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From www.bridleandbit.com Horse Racing
Dear Friends of the Kentucky Horse Park: In honor of Black History Month, we would like to invite everyone to take part in this national celebration by visiting the park and enjoying some of our year-round special tributes to African American horsemen. On permanent display in our International Museum of the Horse is the "Buffalo Soldiers" exhibit, honoring the all-black cavalry units of our military who served on the American frontier just after the Civil War. They endured four years of the bloodiest war in the history of the United States to win their freedom, and decided to try their wings on the open plains of the west. There, these battle-hardened soldiers and their brave horses were met by Mexican revolutionaries, hostile Native Americans, outlaws, comancheros and rustlers. The soldiers also faced fierce prejudice, dysentery, tuberculosis, diarrhea and bronchitis. At one time, Buffalo Soldiers (nicknamed by the Cheyenne and Comanche) constituted twenty percent of all cavalry forces on the frontier. Their contributions to the opening of the West were invaluable. Our Buffalo Soldiers exhibition is part of the African American Heritage Trail. An individual who we would especially like to honor during Black History Month is the outstanding African American jockey Isaac Burns Murphy who is buried here at the park. Isaac Burns Murphy will continue to live in history as one of racing’s greatest jockeys. Mr. Murphy soared to victory in three Kentucky Derbies and became the first back-to-back Derby winner and the first winner of three Derbies. We are very proud of the fact that we have been able to pay homage to this special athlete by providing a place of honor for his remains. Thousands of visitors stop for a reflective moment at Mr. Burns’ burial site at the park each year and he continues to be an inspiration. The American Saddlebred Museum here at the park is also featuring a special exhibit this year called The House of Bourbon: Bourbon County’s Saddlebred Kingdom, which includes a special tribute to the rarely recognized black horsemen of Bourbon County. We hope you will take an opportunity to visit your Kentucky Horse Park very soon. We have something to offer everyone. We also welcome school groups to tour the park and especially the museum, to learn more about these important aspects of our nation’s history. Thanks for your continued support! Sincerely, John Nicholson Executive Director ______________ HORSeHEADLINES ______________ CHAMPION HORSE TO BE REBURIED AT KHP Wild Eyed And Wicked was one of five Saddlebred horses injected with an unknown substance at a farm in Versailles, Kentucky, in June 2003. He and two other horses were destroyed, and two horses recovered. Wild Eyed And Wicked’s remains were exhumed last week so private forensic experts (hired by his owners Joe and Sally Jackson), and State Police might determine who and what killed the horse. The Kentucky Horse Park Commission unanimously approved re-burial of Wicked’s remains at the park. Walt Robertson, Chairman of the Kentucky Horse Park Commission, stated "We had hoped that Wicked would someday live at the Kentucky Horse Park when he was alive. That not being possible, we are proud to give him a final resting place of honor at the park's Hall of Champions." A champion in every sense of the word, Wicked was a two-time winner of the five-gaited Triple Crown. The Jacksons and the KHP have announced that a memorial gathering will be held at the park this summer, around the time of the Junior League Horse Show. ARTS CONTEST FOR KIDS The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), headquartered at the KHP, announced a statewide Arts and Literature Contest for Kentucky schoolchildren. Students in grades 4 to 8 can compete for cash prizes by answering the question "Why is the horse important to Kentucky?" through various types of artwork, essays or poems. Every elementary and middle school in the state is eligible to participate. Deadline to enter is February 28. For information, www.horseswork.com. HORSE RESCUE TRAINING World-renowned equine veterinary hospital, Hagyard-Davidson-McGee, will offer Rescue Training for those who are interested in helping horses out of emergency and other precarious situations. The class will be held at the KHP on August 8-10. For information, call their hospital at 859-255-8741. MORE THAN ONE WAY TO RESCUE A HORSE Rescuing and adopting at-risk Thoroughbreds are the goals of the Secretariat Center at the KHP. We are pleased to play a part in their important work. Please contact them to visit or learn more about their adoptable Thoroughbreds at 859-246-3080 or visit their website at www.trfinc.org. RESCUES BY CANINE On February 20, dogs from as far away as Arizona will bring their life-saving noses to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete in an important Dog Tracking competition. This event carries a lot of weight because some of the dogs who participate could go on to work in search and rescue situations. These are the first in a series of tracking events which will help to hone the dogs’ ability and willingness to follow a human scent. The fun begins at 8 am on February 20 