Final Trainer Newsletter: Ride Times, Stall Assignments, The Works

October 03, 2024

This email is EVERYTHING. Please read it in its entirety. We know you will be tempted to get to your ride times and stall assignments and skip the rest, but don’t. Read it all. This email is your key to a successful Makeover week. Save it to reference later. 12 days to go…we are totally calm. No panic detected here.

Final Trainer Webinar

Tomorrow, Thursday, September 26^th at 7pm ET: The Makeover is in 11 Days and I’m Freaking Out!

It’s go-time, but there’s no need for panic. Rayna and Molly walk you through everything you need to know to have a great week at the Kentucky Horse Park. Access via Zoom Video Conferencing (passcode: 031619).

There will be a Q&A session at the end of the webinar, but you can email questions ahead of time to secretary@therrp.org with the subject line “11 days webinar.” These questions can be about all things 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover such as stabling, scheduling, schooling, parking, etc.

Please note: Trainer exclusive webinars will now only be live on Zoom; we will no longer be using Facebook Live in the Trainers Group.

Contacting RRP

The Maryland office starts packing up this week and will be traveling on Saturday, October 5^th. Until then, email remains the best way to get in contact with us at secretary@therrp.org. If you need assistance with anything Makeover related after October 4^th, call or text Molly at 240-342-6728. Messaging staff on social media platforms, such as Facebook, is not an appropriate way to get into contact with us. The Facebook group is also not to be used for emergent situations or rule-related questions. There is a pinned announcement in the trainer group about how to properly utilize the group during the Makeover.

Awards Party Tickets

Get your tickets for the Thoroughbred Makeover Awards Party now! Tickets are NOT included with your Makeover entry and will NOT be available for purchase at the door. Anyone wishing to attend the party must purchase their ticket in advance. Each ticket includes one meal and one drink voucher. The party will take place in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Big Barn on Friday, October 11^th and doors will open at 5:00pm. You will not want to miss out on this fun opportunity to celebrate all of your hard work! Ticket prices will increase on October 7^th. Purchase your tickets here.

Volunteers Needed

Now that ride times are up, you can sign yourself (and your family/friends) up for some volunteer shifts! We cannot pull off the Makeover without volunteers and appreciate any time you can contribute. More details and sign ups are available here. All volunteers will receive a t-shirt, hat, refreshments, and 20% off in the RRP booth for the duration of the event.

Makeover Clinics

Clinic sign-ups are still open and Makeover competitors have the chance to train with the judges after preliminary competition! All clinics, guided schoolings, and ride-a-tests will take place on Friday, October 11^th. Please log in to the Trainer Portal at theRRP.org and tap New Clinic Registration to reserve your spot now. Spots are limited. More information on clinics can be found in a previous newsletter and in the pinned post in the Trainer’s Facebook group. Sign ups will close during Makeover week at 6pm ET on Thursday, October 10^th.

Health Documentation

All Makeover competing and non-compete horses must meet our health documentation requirements. The documents must be uploaded in the Trainer Portal prior to your arrival. Horses with insufficient health paperwork will be immediately quarantined and asked to leave the grounds.

Check the rulebook for appropriate forms of documentation. A veterinarian must provide proof of vaccination; you cannot administer your own vaccines.

In order to pass the arrival exam, all Makeover horses must have a microchip that is registered with the Jockey Club. If you have any questions about your horse’s microchip status, email secretary@therrp.org.

Catch Rider and Scratch Forms

The catch rider nomination and scratch forms are available through the portal. Use the dropdown menu in the Actions column next to your horse’s Makeover entry to select “Request a Catch Rider” or “Submit a Scratch Form.”

If you are no longer able to compete your horse in the event and would like to nominate a catch rider, please read the rules for catch riding at the Makeover on page 17 of the rulebook. We have strict rules regarding the use of catch riders and who is considered an eligible catch rider. Make sure you are fully informed on the rules before nominating a catch rider.

Should you need to scratch for any reason or at any time, you must complete the scratch form via the Trainer Portal. If you are scratching the day of your scheduled ride time, please also go directly to the ring steward and inform them of your scratch in-person. Failure to properly scratch your horse’s entry will result in a $100 no show fee.

Refunds are no longer available, but you may email secretary@therrp.org to request that your horse’s fees be converted to a donation and you be issued a tax receipt.

