Blue Horse Charities announced July 10 the awarding of its grants for 2013 and a new association with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, which begins this year.
The charity, founded in 2001 by Fasig-Tipton's then-principal shareholder, the late John Hettinger, provides funding to organizations involved in rehabilitatation, retraining, and adoption of off-the-track Thoroughbreds. Blue Horse Charities is funded by contributions from buyers and sellers, matched by Fasig-Tipton, through the company's auction sales. To date, this program has granted nearly $2 million to more than 70 charities. Grants to qualifying organizations are based exclusively on the number of registered Thoroughbreds placed into adoptive homes in a given calendar year.
For 2013, Blue Horse Charities issued grants totaling $117,900 to 36 non-profit organizations. The grant applications submitted to Blue Horse Charities and Thoroughbred Charities of America—the former managing agent of Blue Horse Charities—determined that 786 Thoroughbreds adopted out in 2013 were eligible for funding. Many of the Thoroughbreds adopted out are now thriving in second careers as hunters, jumpers, eventers, and pleasure horses.
Fasig-Tipton will continue to raise and match contributions from its client base, but beginning this year will direct its fundraising through the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
"We applaud the many non-profits which have been awarded grants for the excellent work they have done in placing off-the-track Thoroughbreds in meaningful second careers," said Terence Collier, president of Blue Horse Charities. "From 2014, we are merging our fundraising efforts into the industry's Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. We would like to thank Erin Crady and the TCA for the diligent work they have done to insure our grants have been awarded appropriately."
"Thoroughbred Charities of America is happy to have assisted Blue Horse Charities with their grant distribution process for the last five years," said TCA president Dan Rosenberg. "We take great pride in our stringent grant recipient selection process as we work to be the best stewards of all funding entrusted to us."