Holiday Rescue has Virginia Connection
Submitted by: Jan Snodgrass
Phone: 540/364-7673
Email Address: Goodpony(at)aol.com
Date Added: 12/23/2008
I recently received the following in an e-mail from Diana Baker of Casanova, VA. Diana, formally of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, works rescuing Thoroughbreds from slaughter. Old Friends is a Thoroughbred retirement facility in Kentucky. This is such a special story for this holiday season! I hope everyone who has the means will send a check or lend a helping hand to the rescue organization of your choice. These are such difficult times for many of our wonderful equine friends!
Hi All,
Below in the newsletter for Old Friends, a retirement farm for Thoroughbred racehorses in Georgetown, KY just outside of Lexington, is the story of Clever Allemont, a 26 year old graded stakes winning stallion who was rescued this weekend in Kansas. I am thrilled that he will soon be on his way join the rest of the lucky horses living out their days at Michael Blowen's Old Friends. Clever Allement's rescue was an early holiday gift for many of us in horse retirement and rescue and I hope that you will enjoy reading his story as well as the stories of the other horses at Old Friends, a fabulous facility and one I recommend visiting of you're ever in the area. I am honored to have been a part of this grand old horse's rescue and to be a part of his story.
Happy Holidays!
Diana
From:
Date: Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 3:01 PM
These horses are amazing. They transform days I used to dread into times that make me smile. This morning, after a night of snow and ice, Swan's Way rolled in the snow, leaving his peculiar version of snow angels in his wake. After a night in his stall, Stage Colony practically sprinted to his paddock, challenging Williamstown to a workout. The Wicked North cantered through the snow kicking up powdery clouds under his hooves and Popcorn Deelites and Special Ring stood with their backs to the wind, waiting for breakfast. Awad wouldn't come out of his run-in shed and Ogygian wouldn't go into his. The new guys...Mighty Mecke, who has his own paddock near the pond, and Siphonizer, who has teamed up with Futural and Affirmed Success, looked spectacular with their black coats dotted with snow. The mares huddle together and the geldings, led by Kudos and Invigorate, seem satisfied with their big round bale. Nothing bothers Kiri's Clown except when the blacksmith visits and Leave Seattle, in the paddock that backs up to the sub-division, keeps his head over the fence waiting for his neighbors to bring him extra carrots.
While we're still getting over the passing of Flying Pidgeon, all of your condolences remind us of how us proud we are that Pidge allowed us to be part of his long and illustrious 27 years.
The back fence is up thanks to Larry Dennis. The money will come. As soon as we get enough to run the water to the back paddocks, we can bring in another dozen or so retirees. Along with several Thoroughbreds at the top of the long waiting list we're making arrangements to take Clever Allemont. He won the Rebel Stakes (Gr.3) at Oaklawn Park and was owned by Gene Klein and trained by D. Wayne Lukas. Kristin Chambers, who runs Winding Road Equine Rescue and Retirement in Waverly, Kansas, found Clever Allemont in a kill pen. She contacted Diana Baker and Diana Baker contacted us. Here is just a bit of Kristin's email to Diana - " His name is Clever Allemont. He is by Clever Trick. One eye is gone. He is in a narrow enclosure with a privacy fence for a north wind block. He is obviously very depressed. Some of you know that the old guys hit me the hardest and this one was like a Mack truck...he was standing with his head down and I sweet talked him from the fence and gradually he walked over to me. That graying face, the lost eye...it tore me up. And then he came up to the fence and let me love all over him. I don't usually cry until I get home, but this really got to me. The KB (killer buyer) wants $200 for him. I don't have facilities for a stallion, although for all the horses that were around him he was disinterested. I think maybe sometimes they know this is the end of the line. He gave so much to so many, and now we are all he has. His glory days are gone and with one eye and visible ribs, he will be headed to Mexico." Thanks to Kristin and Diana, instead, he'll be heading to Old Friends. We will be honored to have him.
We'd like to thank Rosilyn Polan of Sunday Morning Farm for her gift of a utility vehicle. It came at the perfect time and can go in terrain and snow where the golf cart can't. Thanks also to Paul Huber of Central Equipment for delivering it to us.
We are very lucky to have some great race horses who were well cared-for by their supportive owners and we're really looking forward to Lava Man's arrival in March. These are the celebrities that visitors clamor to see. But the real function of the famous horses such as Ruhlmann, Bull inthe Heather, Wallenda, Sunshine Forever, Ogygian, Fortunate Prospect, The Wicked North, Stage Colony is to help raise awareness and funds for horses such as Clever Allemont. What greater gift is there?
Michael
michael@oldfriendsequine.org
www.oldfriendsequine.org
502-863-1775
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