Earn Back Your Entry Fees

There is still time to be reimbursed for $350 in Makeover entry fees by reaching your $1,000 goal in the Make the Makeover fundraising campaign! PLUS, there are sweet prizes for our top fundraiser: an extra $500 bonus from the RRP, and a HERO PICO PEMF unit from sponsor Magnus Magnetica! Share your journey with family, friends, and your horse’s racing connections to raise money for the RRP and earn back entry fees.

Makeover trainers entered as individuals or team captains must follow this link to set up their fundraising pages. Once created and approved, each trainer’s fundraising pages will be linked to their horse’s profile(s) on the entries list to help their efforts. Individual fundraisers cannot be combined. Fundraising closes October 10^th. Trainers that have scratched are still eligible to participate and earn back their fees.

Silent Auction Donations Needed

Our Makeover silent auction has become a meaningful fundraiser for the RRP and each year it has expanded its unique and diverse offerings of gifts, experiences, art, memorabilia, and more. We very much appreciate any donations you can offer or solicit from your community. The auction will go live online on October 4^th. If you plan to bring an item to donate in-person, please do so at the silent auction booth in the Covered Arena between 10am and noon on October 8^th. More details about the silent auction are available here. Donations are often tax deductible.

ASPCA Makeover Marketplace & Right Horse Adoption Barn

The online Marketplace catalog is live and being promoted on social media.
Engaging with potential buyers/adopters is based on your schedule and availability. Remember that we have a dedicated trial arena for Marketplace horses adjacent to Barn 7. Buyers/Adopters must sign a waiver at the Info Desk in the Covered Arena prior to riding and will be given a wristband indicating that they’ve signed the waiver and are cleared to ride.

If you make a sale/adoption at the Makeover, congratulations! Make sure to snap a picture at the photo-op space outside the Adoption Barn (Barn 5). Then report your sale through the portal. Reporting your sale is essential to collecting data that is critical to our charitable mission!

Stall Decorating and Social Calendar

The symposium and social schedule has been announced. For more information on all the different things you can do during Makeover week, visit the general event information page here.

The theme for this year’s Stall Decorating Contest is “If Your Horse Was an Olympian,” and trainers are invited to decorate their stalls in the spirit of the Summer Games. Judging will begin at 2:00 PM on Friday, October 11^th in the barns. A sign-up form will be distributed once stall assignments are posted. Rules for the Stall Decorating Contest can be found here.

Arrival at the Park and Parking

Makeover horses cannot arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park for move-in prior to noon on Monday, October 7^th. Otherwise, there are no restrictions on how late or early you may come and go at the Park each day. Note that depending on the time, there may not be anyone available to assist you.

General Parking at the horse park is FREE. Please note the identified areas on the linked map for general parking and dropped trailer parking. There will also be signage throughout the park to guide you. Trailers and vehicles are welcome to pull up to the barns to load and unload but are not to remain parked around the barns for extended periods. Parked vehicles around the barns, rings, and Covered Arena risk parking tickets from KHP Police.

The leading number in your stall assignment indicates which barn you’re in (1047= Barn 10, 702= Barn 7, etc). Please take note of your stall assignment and do not put your horse in a stall that is not assigned to you. Your stalls will be tagged with index cards with your name on them. If you arrive at your stall and are unable to put your horse in it for whatever reason, please text Molly Hutchison at 240-342-6728 with your name, stall number, and a description of the issue.

Rider Check-In

Due to our arrival exam protocol, we will not be checking in riders in advance of their horse’s arrival on the grounds.

Rider check-in will be right off Nina Bonnie Blvd. in the Show Office. Rider check-in will be available during the following hours:

Monday 12 PM-5 PM
Tuesday 8 AM-4 PM

If you will not be arriving by check-in close on Tuesday, you must contact us ASAP to make alternate arrangements for check-in and your arrival exam.

Riders will complete the following at check-in:

Review uploaded Coggins, vaccination records, and health certificates. Upload these in advance via the Trainer Portal; see the list of actions next to your horse’s name.
Pick up competitor packet, which will include your competitor numbers, schooling tickets (two per horse), and stall card.
Pick up your saddle pad and completion ribbon. You will receive one completion ribbon and saddle pad per horse based on your selection on your entry form back in January (AP, Dressage, or Western). Additional freebies may be provided by our sponsors.
Sign up to be included in the stall decorating contest judging and Freestyle prop schooling times.
Please upload your Freestyle music in advance via this form. This is the only method for music submission. Music will not be accepted after 5 PM on Wednesday, October 9^th.

