Lexington, Ky.—Oct. 6 Â
It’s a Thoroughbred lover’s paradise—Thoroughbreds jumping, Thoroughbreds dressaging, Thoroughbreds driving-vaulting-jumping bridleless. At the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover, you can watch Throughbreds doing every discipline under the sun and even making up their own routines in the freestyle competition.
The RRP Thoroughbred Makeover attracts horses and riders from across the country to compete in the $100,000 Thoroughbred Makeover in the heart of race horse country, Lexington, Ky. This year 385 horses are competing in 10 different disciplines. Eligible horses began re-training off the track no more than 10 months before the competition, and riders pick one or two disciplines in which to show off their OTTB.
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The top five horses from each discipline face off in a finale to determine a discipline winner, and from that group of horses an overall “America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred” is selected by votes from the crowd and receives $10,000. There’s also a $5,000 Thoroughbred Ambassador Award for the trainer who most effectively showcases the breed’s talent and trainability.
Competition started Thursday and wraps up Saturday—check out some scenes from Friday’s classes and stay tuned to the Chronicle for more for the Makeover!
Doc John competed in the field hunter classes and competitive trail with rider Melia Blakely. Photo by Ann Glavan.
Look at this cutie pa-tootie! This is Cytherean showing in the hunters with Tristana Harris. Photo by Ann Glavan.
This is Sollozzo—he’s a big ol’ 17-hand dude who competed in freestyle and the show hunters, and he’s for sale! Photo by Ann Glavan.
Phillips Best Day was having a great one in the jumper competition with Lilah Frank—they competed in eventing and show jumping. Photo by Ann Glavan.
Exposed looks just as good in his western tack for competitive trail as he does in english tack for the show hunters! He competed in both with rider Leanne Krick. Photo by Ann Glavan.
There is a huge range of disciplines at the makeover: barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, freestyle, polo, show hunter, show jumper, and working ranch.
Lindsey Partridge rode Bowdrie bridleless in her freestyle demonstration. Photo by Ann Glavan.
Oh, and she jumped him, on a tarp, over balloons, bareback and without a bridle. Photo by Ann Glavan.
At the makeover the show jumping competition is subjectively judged on the horse’s suitability for the discipline, and the test includes a flatwork portion and a gymnastic, shown here being jumped by Meghan Martin and Supah Heat. Photo by Ann Glavan.
Supah Heat had a great cheering section at the in-gate. Photo by Ann Glavan.
Just another Supah Heat shot because he was a real cute dude. Photo by Ann Glavan.
There is a stall decorating contest at the makeover, and we’re loving this race track themed set-up! Photo by Ann Glavan.
IMPORTANT RRP MAKEOVER LINKS: RRP website  |  full RRP Makeover schedule  |  finale live streaming on Oct. 7  |  live results |  all the COTH coverage of the RRP Makeover
