July/August 2024 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN July/August 2024 Page 31 Real Rider Cup Returns to Fair Hill in September The Real Rider Cup, a charity show jumping event featuring members of the racing industry competing on off-track Thorough- breds, will hold two competition legs in the heart of the Thorough- bred industries in Kentucky and Maryland. The Kentucky leg will take place on July 13 at New Vocations at Mereworth Farm in Lexington, and the Maryland leg will once again kick off the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show in Elkton on September 13. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show, New Voca- tions Racehorse Adoption Program, and the Retired Racehorse Project. Riders will compete both individually and as part of a team; riders are encouraged to form their own teams to ride for a particu- lar farm, stable, organization or branch of the industry. All riders pledge to raise a minimum of $1,000, either through donations or sponsorships. Participation will be capped at 30 riders per event. All riders will compete on an off-track Thoroughbred over a course of 2’6” and choose at which location they intend to compete (they can also compete at both). As a show jumping event, riders are competing for fast time. Awards will be given at each leg for individual winners, plus top teams and top fundraisers. Terence Collier will once again serve as the master of ceremonies at the Kentucky leg, and ScottWykoff is returning to announce at Maryland. “As we gear up for Real Rider Cup 2024, I’m looking forward to what could be our best year yet,” said Real Rider Cup founder Anita Motion. “Each year, we make adjustments and improvements to the flow of the event. Since the inaugural Real Rider Cup in 2017, we’ve raised much-needed funds for three Thoroughbred charities while also producing a truly enjoy- able spectator event.” Entries are open at TheReal- RiderCup.com. Sponsorships are available for the Real Rider Cup for both the Kentucky and Mary- land events. The Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show is a 501c3 organization sup- porting riders of Thoroughbreds by providing affordable show fees, scholarships, stakes classes and prizes in every division. By sup- porting their riders, we are helping more OTTBs find second careers. Founded in 1992, New Vo- cations has grown into the largest racehorse adoption program in the country. Its mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired Thor- oughbred and Standardbred race- horses has led to the placement of over 7,000 individuals, with 500 retirees entering the program each year. With facilities in Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, New Vocations serves over 40 racetracks, working directly with owners and trainers in need of aftercare options. The Retired Racehorse Proj- ect (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thorough- breds beyond racing. In addition to producing the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Sympo- sium, the world’s largest and most lucrative retraining competition for recently retired racehorses, the organization also maintains an educational library of content to empower more equestrians to ride a Thoroughbred, offers the only Thoroughbred-only online horse listings, and conducts clin- ics and seminars throughout the country. Tell our advertisers you found them in East Coast Equestrian!