Do not bring your horse with you to rider check-in. Horses should remain in the trailer or their stalls during this process.

Course maps will be available online and posted outside of the rings where applicable.

Competitor Briefing

Tuesday at 6 PM in the Covered Arena

Tuesday, October 8^th: This will be our last opportunity to cover housekeeping issues and any questions you may have prior to the start of competition. Attendance is strongly encouraged. This event will not be recorded for later viewing; please plan your schedules accordingly.

Arrival Exam

The Arrival Exam will be performed in-barn and based on when you complete the rider check-in process. There will be no barn schedule. Instead, your horse(s) will be placed in an online queue as soon as you check-in and the veterinarians will work through that list in order. It is the vet team’s goal that a veterinarian will be at the horse’s stall within 30 minutes of the rider checking in. This means that you SHOULD NOT CHECK-IN UNTIL YOUR HORSE IS ON SITE AND READY FOR THE ARRIVAL EXAM. If you will not be arriving by check-in close on Tuesday, you must contact us ASAP to make alternate arrangements for check-in and your arrival exam.

It is the rider’s obligation to monitor the queue in the trainer portal and make themselves (or a representative) available to handle their horse once they are next up in the queue to ensure they get the exam done prior to the horse’s first scheduled ride. While you are allowed to school before you complete your arrival exam, it will likely be your turn in the queue before you have time to school. Plan accordingly. If there is a longer wait time for arrival exams, our staff will do our best to inform competitors at check-in.

Once the initial exam is completed (vitals, microchip validation, body condition, and assessment of any blemishes or swellings), horses may proceed to the Barn 1-4 area to complete the soundness portion of the exam. Those that are not stabling at the Horse Park should complete rider check-in, park their trailer in day trailer parking, and immediately head over to barns 1-4 to complete both phases of the arrival exam.

If you are informed that your horse has not passed the arrival exam and needs a re-check, text Rayna Erasmus at 410-775-6750 to schedule the re-check exam. Include your name as well as your horse’s name and bridle number.

Competitor Numbers

You will receive your numbers in your packet at check-in. Green stickers identify horses that are for sale through the Marketplace. Pink stickers identify horses in the Former Broodmare division. Blue stickers will be issued for your bridle and back numbers once your horse passes the Arrival Exam. You must display a blue sticker on your competition number in order to compete. We are providing hook-style bridle numbers and back numbers. Horses must wear bridle numbers at all times when they are outside of their stalls. All riders should present their horses in competition wearing a back number on their back or pinned to their saddle pad. Dressage riders may present with just a bridle number, as they would traditionally. Eventers and Field Hunters will receive number inserts for pinny holders in their packets as well.

If you have a non-competing (NC) horse with you, and you have registered them ahead of time, their bridle number will be in your packet. NC horses must also wear a bridle number at all times when outside of their stall.

Schooling

The schooling schedule identifies what venues are open for schooling at what times. Note that ticketed schooling is only applicable to competition venues and only available on Tuesday, October 8^th. Warm-up arenas are open schooling. Cross country, Field Hunter, and Competitive Trail courses will be open for on-foot inspection only on Tuesday. Non-compete horses are not permitted in the competition venues.

Each Makeover horse is provided with two schooling tickets. Additional schooling tickets are not available for purchase nor are they to be bartered or traded between competitors. There is no circumstance in which more than two schooling tickets should be used for one horse.

The schooling schedule is strictly enforced and competitors in violation of the schedule or who are uncooperative with schooling attendants risk being removed from the event. If an arena is not listed on the schooling schedule, is locked, or otherwise appears closed, it is not available for use. The RRP staff and Makeover officials will not extend ticketed schooling hours to accommodate long wait periods.

Hacking around the Park is welcomed as long as horses stay away from outdoor courses. Competitors may consider shipping to Masterson Station Park for cross-country schooling opportunities.

