From a National Thoroughbred Racing Association release
Time to Ride, an initiative of the American Horse Council in partnership with Thoroughbred interests represented by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Keeneland and The Jockey Club, is launching an aggressive grassroots effort designed to engage 100,000 new people with horses in a 100-day period. The campaign was announced Saturday at the annual American Quarter Horse Association convention in New Orleans.
The 100-Day Horse Challenge is a nationwide effort intended to expose at least 100,000 new people to horses while providing $100,000 in cash and prizes to participating stables, organizations and businesses. The program will enlist 1,000 stables, horse clubs, racetracks, organizations or individuals to register as an official Time to Ride “host” and compete in the 100-day challenge, which kicks off June 1. Participating hosts will be divided into small, medium, and large divisions by size, and challenged to provide a hands-on, interactive horse experience to as many new participants as possible. Activities may include education, riding, grooming, learning about horsemanship and more.
“NTRA, Keeneland and The Jockey Club have worked on the development of this new owner program for the last 18 months and already hosted a successful event at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club this past summer,” said Bryan Pettigrew, Senior Vice President at NTRA. “We’re enthusiastic about opening the doors to first-ever horse experiences for thousands of people. This initiative involves many national organizations and stakeholders collaborating on creating new horse owners in the United States.”
Individual cash prizes up to $25,000, as well as stable equipment, feed, veterinary supplies, and more will be awarded to the hosts that garner the greatest number of new, verified horse enthusiasts.
The Challenge is open to the first 1,000 hosts capable of growing the horse industry, including stables, instructors, clubs, events, recreational riders, equine service professionals, veterinarians, racetracks and more. Registered hosts will receive extensive marketing support from Time to Ride, including listing on the Time to Ride Map with special denotation as an official Time to Ride Host.
Hosts can register for the Time to Ride “100-Day Horse Challenge” online starting April 1 at www.timetoride.com. The registration deadline is May 15. For more information, please visit www.timetoride.com or e-mail [email protected].
