Aftercare Alliance launches giving campaign

by | Nov 29, 2016 | Breaking, Business, Regionwide

Retired racehorse Rock N’ Bid struts his stuff.  Photo by Katherine Turnbull.

From a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance release

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) announced today the start of its annual holiday giving campaign. Supporters can send a heartwarming holiday e-card to family and friends with a donation to the TAA. Interested individuals can visit the TAA Holiday Giving Donation page to participate in the giving campaign.

Donations from the holiday giving campaign will be directed toward grants for the TAA’s 64 accredited organizations.

The holiday card features artwork created specifically for the TAA by Kentucky-based artist Ellen Skidmore. Her work, widely admired for its inherently colorful, whimsical imagery, is held in private and public collections across the United States and Europe.

“Horses teach us about the unspoken ways of being and as a little girl who grew up stuttering, this influence was huge,” Skidmore said. “It is important for me to give back to horses in some way for their continuing inspiration and supporting the TAA is the best way I can think of to do that.”

The holiday giving campaign will run from now through the beginning of the New Year.

Skidmore lives and works in Paris, Kentucky and visitors are welcome to schedule an appointment to visit her studio and gallery. New work on canvas, paper pieces, paintings-in-progress, and both framed and unframed giclées, are all available. To learn more about Skidmore’s work, visit: ellenskidmore.com.

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the non-profit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Funded initially by its original partners Breeders’ Cup Ltd., The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association Inc., the TAA is now also supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups.

To date, 64 aftercare organizations supporting more than 180 facilities across the U.S. and Canada have been granted accreditation and received funding from the TAA. To learn more about the TAA, visit thoroughbredaftercare.org.