FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jill Thompson
Administrative Assistant, Rocky Mountain Horse Association
859-243-0260
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On Tuesday, September 13 at 9 am, the Rocky Mountain Horse Association will be celebrating their 25th Anniversary at the Kentucky Horse Park with the organization’s annual International Horse Show.  The RMHA’s 25th Anniversary International Horse Show will run until September 17th and culminate with Grand Championship classes in the Saturday evening performance. 

Admission to this event is included with park admission.  Several local vendors will be set up around the show ring concourse daily.  Events for the whole family are planned throughout the week.  Please join us anytime during the week of September 13-17th for family fun and entertainment at the Kentucky Horse Park to celebrate the Rocky Mountain Horse Association’s 25th anniversary.  More information available on RMHA website: www.rmhorse.com.

In 1986, the Rocky Mountain Horse Association was founded as a non-profit organization in Kentucky.  The Association is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and breeding of the Rocky Mountain Horse.  Even though the Rocky Mountain Horse as a recognized breed is relatively new, the horses go back more than 70 years to a small farm owned by Sam Tuttle, in Estill County Kentucky.  Mr. Tuttle developed these horses which had a natural single foot (4-beat gait) for riding at the Natural Bridge State Park.  The name “Rocky Mountain Horse” is derived from the fact that Mr. Tuttle’s line of horse is descendant from a stallion originally from the Rocky Mountains.  This stallion bred to Kentucky mares and was the beginnings of the Rocky Mountain Horse.  There are over 19,000 registered Rocky Mountain Horses in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia, and are also found in several countries throughout Europe. 

***This brief history of the Rocky Mountain Horse® is an excerpt from the book “Rocky Mountain Horses”,
courtesy of the author, Bonnie Hodge.  For more information contact Bonnie at www.wildfireenterprises.iceryder.net .

About the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association ®
An Authentic Kentucky Tradition

For over 200 years, the saddle horse has lived in the hills and valleys of many parts of Kentucky. Bred primarily by the mountain people for the demanding needs of farm life, the horse which had been secluded for many years became noticed and domesticated in the late 1980s. Originally known in the 1800’s in many parts of Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee as the “Kentucky Saddlin’ Horse”, for its smooth and quick ride around the plantations and settlements.

Adoptable Horses from the Kentucky Horse Park
We’re looking for good homes for two of our former Parade of Breeds stars.  If you are interested in either of the horses below, please contact Ashlea Gullett-Beeson in our Equine Department for more information, 859-259-4256 or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  

ORIGINAL ZIN, “Legend”
16.2 h. Thoroughbred, 2001

Legend is quite a character. He retired from the racetrack and spent two years in our Breeds Barn representing the Thoroughbred and the sport of racing. He enjoys entertaining the staff with his inquisitive, sometimes goofy personality.

Legend is suitable for an intermediate-advanced adult rider doing low-level dressage and trail riding. He also wouldn’t object to being a pasture ornament. He’s quite the looker – chestnut with chrome and a big blaze. He plays well with others, trailers, stands for the vet and farrier, clips, bathes and ties. He is currently barefoot.

BHF Wind Dancer, “Dancer” (Winds of Warr x Khemos Love Song)
15.1 h. Arabian, foaled 1992

If you’re looking for a sweet, cuddly horse, Dancer is your man. He retired from a show career and spent a year in our Breeds Barn representing the Arabian breed. He loves people and attention, and would be the perfect back-yard pony for a family.

Dancer is suitable for very light riding or as a pasture companion. He is bay with a black mane and tail. He gets along great with other horses, and is happy to live in the pasture 24/7. He trailers, stands for vet and farrier, clips, bathes and ties. He is currently barefoot. Easy keeper.

This is Lovey, the official Barn Cat, official Greeter and Official Mouser of the Hall of Champions. Watch this exciting video of her performing her duties this morning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsa0ebPWmLE then come out to meet her and her equine companions Funny Cide, Go for Gin, Cigar, Da Hoss, Be a Bono, Staying Together, Western Dreamer and Mr. Muscleman. Photo by Steve Faust.

KENTUCKY (August 17, 2011) Do you remember where you were on 9/11/2001 when the twin towers came down?  Now you can make a great, new 10th year memory by helping honor the fallen and our Wounded Warriors.  

Join The Corporal Bill McMillan-Bluegrass Chapter of the Association of the United States Army as we honor and give back. Come to the Kentucky Horse Park on Sunday morning, 9/11 by 7:45 and participate in a 5K Run or Walk or a One Mile Walk, preceded by a short, patriotic ceremony. Be cheered on by our local Wounded Warriors.

Meet the Kentucky Equine Humane Center's adoptable horse of the week: Christy.

She was surrendered to KyEHC when her owner passed away. She is a very quick learner, trailer loads, lunges and has learned the seven games of natural horsemanship.

Christy has excellent ground manners and stands well for the farrier.  She is well suited to many disciplines. Her mother is 16 hands so they anticipate that she will grow quite a bit before maturity.

For more information on Christy or any of the other adoptable horses at KyEHC, please contact them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go to www.kyehc.org.

