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The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit, a joint effort of the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP), Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA), returns to the Thoroughbred Makeover on October 11, 2022 at the Kentucky Horse Park.

This year’s summit takes a unique angle compared to past conferences, which traditionally include panel-based discussion on a variety of topics. The 2022 Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit will take a hands-on workshop approach, allowing attendees (both in-person and virtual) to problem-solve through various scenarios that commonly face individuals and organizations in aftercare. Subject matter experts will help guide participants through a series of practice scenarios including biosecurity best practices, natural disaster preparedness, facility issues, and more.

“To provide the most value to our Aftercare Summit participants, both individuals and non-profit organizations, we decided to take a more interactive approach to our topics this year,” said the RRP’s development director, Erin O’Keefe. “By working through various scenarios, we hope participants will actively identify ways to apply the topics at hand to their own programs, while having the opportunity to receive input and guidance from our subject matter experts. We hope participants find this new format both engaging and educational.”

The conference is a collaboration of the four presenting organizations in an effort to bring together the Thoroughbred aftercare community — both non-profit organizations and the commercial sector — during what is already the largest gathering of both individuals and organizations who have a vested interest in Thoroughbreds after racing.

“The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit will be a great opportunity for those involved in aftercare to think about ways in which unexpected scenarios can impact their programs,” said TCA’s executive director Erin Halliwell. “When the unexpected does occur, having a plan of action can potentially minimize disruption and assist with program continuity. With the collective knowledge of the RRP, T.I.P., TAA, TCA, and our subject matter experts, we hope to provide attendees with best practices that they can implement into their specific programs.”

Registration is required, which can be completed at therrp.org/aftercare-summit/. The cost to participate is $10 per person, which will be collected as a donation and awarded as a 50-50 to a randomly-selected aftercare organization in attendance. Registration will also include access to the live stream of the conference via Zoom so attendees can participate from anywhere in the world.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Summit takes place from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the TCA Covered Arena Lounge on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, one day prior to the start of preliminary competition at the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition for horses in their first year of transition from racing. Over 300 horses are expected to attend and compete across ten disciplines, with one Thoroughbred Makeover Champion crowned at the conclusion of a Finale on Saturday, October 15. The full schedule of events and activities can be found at TheRRP.org/attend.