Competitive Trail and Ranch Work: There will be obstacles available to school in the Covered Arena from noon to 3pm on Tuesday, October 8^th. This is a part of ticketed schooling and tickets are required.
Barrel Racing: Dedicated schooling/exhibition runs will take place in the Covered Arena on Tuesday, October 8^th. Participants must arrive by 3pm for the Barrel Racing briefing. Tickets are not required.
Freestyle: Dedicated prop schooling time is available in the Covered Arena on Tuesday and Wednesday night. You will be given 10 minutes in the ring to practice your routine. Freestyle participants must sign-up for a prop schooling time at rider check-in, but schooling tickets are not required.
Polo: Ticketed schooling at the Secretariat Polo Field will take place on Wednesday, October 8^th from 2pm to 4pm. Tickets are required.

The schooling schedule shows when the courses not available for schooling (Competitive Trail, Field Hunters, and Cross Country) are available for walking. These courses are open for on-foot inspection only; no horses, motors, golf carts, etc.

Farrier and Vet

The farrier is Jeremiah Zimmer (254-595-2700). He is on call for the week of the event and on-site Tuesday-Saturday in the Farrier’s Shelter adjacent to Barns 8-19.
Vets are through Hagyard Equine Medical Institute (859-255-8741). Hagyard is located directly across from the main entrance to the Park and will have vets on-site all week. Call the number above for both emergencies and PPEs.

Drug Testing

The winners of each discipline of the Finale Competition will have blood drawn upon exiting the arena from the Finale. Random drug testing will also take place during preliminary competition. You may read up on restricted and prohibited substances here. USEF drug reporting forms are available for download here if you need to declare any medications. Once the form is filled out, please upload it to your horse’s entry through the portal (located on the same page as the health documentation uploads).

Horse Park Policies/Dever

Stabling supplies (hay, grain, feed, bedding, and stall mats) and golf carts can be ordered through Dever (859-233-9702).

Note that the Horse Park does not provide any stabling equipment to you. No hoses, wheelbarrows, pitch forks, NOTHING. Plan accordingly! You may bed your stalls with your choice of bedding and do not have to strip your stalls before you leave. Stalls are 10’x10’ on concrete with full, permanent sliding doors. Check your stall thoroughly when you arrive for hardware/debris left behind from previous shows. If there is a problem and you cannot put your horse in your stall, please text Molly Hutchison at 240-342-6728 with your name, stall number, and a description of the issue.

A reminder about fire marshal policies:

Appliances MUST have three prongs (converters are not acceptable solutions)
Don’t daisy-chain power strips
Don’t pinch cords in doors or windows
Extension cords must be plugged into a wall, not a power strip

The Horse Park allows exhibitors to bring their own golf carts, minibikes, scooters, electric bikes, etc. Drivers must be 16 and observe the speed limit.
Horses are not permitted on the roads around the Kentucky Horse Park. When riding or leading your horse, use the designated horse paths only.

Scoring, Protests, & Special Awards

Scoring is “live” in that scores are posted to the website as calculations are processed back in the show office. Results pages will indicate whether or not scoring is still in progress or complete for the day/division, along with a time stamp. Horses are auto nominated for the special awards which they are eligible for. These awards are determined based on preliminary competition results and presented at the awards dinner. These results will be available online along with discipline results.

Protests to scores must be lodged within 12 hours of scores being marked as “scoring complete” for the day (i.e.; two-day divisions will have separate protest periods for each day).

Protests contesting the scores awarded by judges must be submitted via the Protests and Complaints form on the website with a $100 protest fee. The fee will be returned if the judges and stewards rule in favor of the competitor and choose to amend their score.
Protests relating to mathematical errors must still be submitted via the Protests and Complaints form on the website within 12 hours of scoring completion, but are not subject to the protest fee.
Trainers may only protest their own judging or scores. Protests against another competitor’s results will not be accepted. If a trainer believes a possible rule violation may have impacted another competitor’s results, they must submit an official complaint rather than a protest.
If a protest is submitted incorrectly (ex: outside of the protest period or against
another competitor’s results), the RRP will withhold any fees charged by the payment processor and only issue a partial refund. In order to ensure an appropriate and timely response, protests will not be fielded by any other means than the Protests and Complaints form. You can read more about the protest policy on pages 25-26 in the rulebook.

Scorecard pick up has moved to the corner show office window in the Covered Arena. Scorecards will only be available for pickup during certain hours of the day, which will be announced during the competitor briefing and posted online as well as on the pick up window.

