RETIRED RACEHORSES FLOURISH AT CARMA’S THOROUGHBRED CLASSIC HORSE SHOW
Rejuvenating the breed in equestrian sports, show draws nearly 100 competitors
Berkeley, Calif., March 28, 2019 – Much like the wild flowers of Spring, retired racehorses were in a super bloom at the Thoroughbred Classic Horse Show (TCHS) on March 23 and 24 at Galway Downs in Temecula. The equestrian sporting event, hosted by CARMA ( California Retirement Management Account) as an awareness campaign to promote the adoption of off-track Thoroughbreds, drew 96 entries.
“We’ve been putting on these shows for seven years now, and we’re really starting to see a resurgence of the breed in the show ring,” said Lucinda Lovitt-Mandella, executive director of CARMA. “Multiple exhibitors and spectators asked us how they can adopt very recently retired racehorses. The interest in the Thoroughbred as a sport horse and companion is growing.”
To showcase the versatility of the breed the TCHS offers hunters, jumpers, cross country, dressage, barrel racing, pole bending, lead line and showmanship. The purpose of the TCHS has always been one of inclusiveness and variety, encouraging our exhibitors to bring their horse to an environment that is both welcoming and accommodating.
The connections to racing were strong at this show. For the third straight year, TCHS Youth Ambassador Amanda Gomez, the 15-year-old daughter of Hall of Fame jockey Garrett Gomez, won the 1.00M $1,500 Jumper Stakes aboard her 6-year-old gelding Amadeus (Jockey Club: Quick Louder) out of 10 riders. The $1,500 Hunter Derby, sponsored by the Stronach Group, Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields, was captured stylishly by Madison Dunham, daughter of race trainer Daniel Dunham, and her horse Cognoscente – an 8-year-old gelding previously trained by her father. Notably, Madison and Cognoscente also finished second in the Jumper Stakes.
The winner of the $1,000 Dressage Challenge was Katherine Rich-Elzig and her mount, Count On Me. The $1,500 Eventing Challenge held exclusively at the March show which combines scores from stadium jumping, dressage and cross country – was won by Chavez Ravine and his rider Lisa Gonzalez.
The next TCHS event will be on December 7-8, 2019 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, CA where year-end awards will be given to high point exhibitors who participated at the Galway Show and sponsored TCHS classes offered at the Camelot Show Series.
For more information about the TCHS and CARMA, go to ThoroughbredClassic.org or CARMA4horses.org. Results for all the divisions and disciplines from the weekend’s Galway Show can be found at Horseshowtime.com.
ABOUT CARMA
CARMA (California Retirement Management Account) is a charitable 501 (c)(3) organization formed to assist Thoroughbred rehabilitation and retirement organizations that facilitate the care and retraining of horses who raced in California and whose racing careers have ended. CARMA ensures the racehorses have retirement options by managing and disbursing funds to qualified retirement facilities caring for such horses.Ways in which this is accomplished include facilitating the transition of racehorses off the track through its Placement Program and showcasing the breed’s versatility as equestrian mounts at its Thoroughbred Classic Horse Show.
CARMA worked closely with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to adopt a rule change allowing for a 0.3% deduction from purses to help fund equine retirement. This deduction which owners can “opt-out” of if they so choose, is used to support Thoroughbred retirement farms and other non-profit programs that care for and retrain retired racehorses.
CARMA manages a grant request process and since 2008 has awarded more than 3.2 million dollars to qualified retirement facilities caring for Thoroughbreds.
Donations are tax-deductible and may be sent to CARMA, 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia CA, 91007. (Tax ID #80-0146395).
ABOUT THOROUGHBRED CLASSIC HORSE SHOW
The Thoroughbred Classic Horse Show (TCHS), put on by CARMA, celebrates the athleticism, versatility, and spirit of retired racing Thoroughbreds. The TCHS Series was born from a desire to provide Off-Track Thoroughbreds and their owners a unique opportunity to gain show experience in a forum that is cost effective as well as supportive to the Thoroughbreds and their riders.
MISSION STATEMENT
The California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) provides funding for the retirement of California-raced Thoroughbred horses and serves as an educational resource for the public and racing community.