Aftercare Industry Month

Born and raised on her family’s Thoroughbred farm in Warrenton, Virginia, Carrie was riding before she was walking. After graduating from James Madison University with a degree in Psychology and following a stint in retail management, Carrie moved Kentucky in 2001, where she met her husband Craig and together, they established Machmer Hall in Paris.

Today, Machmer Hall is one of the most recognizable names in the Thoroughbred breeding business and is home to more than 250 horses. Horses bred, raised and/or sold by Machmer Hall include Search Results, Tepin, Flat Out, and Mind Your Biscuits. Carrie, along with her husband and mother, are partners in the Machmer Hall Sales division with Amy Bunt and Michelle and Tom Mullikin.

A staunch advocate for aftercare, Carrie's number one passion in life is raising horses and watching them run, followed closely by making sure that as many of them as possible go on to second careers. To that end, Machmer Hall has a dedicated facility for the purposes of transitioning horses to their next chapter, where they accept horses from many different farms in all shapes, sizes and conditions. Carrie currently serves on the board of Thoroughbred Charities of America.

Anna Ford is the Thoroughbred Program Director for New Vocations Racehorse Adoption, which was founded in 1992 to offer retiring racehorses a safe haven, rehabilitation, and continued education through placement in experienced and caring homes. Over 9000 retired Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds have been placed in qualified homes through New Vocations’ efforts since its inception. These horses have come from 40 different racetracks and have been adopted by families throughout the country.

Ford grew up deeply immersed in the racing industry as her father is a fifth-generation trainer. She rode Thoroughbreds throughout her youth and showed in a variety of disciplines. She was an exercise riding during college prior to her position with New Vocations. She also trained and instructed internationally, and is Masters Certified through the Certified Horsemen’s Association. She was a founding member of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and sits on the Advisory Board.

Aubrey Graham is an Anthropologist (focused on Photography and Humanitarian aid in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo) and horse trainer who built her business in McDonough, GA, and recently relocated to Lansing, New York - in Finger Lakes Region. She runs Kivu Sporthorses & Training, LLC (dba AP Graham Eventing), a Thoroughbred-forward training center and sales program where she focuses on restarting horses off the track and tackling challenging cases from around the country. Aubrey has evented through Preliminary, coached an eventing team, is a Ride IQ coach for restarting Thoroughbreds off the track, and writes the weekly “Thoroughbred Logic” articles for Horse Nation. In 2023, she opened “Thoroughbred School,” an in-house and virtual program that helps train students how to ride and handle Thoroughbreds and extends that training through on-site and off-site Thoroughbred Logic Clinics. Aubrey has competed in the Retired Racehorse Project’s Makeover since 2018 (in Eventing, Show Jumpers, Field Hunters, and Dressage) and recently inaugurated Stall 13, a non-profit that focuses on the challenging case Thoroughbreds both immediately off the track and those who have found themselves in tough spots during their second careers.

Black Dog Philanthropic Consulting was founded in 2022 by Lili Leonard, a career fundraising professional, who believes in the transformative power of small- to mid-size nonprofit organizations.

Lili is a career fundraising professional with more than 15 years of experience in annual and mid-level giving, major gifts, event planning and management, grant writing, and fundraising strategic planning. She has worked in higher education, large national nonprofits, small- and mid-sized local nonprofits, and global membership associations. Committed to the field of philanthropy, Lili earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2017. She is also a Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultant.

Erin MacDonald grew up in Ontario, Canada, and graduated with honors in Equine Studies from the University of Guelph. Erin campaigned her event horses through the three-star level before moving to Florida to pursue her competitive and career goals. She has a passion and eye for sourcing and developing event prospects, specializing in working with off-the-track Thoroughbreds. In 2021 Erin was instrumental in opening up New Vocations' Florida facility. She currently overseas the rehabilitation, retraining and adoption of over 60 Thoroughbreds a year.

Bonnie McRae is a lifelong equestrian who has been working professionally with horses since her time studying Animal Science at North Carolina State University. Straight out of university she worked for one of the most prestigious racing operations in the world: Juddmonte Farms in Lexington, KY. There she managed as well as started young horses for the racetrack and worked with racehorses who were home training or recuperating on the farm. Following her time at Juddmonte, she managed and exercised a stable of steeplechase racehorses for Bruce Miller in Unionville, PA, to include graded stakes winners and an Eclipse Award winner. Her next venture led to freelance training and riding, ultimately resulting in the start of After the Races in Elkton, MD - a 501c3 dedicated to the rehabilitation and rehoming of retiring racehorses. Since 2011 she has worked with more than 950 horses through After the Races which currently houses a maximum capacity of 20 horses in various states of rehabilitation and transition. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her own horses, casually pursuing endurance and eventing. She also competed in the 2014 Mongol Derby and continues to adventure on horseback around the world as often as she can.

Katelyn Morgan is a dedicated professional in the equine industry, currently serving as the Racing and Nominations Assistant at Godolphin, as well as the Godolphin Lifetime Care Coordinator. With a Bachelor’s degree in Equine Science and Management from the University of Kentucky, Katelyn brings both academic expertise and hands-on experience to her roles in the world of thoroughbred racing and equine welfare.

Highly motivated and known for her exceptional interpersonal skills, Katelyn is always eager to learn and expand her knowledge. In addition to her core responsibilities, she actively contributes to the development committee at The Secretariat Center, a nonprofit organization focused on the care and rehoming of retired racehorses.

Passionate about the well-being of thoroughbreds, Katelyn is committed to ensuring that horses have a second career and a fulfilling life beyond the racetrack. Her dedication to equine rehabilitation and rehoming is a testament to her deep respect for the animals she works with.

Rosie Napravnik was formerly one of the nation's leading jockeys who has been restarting and rehoming racehorses since her retirement in 2014.