Laura is a 3-year-old Suffolk Punch, who just arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park on August 11, 2011, from her home in Alabama. She will be on staff in the park's Draft Horse Barn, representing her breed, the Suffolk, which originated in England.

The Suffolk Punch is small for a draft horse, usually only 16.1 hands, and always chestnut.

They are known as the Rolls Royce of the draft horse breeds.

This is the first time Laura has been away from her farm, so she is still a little unsure about her new home in Kentucky. Watch a video.

Kentucky Classic CDE
 859-588-1933   •   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.    •   www.kentuckyclassiccde.com

Were you one of the thousands of people who enjoyed the spectacular combined driving last October at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington?  Get ready for more carriage-driving action at the Horse Park this fall!
 
The inaugural Kentucky Classic Combined Driving Event (CDE) will take place October 7–9. A new, dedicated driving arena is currently under construction and will hold the dressage and cones competitions for the new Kentucky Classic CDE.
 
Singles, pairs, and four-in-hand teams of horses and ponies—at the preliminary, intermediate, and advanced levels—will compete over the course of three days. For this first year only, the event has adopted a slightly modified competition schedule, with advanced-level dressage and cones on Friday afternoon, preliminary- and intermediate-level dressage and cones on Saturday, and the marathon on Sunday. For the marathon phase, the Kentucky Classic CDE will use seven of the eight marathon obstacles designed by Richard Nicoll for last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
 
A portion of the proceeds from this year’s Kentucky Classic CDE will benefit the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and the Central Kentucky Riding for Hope’s (CKRH) therapeutic-driving program.
 
Next year’s event, the second annual Kentucky Classic CDE, will host the 2012 USEF National Pony Driving Championships.
 
For current news and updates before, during, and after the event, please “like” the Kentucky Classic Combined Driving Event on Facebook.
 
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Billy O'Brien, a Gypsy Vanner horse, arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park on the morning of August 11, 2011. He will be the newest staff member in the Breeds Barn, where he will be shown in the daily Parade of Breeds for park visitors. He will represent his breed under saddle and driving a carriage.

Watch a video taken minutes after Billie O'Brien arrived.

NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Cindy Rullman
859-259-4209
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Kentucky Derby Winner Go for Gin Retires to Kentucky Horse Park

LEXINGTON, KY (August 11, 2011)  Go for Gin, the 1994 winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1), has arrived in Lexington, Kentucky, to make his home in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions alongside fellow Derby winner Funny Cide, two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Da Hoss, and racing superstar Cigar. 

John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park, said, "Go for Gin will make another great addition to our Hall of Champions.  We entertain nearly 1 million visitors each year and they will be delighted to have the opportunity to meet a horse of his caliber, who performed so well in all three Triple Crown races." 

Go for Gin was bred in Kentucky by Pamela DuPont Darmstadt, owned by William J. Condren and Joseph M. Cornacchia, and trained by Nick Zito.  As a 2-year-old, the son of Cormorant-Never Knock, by Stage Door Johnny won the Remsen S (G2).  At 3, he was one of the few racehorses to beat the mighty Holy Bull, which he did in winning the Derby.  He followed that win with a second in the Preakness S (G1) to Tabasco Cat and second in the Belmont S (G1), also to Tabasco Cat.  That same year he also came up just short in the Wood Memorial (G1) and Fountain of Youth S (G2) for second. 

In all, from ages 2 to 4, Go for Gin was in the money in 14 out of 19 starts with earnings of $1,380,866. 

He took up stud duty at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, and was later sold to Bonita Farm in Maryland, where he has been standing since 2004.  His progeny have earned more than $16.5 million and include Albert the Great, winner of more than $3 million.

William Boniface, owner of Bonita Farm, stated, "On behalf of our very dear friend and partner Joe Cornacchia, Bonita Farm is appreciative that the Kentucky Horse Park has accepted our donation of the Kentucky Derby winner Go for Gin.  I feel that their work providing for and displaying to the public the Top Thoroughbreds is very beneficial to our sport."

John Nicholson concluded, "We’re glad that his connections chose to allow Go for Gin to spend the rest of his days at the Kentucky Horse Park, where he will continue to be respected, appreciated and well cared-for."

The public is invited to welcome him back home to Kentucky.

Park Hours and Rates: Through November 6, the park is open seven days a week.  Admission is $16 for adults, $9 for children 7-12.  Children six and under are always admitted free of charge.  Admission includes the International Museum of the Horse – In Association with the Smithsonian Institution - and the American Saddlebred Museum.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  A high-resolution photo of Go For Gin at the Kentucky Horse Park is available for use with this press release by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  Photos by PixBySteve.com.

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The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm/theme park and equine competition facility dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse.  The park is an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet that hosted more than one million visitors and campers, as well as 15,000 competition horses in more than 100 special events and horse shows in 2010.  The park is home to the National Horse Center which comprises more than 30 national and regional equine organizations.   Located at Exit 120, Interstate 75, just north of Lexington, the Kentucky Horse Park is The place to get close to horses.   Open daily March 15 to October 31, and Wednesday through Sunday, November 1 to March 14.