Rule Violation Complaints

If you witness another competitor violate competition rules or the competitor code of conduct, you are encouraged to file an official report. Unless we are notified of the incident through a rule violation report, the Thoroughbred Makeover Infractions Committee and RRP staff cannot take the appropriate steps to rectify the situation.To protect the integrity of the competition, the RRP encourages participants and third parties alike to report possible violations of event policies and rules, especially those related to the code of conduct, horse welfare, and entry eligibility. The RRP will accept reports of this nature at any time; please advise RRP staff by selecting “Makeover Rule Violation” on the Contact Us form on the RRP website whether they occur during the event, or at any period of time before or after. More information on this process can be found on page 26 of the rulebook.

Finale, Awards, and Prize Money

The top five horses in each discipline at the completion of scoring on Thursday will return to compete in the Finale on Saturday and trainers MUST attend the Finale Briefing in the Covered Arena Club Lounge on Friday at 9 AM. We will not be contacting you to remind you to come but will make an announcement if the time of this briefing changes. Please keep an eye on scoring to determine if you will be in the top five. Arena familiarization in the Covered Arena will be available for Finale horses on Friday afternoon, 2:00PM-4:00PM.

Finale horses will also complete a jogged horse inspection before the ground jury and a panel of veterinarians the morning prior to the Finale (organized by discipline, first group starts at 11:30 AM Friday) at the Covered Arena. While this is not intended to be a fashion show, horses and riders should be well-groomed and dressed in tidy attire. Horses will jog in a bridle appropriate for their discipline and riders may carry a dressage whip and use a lead shank (chain shank optional) on the bit in place of reins if desired. Horses must pass this inspection to proceed to the Finale.

Ribbons for the Retiring Racehorse division’s preliminary competition will be awarded for 1-10 overall, 1-10 Junior, 1-10 Amateur, and 1-10 Team in each discipline. Ribbons for the Former Broodmare division will be awarded for 1-10 overall in each discipline. Junior, Team, and Amateur placings are not awarded in the Former Broodmare division. If not staying for the awards dinner, these ribbons may be picked up in the Big Barn once all protest periods close on Friday, prior to the start of the awards dinner. Trainers that are unable to pick up their awards during the Makeover may email secretary@therrp.org by November 29^th for an invoice to cover shipping costs and their awards will be sent directly to them.

Ribbons and prizes for each discipline’s preliminary Retiring Racehorse division 1^st place winner, junior, team, and amateur, Special Awards, and Best Conditioned will be presented at the Awards Party. We WILL contact you to notify you if you have won one of these awards and confirm if you will be attending the party. We hope you will join us for the presentation of your award at Friday’s awards party.

The winners of these awards, 1^st place broodmares, and each discipline’s overall Top Ten are also invited to participate in the Finale ribbons ceremonies at the conclusion of their respective disciplines on Saturday.

Riders participating in the awards dinner presentations and/or parading with their horses in Finale ceremonies should be appropriately dressed/groomed for the occasion. No shorts/flipflops, please.

Following the results of the Finale competition for each discipline, the Retiring Racehorse division winners will return to the Covered Arena for Thoroughbred Makeover Champion voting to conclude the Finale. Reminder: We will not be offering the People’s Choice Award and the Finale will not be livestreamed this year. See August’s Trainer Newsletter for more details.

Prize money checks are mailed after the competition once drug test results are returned to the RRP office, a few weeks following the competition. Checks in excess of $600 to US citizens/green card holders will require a completed IRS form W9. The RRP office will send W9s digitally to those who need to complete one.

Show Photographer

This year’s official event photography team is Erin Gilmore Photography. Photos will be available within 48 hours of the completion of competition, and will be linked via the RRP’s website at https://www.therrp.org/makeover-photographers/.

Please note that NO third-party professional photography is permitted at the Thoroughbred Makeover this year. Media representatives with approved credentials are the only exception. Photography taken by the RRP media team is not available for purchase. Please review the photography policy linked above for more information.

Thank You Notes

The RRP as an organization always strives to foster a culture of gratitude and recognition for contributions to our community: Write a thank you card to a sponsor or benefactor, volunteer, (hint, hint) staff member, or official who made your Makeover. Cards will be available at the Info Desk throughout the event and we will make sure they get passed out accordingly.

