Photo by Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Named for past chief steward Bill Kraatz, who passed away in 2022, the Thoroughbred Makeover Ambassador Award recognizes a Thoroughbred Makeover graduate horse that has gone on to serve as an ambassador for the athleticism and trainability of the retired racehorse in his or her career beyond racing. 

Selected by a committee of Makeover officials, this year’s winner is Wally K, a 2019 Makeover graduate whose story has never been about having the perfect pedigree for a second career, the perfect body, or even the easiest path forward. Instead, Wally has built his post-racing career on overcoming challenges, and in doing so, has become an ambassador not only for Thoroughbreds, but for anyone who has ever had to find another way forward. 

Before making it to the starting gate, Wally suffered a sesamoid fracture in his left front leg after having previously undergone surgery to place screws in his right hind pastern. Trainer Monique Cameron-Hamby of Rockin H Ranch in Hackett, Arkansas, saw an opportunity in Wally and chose him as her 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover mount. 

Following months of rehabilitation and groundwork, Cameron-Hamby brought Wally to the 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover, where the pair competed in Competitive Trail and Freestyle, finishing sixth in Competitive Trail. But while the Makeover gave Wally a stage to demonstrate what he could do, it was only the beginning of a second career that would ultimately take him far beyond a single discipline or competition. 

In the seven years since, Wally has continued to build an extensive and varied resume. He has earned championships in Competitive Trail and Ranch Riding, competed in Thoroughbred Incentive Program events, completed mounted police training and participated in liberty demonstrations, showcasing the versatility of the Thoroughbred in disciplines where the breed is less commonly seen. He has navigated water, fire and obstacles designed to test both horse and rider, developing a reputation as a willing partner who will give nearly anything a try. 

But for Cameron-Hamby, Wally’s greatest value has never been measured in ribbons. 

“He isn’t just an ambassador for the Thoroughbred,” she says. “He’s an ambassador for overcomers.” 

That message has also connected Wally’s second career with another community close to Cameron-Hamby’s heart. She donates Wally’s show earnings to The Rumble, a Special Olympics team from Hackett, drawing a parallel between the athletes and the horse who has made a career out of exceeding expectations. 

“The Special Olympics athletes are the same as Wally,” Cameron-Hamby says. “They’re overcomers.” 

For Wally, success has never required fitting a conventional mold. His career after racing has instead been defined by showing up, trying whatever is asked of him and proving, over and over again, that past challenges do not have to determine what comes next. 

“Disabilities don’t stop athletes from becoming champions. Recognition and medals are won through sweat and effort, not because you started with the perfect package.” says Cameron-Hamby. 

That philosophy will bring Wally back to the Kentucky Horse Park this October, when he and Cameron-Hamby return to the Thoroughbred Makeover to compete in the inaugural Graduate Classes. Their planned Freestyle performance will draw on gospel music and themes of hope, perseverance and second chances, a fitting next chapter for a horse whose story has embodied all three. 

Seven years after his Makeover journey began, Wally has become exactly what the Bill Kraatz Thoroughbred Makeover Ambassador Award was created to recognize: a living example of how much a Thoroughbred can accomplish when given the opportunity to write a new chapter.