LEXINGTON, Ky. – Thoroughbred Charities of America has announced the Award of Merit recipients honored at state breeders associations’ awards ceremonies in June.
Award of Merit recipients consist of individuals or organizations working to provide a better life for Thoroughbreds or the people working with them, either on the backstretch or on the farm. Both achievements are reflective of TCA’s all encompassing mission to help Thoroughbreds and the people who care for them. Subsequent award of merit winners will be announced monthly.
Michele Rodriguez was honored at the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s Awards Banquet on June 11, Remember Me Rescue was named the recipient of the TCA Award of Merit by the Texas Thoroughbred Association on June 18, and New Start for Horses/PA-HBPA Horse Adoption Program by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association on June 24.
Rodriguez is described as the driving force behind the Louisiana Horse Rescue in New Orleans, La. As a founding member and the primary fundraiser for the nonprofit organization, Rodriguez works tirelessly on behalf of all its equine residents.
Remember Me Rescue located in Burleson, Texas works to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds after their careers on the track have concluded. Founded in 2008 and operated by Dallas and Donna Keen, the nonprofit organization has rehomed nearly 700 horses since their inception.
New Start for Horses/PA-HBPA Horse Adoption Program is the retired racehorse re-homing program of the Pennsylvania Horsemen’s Benevolence and Protective Association (PA HBPA). New Start’s mission is to place racehorses, who have been retired from Penn National Race Course, with trusted foster farms who adopt out the horses to caring, knowledgeable horse people who can provide safe, enduring homes with suitable care, shelter and paddock space. Since 2013, New Start has rehomed nearly 300 horses.
TCA’s mission is to provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. TCA distributes grants to several categories of Thoroughbred-related nonprofits including rehabilitation, retraining, rehoming and retirement organizations; backstretch and farm employee programs; equine-assisted therapy programs; and research organizations. Since its inception in 1990, TCA has granted over $21 million to more than 200 charities that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. From 2000-2015, more than 95% of TCA’s expenditures were allocated to program services including direct grants. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).