Discipline Specific Notes, Patterns, and Course Maps

It is important to remember that this is a retraining competition and the rules and format for disciplines at the Makeover vary from what you are used to at a traditional horse show of your chosen discipline. Be sure to read the information below thoroughly for the discipline(s) that you are entered in and refer to the discipline sections in the rulebook for more information to avoid any surprises at the in gate.Some patterns and tests are already posted here and the rest will be added as they become available. Courses will be posted in the Hunter/Jumper Complex for those arenas once they open for schooling. We will not be printing bulk copies of courses to hand out.

Barrel Racing: Horsemanship patterns go at the specified time Wednesday morning. Timed runs runs are Wednesday and Thursday evening. The 5:30 times you see are start times for the whole session, and we will run off an order of go with drags every five runs. Order of go for timed runs can be accessed on the website once they are finalized and posted ring-side. We will run in reverse order on Thursday evening.

Competitive Trail: Horses compete one at a time. Maximum course time is seven minutes. Team horses switch riders after obstacle five. The course is open for inspection Tuesday with a walk with officials available at 10 AM and 2 PM. You may ask questions about equipment at either of these walk-throughs or send them to secretary@therrp.org.

Dressage: Riders need to be at the Walnut Ring at their scheduled ride time. Riders will perform the test first and then after a ten-minute break, will perform the demo. Team horses switch riders in between. Both rides are in a standard arena. Western Dressage will go first, and Traditional Dressage will run the rest of the day both days. Remember that your demo time of five minutes will start at your first salute. A bell will chime when the five minutes are up and you do not need to salute prior to exiting the arena. Whips no longer than 47.2” may be carried. Bit-check will be performed after the ride.

Eventing: Competitors will jump the same height for stadium jumping as they do for cross country based on the selection made on the final entry form, but everyone does the 2022 USEF Novice Test B regardless of jump height. Those jumping Novice height will have ride times scheduled for Thursday morning. Beginner Novice entries will go all day Wednesday and follow Novice on Thursday. Horses go straight from Show Jumping to Cross Country. Depending on your ride times, you may need to plan to show jump in your cross-country kit as you would at a one-day horse trial. There is a significant gap between each ride time in Show Jumping, but once the person before you has finished their course and the in-gate is ready for you, you may enter the ring as soon as you are ready. Team horses will be presented by at least two different riders and will switch in between phases. The Eventing Dressage test is in a small dressage arena and will be held in the Annex Ring this year. Whips no longer than 47.2” may be carried. Bit-check will be performed after the ride. A pinney number has been provided for you in your competitor packet.

Field Hunters: On Wednesday, all entries will do their under saddle test in one of two flights and then have an assigned ride time for their individual test. Entries return to mock hunt in the same flights Thursday morning and all entries are invited for the stirrup cup at 7:30 AM prior to the start of the mock hunt. Riders must wear the pinny number provided in their packet for all phases and all Field Hunter horses will be provided with a saddle towel at check-in that they must wear in the mock hunt. These saddle towels must be returned to RRP staff at the Info Desk in the Covered Arena after the Mock Hunt. Failure to return your saddle towel will result in a $100 fine and scorecards, ribbons, and prize money will be withheld until saddle towels are returned or the replacement fee is paid. Team horses will be presented by at least two different riders and will switch in between phases.
If you have to pull up to avoid a pile-up at a fence in the mock hunt, you must circle to the back of the field and this will be assessed as a jumping fault due to following too close.

Freestyle: You get a maximum of eight minutes in the arena with five minutes judged; props must be set and cleared within the other three minutes. Your judged five minutes and music commences when you signal by raising your hand. If you are using animals, firearms or weapons, loud noise, or any element that would be disruptive/upsetting to other horses or attendees, you must notify the steward when you arrive for warm up. Team horses must be handled by a minimum of two team members during their routine.

Please upload your Freestyle music in advance via this form. Music must be in mp3 file format. This is the only method for music submission. Music will not be accepted after 5 PM on Wednesday, October 9th. Remember to sign up for private prop schooling when you check-in. Anyone participating in your freestyle routine must go to the Info Desk in the Covered Arena to sign a liability waiver.