at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Show Office (just follow the "Tracking" signs). For more information, contact Billie Kovacs, 859-299-7184. "COURSE DESIGNER OF THE YEAR" Richard Jeffery of Dorsett, England, is the first to have been awarded "Course Designer of the Year" six times by the United States Equestrian Federation. Among the many fabulous courses he has designed for the Grand Prix Jumping Circuit in 2004 were the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, Kentucky Summer Classic, Kentucky Hunter-Jumper Association at the Kentucky Horse Park. He will also be designing the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event course. We are honored to have a course designer of such prestige contributing his talents to the shows we host here at the park. Congratulations to Mr. Jeffery! CALLING ALL RIDERS! Experienced riders are needed for the Parade of Breeds show at the park. For more information on this FUN volunteer position, call Gina Beare, Volunteer Coordinator at 859-259-4267 or gbeare@kyhorsepark.com. AMERICAN SADDLEBRED MUSEUM EXHIBIT OPENING Make plans now to attend the opening of the American Saddlebred Museum’s 2005 exhibit The House of Bourbon: Bourbon County’s Saddlebred Kingdom. The opening will be held at the museum (here at the park) on Friday, February 18 from 6:30- 9 pm in conjunction with the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s Annual Meeting. The main event of the evening will be a bourbon tasting hosted by Blanton’s Age International as well as dinner. Tickets for the evening are $35 each may be purchased at the ASHA convention or by calling the museum at 859-259-2746 ext 307. EQUINE ART EXHIBIT The American Academy of Equine Art (AAEA), which is located at the KHP’s National Horse Center, will open their Spring Members’ Invitational Exhibition, featuring juried equine art in the International Museum of the Horse, April 8 to May 30. Collectors Preview Party & Benefit, Friday, April 8. For information, contact Julie Buchanan, 859-281-6031, julieb@aaea.net or visit www.aaea.net. EQUINE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM The Equine Management Program at the KHP runs five days a week from March through August, with lectures and hands-on experience with horses. Students care for the department's horses, learn to breed and foal mares, train foals, assist with the daily Mare and Foal Show and interact with park visitors. Recreational riding and training education opportunities are available as well. Field trips to veterinary clinics, breeding sheds and training stables provide a look at the various aspects of the horse industry. The Equine Management Program class size is limited and fills quickly; so interested students should register right away. For more information, contact Margi Stickney at 859-259-4206 or 259-4263, education@kyhorsepark.com. ARABIAN SHOW Mark your calendar for the Kentucky Arabian Horse Association Show April 1-3 in the Indoor Arena at the park. Classes in performance, pleasure, halter, jumping and dressage. Contact Tony Conner, 502-241-5244 or tckaha42@aol.com for more information. ________ CALENDAR OF eVENTS 2005 Spring Schedule Feb 19: So You Want to Own a Horse? (Community Ed) 859-259-4206 Feb 19-20: Mounted Games Coaching Clinic, 502-222-4016 Feb 20: Dog Tracking, 859-299-7184 Feb 26: Snowbird Dressage, 859-846-4889 Feb 26-27: Horses and Hot Chocolate, 502-222-4016 Mar 1: Equine Management Program through Aug 26, 859-259-4206 Mar 5: Single Horse Basic Driving (Community Ed), 859-259-4206 Mar 12-13: Keeneland Pony Club, 859-221-3342 Mar 19: Basic Horse Care and Handling (Community Ed), 859-259-4206 Mar 19: Kentucky Farm Bureau Equipment Auction, 859-253-0023 Mar 19-20: Bluegrass Open Mounted Games, 502-222-4016 Mar 19-20: Champagne Run Hunter/Jumper Show, 859-263-4638 Mar 26: Snowbird Dressage, 859-846-4889 Apr 1: Kentucky Bloodlines: The Legacy of Henry Clay exhibit opens in International Museum of the Horse; runs through October 31 Apr 1-3: Kentucky Arabian Horse Association Show, 502-241-5244 Apr 2: Horse Health Care (Community Ed), 859-259-4206 Apr 2: Paul Frazier Memorial Combined Test and Dressage Show, 859-231-7066 Apr 8: Opening reception for AAEA Members Exhibition, 859-281-6031 Apr 9-10: Spring Bay Horse Trials Stadium Jumping, 859-231-8702 April 9: 25th Annual AAEA Members Exhibition through May 30, 859-281-6031 April 14: Friesians Spectacular through May 8, 859-259-4223 Apr 23: MS Walk Apr 28: Rood & Riddle Equine Seminar Apr 28: Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, through May 1 Aug 8-10: Equine Rescue Training, 859-255-8741 _______________ KENTUCKY HORSE PARK 4089 Iron Works Pkwy Lexington, KY 40511 859-233-4303 www.kyhorsepark.com The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm/theme park and equine competition facility dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse. The park is an agency of the Kentucky Commerce Cabinet that hosted 913,000 visitors and 80 special events and horse shows in 2003. The park is located at Exit 120, Interstate 75, just north of Lexington. The place to get close to horses, the park is open daily March 15 to October 31, and Wednesday through Sunday, November 1 to March 14. www.bridleandbit.com |
