A longtime lover of the thoroughbred breed, the Thoroughbred Makeover has always been a goal of mine. However, the stars never seemed to align and my horses at any given time were neither eligible nor a good fit.
I’ve never been one to go with the grain or follow the most popular trends. I’m the type of person who makes her own path, seeks new challenges, and learns and grows from her mistakes.
Growing up in Prescott, Wis., my classmates labeled me as “the smart kid.” I wasn’t the most popular or the greatest at sports. Frankly, I was a klutz and injured myself more times than I can count. But in middle school, when all the other girls were into dance or volleyball, I decided to take riding lessons – and for me, that’s when everything changed.
I’m so thrilled to be back on this journey with America’s Best Racing, striving for this year’s Thoroughbred Makeover with my gelding Bronn. I last blogged for ABR in 2021, as I was bringing along my mare Pied N True for the Makeover, living down in Texas. There is an internal understanding amongst RRP alumni that the Makeover can and will change your life… I had no idea how true this was and how my life would change forever.
Imagine a community where those who do not fit the mold of society find solace; one where both people and horses who are undervalued come into their own and thrive. This place is summed up in three words—Square Peg Foundation.
Founded in 2004 in the San Francisco Bay Area by the wife and husband team of Joell and Christopher Dunlap, the aftercare organization was created with a very specific goal in mind.
If you walk around the host venue for any Breeders’ Cup, you will see a collection of purple hats adorning a lucky few. These hats featuring the Breeders’ Cup logo and a horse’s name are distributed to the connections, with everyone from the groom to the owner getting one to commemorate their participation in that year’s event. These are coveted collectibles which also have become a fundraising driver for After the Finish Line.
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