(Edited press release)
The Kentucky Horse Park announced March 14 that actor/comedian Tim Conway will emcee the park's Celebrity Team Penning event April 10.
Conway will be at the park to raise funds for the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund, which he co-founded with Judy McCarron, wife of Hall of Fame jockey, Chris McCarron. The fund assists jockeys and exercise riders who have suffered serious injuries and/or are disabled as a result of riding.
“Tim has a passion for Thoroughbred racing and a strong conviction to help disabled jockeys," said John Nicholson, executive director of the park. "Tim’s father was a Thoroughbred trainer, and Tim originally wanted to become a jockey. So the combination of great comedy with an exciting sport for a worthy cause will be a guaranteed hit with our audience that night.”
Jockeys such as McCarron, Steve Cauthen, Pat Day, Angel Cordero Jr., Jean Cruguet, Gary Stevens, Patty Cooksey, Don Brumfield, Robby Albarado, and John Rotz will each partner with two paying patrons to demonstrate their team penning skills.
Team penning is one of the fastest-growing equine sports in the country. Thirty cows, numbered zero through nine, stand at one end of an arena. There are three number zeroes, three number ones, etc. Three riders enter the other end of the arena and proceed to the start line. When the timekeeper calls the start, the riders are given a number, five for example. They then have to remove all three number fives from the herd and move them down to the other end of the arena and put them into a pen. The fastest seven teams will come back for a pen off. The team with the quickest combined times wins the event.
As part of the fundraising event, a cocktail reception and dinner hosted by Conway will be available for $50 per person (advance purchase only). General admission is $10 (12 and under free of charge) available at the door.
Gates open at 5 p.m., a cocktail reception and dinner is from 5 -6:30 p.m., and the penning begins at 6:45 p.m. Anyone interested in sponsorships, the cocktail and dinner reception, or tickets should contact Judy McCarron at 502-570-5768 or 859-361-0394, or Tony DeFranco at 310-550-4542. Visit www.macbethfund.org for more information.
