org. |
Harrah’s Announces Aftercare Fundraising Program At Louisiana Downs, Philly, Indiana, Hoosier
Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR), announced May 22, the launch of Empire of Hope, a new program designed to help raise awareness and funding for the care of horses after their racing careers are over. Developed with support from accredited racehorse aftercare programs, Empire of Hope will directly assist efforts to relocate, rehabilitate and repurpose retired horses.
“Empire of Hope is a direct reflection of the appreciation and pride we have for the horses that participate in Caesars’ racing program,” said Rick Moore, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. “Our equine athletes are the stars of our sport and we want to ensure that when they retire, they are placed in productive and loving environments to live out a long and healthy life.”
Horses that compete at Caesars’ racing properties range in age from two through 14; they retire on their 15th birthday. It is estimated that more than 15,000 horses annually are placed in existing aftercare programs after their racing careers are complete. Funding to relocate, rehabilitate and repurpose these equine athletes can cost several thousand dollars per horse. Through Empire of Hope, Caesars will provide funding and support to accredited non-profit racehorse aftercare organizations, including Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Standardbred Transition Alliance.
“Thanks to the support of our industry stakeholders, the TAA and our accredited organizations are making a difference in the lives of thousands of retired Thoroughbreds,” said TAA president Mike Meuser. “With the launch of the Empire of Hope program, Caesars is helping us make sure that these horses receive the specialized and dedicated care they need to live healthy, happy lives after they retire from racing.”
During their tenure at Caesars’ racing properties, the horses are cared for by multiple staff members on behalf of individual trainers and owners, who provide the utmost care through feeding programs, veterinary care, horseshoeing needs and other essential requirements for their overall physical condition. Individual trainers and owners make the decision on the next step for their horses after their racing careers are over, and often reach out to aftercare programs as the best option for a second career.
“The Standardbred Transition Alliance (STA) is so pleased that Caesars has embraced this initiative of recognizing and bringing awareness to horses that are now moving into different careers after racing,” said David Reid, president of STA. “We are hopeful this will ignite more racing and casino companies like Caesars to see this example and follow suit in our joint effort as an industry to assist our equine athletes as they proceed into new careers after racing.”
Empire of Hope will be launched at four of Caesars’ racing properties: Harrah’s Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, LA; Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, IN; Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Anderson, IN; and Harrah’s Philadelphia. With a goal to raise $30,000, Empire of Hope activities will range from food and drink specials to entertainment and promotional activities. Each property has designed numerous ways to accept donations and raise funds during the weekend of Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21, 2019.
Visit the following property websites to learn more about Empire of Hope: www.caesars.com/indianagrand;www.caesars.com/harrahs-hoosier-park; www.caesars.com/harrahs-louisiana-downs; and www.caesars.com/harrahs-philly.
TAA LAUNCHES AFTERCARE SURVEY FOR INDUSTRY
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance launched an online survey April 10 to gauge Thoroughbred industry participants’ views on Thoroughbred aftercare.
The survey is now live and can be accessed by clicking here.
The TAA encourages all Thoroughbred industry participants, from owners and trainers to breeders, horseplayers, and fans, to take the survey and share their feedback.
“Understanding the Thoroughbred industry’s views on current aftercare initiatives is a priority for the TAA as we plan for the future,” TAA president Mike Meuser said. “Equine welfare and aftercare is of the utmost importance for the future of our sport, and knowing where we currently stand will help us best serve the industry going forward.”
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