A Sombra teen is heading to Kentucky to take part in the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium.
Chloe Duffy, 15, who has grown up on her family farm situated in rural St. Clair Township, is taking her former racehorse ‘Eddie’ to the event.
“I have been riding horses since I could walk,” Duffy said. “I am homeschooled which allows me lots of time to work and train with my horses.”
The Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium is organized by the Retired Racehorse Project, which is a charity dedicated to finding placement of Thoroughbred ex-racehorses in second careers. The event will be held from October 27 to October 30 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington and includes the competition as well as educational seminars and demonstrations, a trade fair, and the makeover horse sale, an opportunity for buyers to evaluate horses from the makeover that are available for sale.
“There are 480 trainers approved to compete in this event,” Duffy said. “Its almost doubled from last years’ applicants.”
Duffy said to be approved to compete, there was an application process that required two references and video of her riding along with narratives of her future goals and past achievements.
“My family, Eddie and I will be heading down for a week to get Eddie settled in and get him comfortable with his surroundings before competition,” Duffy said.
“It’s an honour to have the privilege to be competing at the Kentucky Horse park. I have dreamt of this day since I was very young girl riding my little pony all over the farm.”
Duffy will be competing in the discipline of eventing.
“I will be the only junior rider from Ontario competing in the junior eventing,” she said. “There have been 19 Ontario trainers approved in many different disciplines. For example, dressage, competitive trail and barrel racing to name a few.”
Duffy added: “Eventing is the ultimate test for horse and rider. One event, three disciplines, testing the resolve of the partnership between horse and rider. Discipline one is known as dressage, which test gaits, suppleness and obedience of the horse through a series of prescribed movements. Discipline two in cross country, when horse and rider’s gallop at top speed while negotiating obstacles, water hazards, banks and ditches. The third and final discipline is the jumping test, where horse and riders bring their energy, athletic ability, conditioning and training as they soar over obstacles.”
Duffy said her family adopted Eddie on December 31 last year.
He is four-years-old and his last race was Oct 18 last year.
“Eddie was owned by a syndicate in Toronto and was purchased for $35,000 as a yearling but unfortunately on his third birthday it was evident that he was not fast enough for the racetrack,” Duffy said.
“One of the owners in the syndicate Barbara Burke believed in him and couldn’t bare the fact that Eddie would be sold to race in the lowest levels of Thoroughbred racing in the United States. She matched the offer made to the Syndicate and purchased out the Syndicate owners. She became the sole owner of Eddie and quickly got him enrolled in the LongRun Retirement program in Toronto.”
Duffy is also a part of the Ontario Horse Trials Association Young Riders Program.
“I am training to someday ride for my County on a National and International level,” she said.
Duffy receives tuteledge from her head cpach Olympian Jessica Phoenix from Uxbridge, Ontario, Barbara Rice her dressage coach from Petrolia and from her personal trainer, Jaclyn Watson from Wallaceburg.
Follow along with Duffy’s progress on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DuffyEquestrian
– Submitted photo: Chloe Duffy and her horse, Eddie.
