The Standardbred Retirement Foundation is pleased to be moving its horse headquarters to Walnridge Farm in Cream Ridge, NJ.

With racing and breeding in NJ having its problems, the farm has plenty of room to accommodate SRF’s program that continues to have growing demand.

"Dr. Richard Meirs is making it a comfortable home for us to continue our work transitioning trotters and pacers to new lives under saddle," said Judy Bokman, an SRF Trustee. "He is excavating and providing the footings for an oversized ring that can accommodate several horses working at once, and digging out and resurfacing a very large shed previously used for a band of broodmares to accommodate use for training during inclement weather. We have six stalls, a tack room and area for the trainer to enter information on the computer which will be networked to the office. We anticipate some "bugs" needing to be worked out with having the office a few miles away, as well as how we willwork the youth programs, but we’ve overcome obstacles before, it’s not a much of a concern; we're just happy to have such a wonderful new home."

The move is scheduled for August 28. The horses, tack, water troughs, hay, and grain which has been donated all along by McCauley Bros. Feed Inc, along with Reynolds Hay and Straw, will be transported as a gift to SRF by a few very kind people, the folks at Princeton Equine Transport and Stern Farms of Cream Ridge, NJ. And if that isn’t enough help, several other offers were also received, including one from the trainer of this year’s Hambletonian winner, Linda Toscano. A few of the travellers will be Motor City Smitty, All Hall and Classic Scent --- collectively the three retirees SRF is trying to find homes for have earnings exceeding $1.2 million.

Within a week of getting settled in, SRF anticipates having about 35 standardbreds at Walnridge, eight new horses that have been held by patient owners during SRF’s flux who wish to find their horses a new life, and five horses being held by adopters who can no longer provide good care due to financial issues. With those at Walnridge and others being boarded at other facilities, it will quickly bring the number of standardbreds SRF will be providing care and management for up to 166. While every horse needs a home 109 of the 166 are continually passed over by adopters due to age or injuries, some are old campaigners, others broodmares, some just unable to withstand use in spite of youth on their side.

(SRF)