Wednesday, January 17, 2018 | Contact: Kristin Leshney (859) 224-2851 |
Thoroughbred Incentive Program Adds Dressage and Western Pleasure to Championships | |
The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) announced today that it has added championship divisions for Dressage, Western Dressage, and Western Pleasure to the 2018 T.I.P. Championships. The second annual championships will be held on Sunday, September 9, 2018, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. In addition to the Dressage and Western Pleasure divisions, the T.I.P. Championships will offer 12 divisions for Hunters, Jumpers, and English Pleasure. All of the championship divisions will offer ribbons, prizes, and prize money. The championships will again take place at the conclusion of the New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show, which is being held September 7 and 8. The New Vocations show will also add classes for Dressage and Western Dressage in addition to Hunter, Jumper, Equitation and Pleasure classes. A full prize list will be available on the T.I.P. website on March 1; entries for the show will open on May 1. All horse show entries must be received no later than August 15. “The inaugural T.I.P. Championships in 2017 saw 119 Thoroughbreds participating in 12 very competitive divisions, but we kept hearing from riders who wanted to compete in Dressage,” said Kristin Leshney, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and the administrator of T.I.P. “We are excited to host the second annual all-Thoroughbred championship horse show in a world-renowned venue to show off the versatility of the Thoroughbred and recognize those owners and riders who have chosen to retrain a Thoroughbred for a second career. In addition to the Dressage classes at the New Vocations show, T.I.P. will be offering high point awards for Thoroughbreds at the USDF-rated MSEDA Dressage at the Park for those riders who prefer to compete at a USDF show prior to the championships.” “The 2017 New Vocations horse show and T.I.P. Championships were a resounding success as we welcomed riders from 22 states,” said Sarah Coleman, director of education and development for New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program. “We hope that the addition of Dressage and Western Dressage to both shows will encourage even more people to come to the Horse Capital of the World to highlight what these horses can do when they retire from the track.” In order to qualify for the championships, riders must participate in a show offering T.I.P. awards, classes, or divisions in the applicable discipline between August 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018, or participate in the 2017 T.I.P. Performance Awards. Riders must also submit a Declaration Form, which is available at the shows or at tjctip.com. To be eligible for T.I.P. shows, a Thoroughbred is defined as any horse that has been registered with The Jockey Club or a foreign Thoroughbred stud book recognized by The Jockey Club. T.I.P. will be seeking sponsors for all of the championship divisions. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kristin Werner Leshney at (859)-224-2720 or kleshney@jockeyclub.com. About the Thoroughbred Incentive Program: Created and announced in October 2011, T.I.P. recognizes and rewards the versatility of the Thoroughbred through sponsorship of Thoroughbred classes and high point awards at sanctioned horse shows, performance awards, and non-competition awards. Additional information about T.I.P. is available at tjctip.com and on the T.I.P. Facebook page at facebook.com/tjctip. About New Vocations: Founded in 1992, New Vocations has grown into the largest racehorse adoption program in the country. Its mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds has led to the placement of over 6,000 individuals, with 450 retirees entering the program each year. With facilities in Kentucky, Ohio Pennsylvania and New York, New Vocations serves over 40 racetracks, working directly with owners and trainers in need of aftercare options. |