Page 31 - 2021 TAA Magazine

Blue Bloods REHABILITATION

RETRAINING/ADOPTION

TESTIMONIAL:
“TAA accreditation
assures our owners
that Blue Bloods
upholds the highest
standards in horse
management, facility
operations, and
adoption screening.
And, it shows donors
that we are
upholding best
practices for fiscal
prudence,
transparency, and
sustainability.”

FOUNDED: 2013
About 20 horses call Blue Bloods’ 200-acre facility in North Carolina home at any given time.
ADDRESS:
Blue Bloods Thoroughbred Adoption and Macdonald’s relationships with top owners and 2305 NC Hwy 62 North
Placement in Yanceyville, N.C., was founded to tracks in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsyl- Blanch, NC 27212
transition former racehorses from the Northeast vania. First-generation pedigrees of the facil- PHONE:
into new homes. A secondary mission is to rescue ity’s horses include such names as Quality Road,
select Thoroughbreds from the slaughter pipe- Pioneerof the Nile, Bodemeister, Posse, Storm (336) 694-1737
line through trusted agents. Elizabeth Macdon- Cat, Unbridled, and Burning Roma. MAIN CONTACT:
ald founded the volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) organiza- Some of the adoptable Thoroughbreds are high-
tion after serving as the North Carolina director octane athletes best suited for advanced riders to Elizabeth Macdonald
for New Jersey-based ReRun for eight years. take to the upper levels of horse sports. Some are WEB ADDRESS:
At any given time, about 20 Thoroughbreds workmanlike prospects for riders who want to
call the 200-acre facility home while letting down hunt or show at the local levels. Others are retired bluebloodstb.org
from track life, learning new jobs, hacking out on broodmares ideal for beginner riders, “husband SOCIAL:
the trails, foxhunting, and awaiting adoption. horses,” and therapeutic riding programs. bluebloodsthoroughbred
For the horses’ original owners, Blue Bloods A unique aspect of Blue Bloods is the collabo-
provides a valuable service and new channels ration with the equestrian studies program at AVERAGE NUMBER OF
to create awareness and place their horses with nearby Averett University in Danville, Va., to THOROUGHBREDS PER YEAR:
approved adopters in the Southeast. make the horses as marketable as possible. In a
“We evaluate the horses’ abilities and tempera- class on retraining former racehorses, students 30
ments and seek to pair the right person with the are assigned an adoptable Blue Bloods horse to
right horse,” Macdonald said. “We want it to be a ride all semester and then present at a showcase
happy home with a good match.” open to the public. Every year, the horses in the

The rolling fields of the Caswell County farm Averett program have been quickly adopted,
host surprisingly well-bred horses, thanks to some by their student riders.

PAGE 29 DAILY RACING FORM