Race Track Chaplaincy of America will honor racing’s unsung heroes with it sixth annual White Horse Award presented by Taylor Made at Santa Anita Racetrack on Thursday, October 23, the day before the start of the $24 million Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The award is given to a racing related person in any facet of horse racing who is judged to have performed the most heroic act in behalf of human or horse. The winner is elected by major donor members of the White Horse Fellowship that includes clients and fans of Monty Roberts and several persons and corporations related to horse racing. RTCA, founded in 1971, sanctions and oversees 80 Chaplains who at over 120 race tracks and training/breeding centers.
The winner receives a $5,000 first prize, a special edition white bronze statue by Lisa Perry, and other gifts and prizes. The three runners-up earn $1,000 and the final four nominees earn all expense paid trips to the Breeders’ Cup races.
We will be bringing to Santa Anita an impressive group of nominees, including two groups who saved horses in dreaded barn fires and another group who stopped at a Pennsylvania van wreck that killed five people. They used a fire extinguisher when gasoline was dripping on a hot tailpipe and pulled out several injured victims before police or firemen arrived.
In an era in which Horse Racing have been besieged by critics who accuse us of being inhumane, here are examples of people risking their lives to save horses and other people. The White Horse Award, an official Breeders’ Cup event, has become a platform to talk in a very public way about the people in racing who are kind, decent and incredibly brave.
Tickets to the luncheon at the Arcadia, CA track can be purchased online for $100 each and include a club house pass, race program, seat for the day at the races and free parking visit the donor page at www.racetrackchaplaincy.org or to nominate your hero or obtain more information call RTCA’s home office at (310) 419-1640