Fasig-Tipton’s Blue Horse Charities awards $218,685 in grants
The Board of Directors of Blue Horse Charities, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Fasig-Tipton Company, have announced their 2009 awards of $218,685 to 52
non-profit Thoroughbred adoption and retraining centers. The non-profit
charities were awarded grants based on the number of horses they placed into new
permanent homes after retirement from racing. Applications for grants were
accredited by Thoroughbred Charities of America, (“TCA”), the managing agent for
Blue Horse Charities and the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and
Breeders Association (TOBA).
Blue Horse Charities was formed in 2001 by the late John Hettinger to
financially assist those organizations which find adoptive homes for
Thoroughbreds off the racetrack. The charity is financed by buyers, sellers,
consignors and Fasig-Tipton. A buyer, seller or consignor can donate one quarter
of one percent of a sales activity with Fasig-Tipton, which is then matched 100
percent by the auction company.
“TCA only recently took over the time-consuming responsibilities of grant
verifications and we are very grateful for the speed in which they have
accomplished their work,” said Terence Collier, speaking for Blue Horse
Charities. “With further help from TCA, we intend to bring greater awareness of
the plight and needs of retired Thoroughbred racehorses, to expand the mission
of Blue Horse and hopefully raise even more money for this cause.”
“For this year’s round of grants, the top five most productive Thoroughbred
retraining and adoption centers were New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program,
Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, South
Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, who together
placed 317 of the 717 tattooed ex-racehorses funded,” said Liz Harris, executive
director of TCA.
“We are extremely grateful to receive this grant,” New Vocations Program
Director Anna Ford said. “It has been a tough year for unwanted horses and the
organizations that care for them. Blue Horse Charities founder, John Hettinger,
realized the importance of adoption over retirement and rewards the charities
that get horses into homes. It’s harder now than ever before to find qualified
people that are willing to take on the expense of a new horse. In order to
encourage adoptions more time and training must be put into each horse. This
grant helps give us the resources to do that.”