Sixteen years after it received its charitable status, LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society and its board of directors have achieved a goal it has worked towards for almost two decades.
LongRun’s current board has recently acquired its own location, Woodlands Training Centre near Hillsburgh, ON, with the help of a large donation from the late Lana Hershelle Sniderman, horse lover and owner, as well as the ongoing support of Ontario’s Thoroughbred racing community and continuing grants from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Thoroughbred Charities of America.
This is a significant, and poignant event in Ontario racing. LongRun was started by a small group of concerned horse lovers in a borrowed board room at Woodbine Racetrack. One of its founders, Vicki Pappas, is the chairperson and of the remarkable charity that has placed dozens of horses each racing season in new homes. It also has had a complex but successful foster farm system that would house horses in transition from the track.
With the purchase of Woodlands Training Centre , one of two properties owned by one of Canada’s most successful breeder and sales consignors, Gail Wood, who opened Woodlands in 1996, LongRun can have on home for its permanent residents and for its horses awaiting adoption.
Wood has built up Woodlands into one of the country’s largest and recognizable full service operations with a training centre and breeding farm. Wood managed Harry Hindmarsh’s farm for 22 years and then built up Woodlands with the help of her late husband Dan Steeves into Woodlands.
Wood, who will continue to run her successful Woodlands business from her other property nearby, played an integral and important role in assisting
LongRun in fulfilling what has been its goal since its inception.
The training farm is 100-acres with two barns, an indoor arena and 16 paddocks which will allow LongRun to centralize most of its horses. This will enable adopters to view potential candidates in one location and allow LongRun to put to use the many volunteers who have been anxious to help.
The acquisition of the facility will also assist LongRun in expanding the equine-assisted therapy programs it has been offering in partnership with Woodbine Entertainment for the past couple of years, and better utilize the many generous offers of feed, hay and horse-related products we are fortunate enough to receive.
The closing date for the farm acquisition is early September 2016.
LongRun currently fosters approximately 50 retired racehorses at 10 different foster farms.
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