On Tuesday, May 5, the Standardbred Transition Alliance announced the completion of its inaugural accreditation and grant process.
The three aftercares accredited by the STA are: New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program with locations in Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania; Racer Placers in Jefferson, Wisc.; and Sunshine Horses in Clay, N.Y.
With this major milestone, we usher in a new era of Standardbred aftercare in leading an industry-wide effort to build sustainable infrastructure and funding mechanisms to support Standardbreds as they transition into second careers and homes outside of racing.
The STA recognizes organization accreditation as the first step towards the aftercare sustainability they hope to achieve. By closely examining each applicant’s organizational management, business practices, and adoption policies/procedures, the STA is giving donors the confidence to make more impactful charitable contributions to STA-accredited aftercare groups.
“I could not be prouder of the collective efforts of the harness racing community in recognizing the need for a structured and nationally-supported approach to an aftercare program for our sport, establishing the STA as the umbrella organization, and making aftercare of the Standardbred racehorse a dedicated priority,” said prominent equine surgeon and racehorse welfare advocate Dr. Patty Hogan, one of three veterinarians on the STA Accreditation Committee.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to the board members that worked diligently to get this project off the ground,” said STA President David Reid, who operates Preferred Equine, the largest Standardbred sales agency in the industry. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the early support of U.S. Trotting Association leadership and that of other horsemen’s groups, like the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association.”
“We applaud the good work of our aftercare organizations. A critically evaluated area for all applicants was that of the horse care and training being provided. Successful programs are not only providing excellent care for the horses in their charge, they are also doing a wonderful job at promoting Standardbreds in new markets and are really focused on increasing their number of adoptions. They show a collaborative spirit and a desire to work with other organizations to accomplish their mission,” added STA Administrator Jennifer Daniels.
Accredited organizations have received an initial grant award and will be eligible for additional monies as they are made available throughout the year.
The next application window will open on July 1.
Click here for the list of 2020 STA Accredited Organizations.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 was #GivingTuesdayNow, a global effort encouraging the public to support charities and causes in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are in a position to give, please remember the good work being done by the charities shaping Standardbred Aftercare.
The COVID-19 Stimulus Bill included a Charitable Giving Incentive: Creates a new above-the-line deduction (universal or non-itemizer deduction that applies to all taxpayers) for total charitable contributions of up to $300. The incentive applies to cash contributions made in 2020 and can be claimed on tax forms next year. Section 2204. The law also lifts the existing cap on annual contributions for those who itemize, raising it from 60 per cent of adjusted gross income to 100 per cent. For corporations, the law raises the annual limit from 10 per cent to 25 per cent.
(Standardbred Transition Alliance)