Polo: Polo will use half of the Secretariat Polo field. Horses will perform their short work followed by the stick and ball work at the scheduled time in one go without leaving the arena. Team horses switch riders between short work and stick and ball, the steward will rotate the second rider back in. Horses will complete the pre-determined Short Work pattern that can be found here. Riders will be penalized for going off pattern. Scoring for the Polo Finale format has drastically changed this year, please refer to the rulebook for more information.

Ranch Work: Rides are scheduled to complete the Ranch Riding pattern first. The Ranch Trail course will be built during the arena lunch break with an opportunity for inspection on-foot at approximately 12:30 PM prior to the start of the afternoon schedule. Maximum time for the course will be included on the course map. Team horses will be presented by different riders for the Ranch Riding and Ranch Trail phases.

Show Hunters: Horses are scheduled in groups of eight or less at the time specified. A rotation will be kept at the gate for each trip over fences and then all horses in the group return for the under saddle portion together. The 3ft competitors scheduled for 2:30PM on Wednesday and will do their under saddle phase with the 2PM rotation before they complete their over fences rounds. Team horses will be presented by at least two different riders who will switch in between trips. All riders must perform a courtesy circle as they wait for the judge to signal (using either a bell or whistle) that they are ready for the rider to begin their course.

Show Jumpers: Horses enter the arena, approach the judges stand to salute and will commence Phase One/their flat work pattern at the sound of the whistle (or other alert sound) then proceed into the flat pattern (Watch a tutorial!). You can start tracking in the direction of your choice and should make LARGE circles, taking up as much of the longside in front of the judges as possible. Following the conclusion of the flat work, horses will proceed (without stopping or waiting for a signal) to complete Phase Two/the gymnastic exercise. Dropped rails or disobediences in the gymnastic will be reflected in the impression scores. Following the gymnastic, trainers will commence Phase Three and will continue without waiting for a start signal after a break of no more than 45 seconds. This course will be ridden for optimum time as posted on the course map. A timer display will be used. Following the conclusion of Phase Three, trainers will wait for the start signal before commencing Phase Four. Phase Four is not timed and will present turning or adjustability questions that will allow the trainer to demonstrate the horse’s suitability for Show Jumping. This round may include fence options. Speed will not be rewarded at the sacrifice of balance, adjustability, or jumping form. A timer will not be displayed. For team horses, the first rider will present the horse for Phases One and Two then exit the arena to switch riders. The steward will rotate the second rider back in to complete Phases Three and Four.

All jumping disciplines: Faults are assessed at four points per occurrence for knock downs and eight points per occurrence for disobediences. Please see USEF rules for Eventing (subchapter EV127) for the definitions of knock down and disobedience.

Horses are allotted no more than four knock downs per jumping phase/trip. A horse will be eliminated at the fifth knock down occurrence in one phase. Each occurrence of a knock down will be marked with a “K” on the horse’s scorecard.
- Horses are allotted no more than two disobediences per jumping phase/trip. A horse will be eliminated at the third disobedience occurrence in one phase. Each occurrence of a disobedience will be marked with a “D” on the horse’s scorecard.
- Unlike previous years, faults for knock downs and disobediences are now assessed separately, and the two different fault types will not be combined in such a way that results in elimination.
If you are eliminated and have an additional jumping phase left to ride (i.e.; second over fences in Hunters, Cross Country in Eventing, or Mock Hunt for Field Hunters), see the steward to see if the judges are permitting you to complete the remainder of your test for no score.

Ride Times and Stall Assignments

Ride times and stall assignments can be found on your horse’s entry profile in the “Makeover Details” box. We also have the stabling chart posted here and ride times here.

If you take issue with your ride times, come to us with solutions only. We will not be taking ride time change requests that do not come with a proposed solution. This means networking with your fellow trainers to see if anyone would be willing to switch ride times with you. If you are able to find a willing and appropriate trainer to swap times with, you must email secretary@therrp.org with the proposed change. Be sure to copy the other trainer on your email. A $75 change fee will be collected if the change can be made. The same goes for stabling.

The Retired Racehorse Project staff is here to help you have a successful and positive experience preparing your horse for the Thoroughbred Makeover and beyond. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact RRP Co-Show Secretaries, Molly Hutchison and Rayna Erasmus, by email at secretary@therrp.org.

All the best,

Molly