From Racing to Polo - Hurlingham Polo

Strudel

From Racing to Polo

Here is a great program we wanted you to know about – The Thoroughbred Makeover

What if you claimed a horse off the track and retrained it to become a polo pony, then won a cash prize?

That is exactly what the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is offering with their launch of the 2015 Thoroughbred Makeover, the opportunity for ten equestrian disciplines to enter their contest and win$100,000 in cash prizes. Polo Development LLC is sponsoring this event, in an effort to promote OTTB as a source for potential polo ponies. Here is how it works.

(photo by Kaylee Wroe: Illinois Bred “Netty’s Fool” Who Ran at Fairmont Park and Hawthorne, Now Playing Polo as “Strudel” owned by TeamUSPA, Awarded 2014 Best Off-Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB)

Retired race horses are claimed and retrained by professionals, amateurs and junior trainers for a new equestrian career over a five to nine month period, then they perform in front of a panel of judges during theThoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium on October 23-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, possibly winning a portion of the $100,000 in cash prizes. The weekend includes seminars, demonstrations, a sponsor fair, a marketplace of the Makeover horses and special activities presented by a host committee of Thoroughbred industry leaders.

Professional, amateur, and junior trainers can enter any horse with a Jockey Club tattoo, as long as it raced or trained to race in the last two years and has yet to begun a second career training. It is expected that during the coming months upwards of two hundred horses will be purchased for the competition and commence training at farms throughout the United Sates and Canada. Entries close on June 1, 2015 or earlier if the Management Committee believes it has reached capacity.

RRP is actively looking for polo trainers to participate in the event. With guidance from USPA Polo Development LLC, RRP will create a format similar to what has been done to demonstrate the potential of young polo ponies. Distribution of prize money will be determined based on both the numbers of contestants in each discipline and sponsors.

Many Off-Track Thoroughbreds have found successful second careers as polo ponies and this event is an important opportunity to showcase not only the talent of these horses and trainers, but to highlight the exciting sport of polo. The USPA Polo Development LLC has supported the Thoroughbred Makeover since its inaugural event in 2013 and is looking forward to helping develop and grow the polo portion for this year’s event.

Contestant guidelines and entry forms are available online at retiredracehorseproject.org.

For more information about how to get involved with the Retired Racehorse Project and Off-Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB) who enjoy second careers as polo ponies, please contact

Justin Powers: (330) 692-0062 or jpowers@uspolo.org

The Team – USPA Polo Development LLC

Kris Bowman Head Shot