Final Entry Trainer Newsletter: CLOSING NOW

September 01, 2025

Final Entry submissions close TODAY, August 29^th, at 5pm eastern time. If you do not submit this form, your entry will be WITHDRAWN. This is not to be confused with the application submission or horse registration process. This is the last required deadline you must meet in order to compete in the Thoroughbred Makeover and is where you select your disciplines and reserve your stabling. Do not miss it. If you have issues with the form, you must email us BEFORE the deadline. Extensions will not be offered under any circumstance.

If your coach, parent/guardian, horse’s owner, etc. wishes to receive the trainer newsletters, they may sign up for the mailing list here.

If you missed the Final Entry Open newsletter, catch up here.

Final Entry Basics

Log into the Trainer Portal now and click the blue “Complete My Final Entry” button.This form is where you will officially enter your horse(s) in up to two of the ten disciplines we offer, reserve stabling, and choose to list your horse for sale in the Makeover Marketplace (optional).

The Final Entry form must be completed, and payment must be submitted, by 5pm EST on Friday, August 29^th. Trainers and horses without submitted and paid for final entries will be withdrawn.

There is one form per trainer, and the team captain is responsible for completing the Final Entry form for team entries. Trainers with two or more horses will have ALL horses populate on the same form. Trainers who have individual entries AND a team entry will enter all horses on the same form. The form pre-populates some information, including your horse’s Jockey Club name. Please verify that this information is correct before proceeding.

The discipline selections you make on this form will be final as of the August 29^th deadline. While you can opt to scratch disciplines after this deadline, you cannot switch disciplines.

Watch the Completing Your Final Entry webinar here for a step-by-step guide. If you have any questions or concerns, email secretary@therrp.org right away.

Stabling

Friendly reminder: Do NOT simply list out the names of those you wish to be stabled with in the “Stabling Request” field. Come up with ONE group name (example: Team RRP) that EVERYONE you wish to be stabled with will use on their Final Entry or Clinic Registration form. If the supplied group name does not match the rest of your group, we cannot guarantee you will be stabled together.

Due to complex move-in logistical issues, we cannot accommodate large “stable-with” requests. We will NOT accommodate requests to be stabled in specific barns.

If you have already completed your Final Entry form and did not use the “Stabling Request” field appropriately, we ask that you use the “Update My Final Entry” button in the portal to correct your stabling group name.

Final Entry Edits

When you have submitted your Final Entry, you will get an email confirmation summarizing your selections. Until September 5^th, you may edit the following fields on your Final Entry:

Discipline jump heights, Dressage test, and Freestyle info
Horse sale status
Stabling needs

If you would like to make edits outside of this, please email secretary@therrp.org for assistance. Discipline detail edits (jump heights, Dressage test, etc.) will not be accommodated after September 5^th.

Final Entry Refunds

Refunds are not automatically processed or issued. Refund requests must be made in writing to secretary@therrp.org. In order for the refund request to be considered, it must be received by 5 PM EST on the corresponding deadline, and the trainer must have already withdrawn the entry and horse registration through the Trainer Portal. Requests for a refund of Final Entry fees may be made on the following schedule:

Marketplace fees may be refunded if the horse is withdrawn from the Marketplace prior to August 29^th, 2025. Marketplace fees are non-refundable after August 29^th, 2025.
Clinic fees are refundable minus a $15 processing fee if withdrawn prior to September 5^th, 2025. Clinic fees are non-refundable after September 5^th, 2025, unless the spot can be filled from the waitlist, or the horse or rider has qualified for the championships.
100% of stabling and discipline fees if prior to September 5^th, 2025
100% of stabling and discipline fees minus a $75 processing fee per horse if after September 5^th, 2025, and prior to when stall assignments and ride times are published (approximately 10 days prior to the start of competition)
No refunds on stabling and discipline fees will be considered after ride times and stall assignments are published.
This refund schedule does not apply to registration fees, which are non-refundable

Clinics for 2025 Participants AND Graduates

We are so excited to be bringing back clinics this year and expanding the opportunity to Makeover graduate horses! If you want to maximize your 2025 horse’s educational opportunities or give a graduate horse the chance to learn and show off their growth in the Makeover environment, you will want to get those clinic registrations in. The clinic registration form, which can be found in the Trainer Portal, will close on September 5^th at 5pm EST. Spots are limited and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Please visit the Clinics tab on the General Event Information page for more information.

Save $350 on Makeover Fees: Fundraise with Make the Makeover

We get it: everything feels really expensive right now (we’re feeling the pinch too!). Let us help: through our Make the Makeover fundraiser drive, any individual trainer or team captain that raises $1000 for the Retired Racehorse Project through their personal networks will have their $350 registration fee for the 2025 Makeover refunded.

There are also some awesome additional prizes for our top fundraisers, including a brand-new zero turn lawn mower, a PEMF machine, and cash! Get started now at Give Lively.

Important to note: Only those entered as team captains or individuals are eligible to create a Make the Makeover fundraising page; team members are encouraged to share their team captain’s fundraiser to help achieve the team’s fundraising goal. Additionally, fundraising for Make the Makeover MUST be done through Give Lively.

Volunteer Sign-Ups Open

Our volunteer sign-up is live! The Makeover has always run off a small but dedicated army of volunteers; will you be one of them? Shift and positions are available to suit all schedules and experience levels. Please encourage any friends or family members that are coming to cheer you on to pick up a shift. Volunteer shifts can be scheduled around your ride times too!

All volunteers receive a hat, t-shirt, refreshments, lunch for all-day shifts, a discount in the RRP booth, and more! Sign up for your shift here.

Silent Auction Donations Needed

Do you have something you would be willing to donate to the silent auction? Our Makeover silent auction has become a meaningful fundraiser for the RRP and each year it has expanded its unique and diverse offerings of gifts, experiences, art, memorabilia, and more. We very much appreciate any donations you can offer or solicit from your community. More details about the silent auction are available here.

Riding Warehouse Discount

Riding Warehouse is offering a 10% off purchases code for all 2025 Makeover competitors in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park. Enter code “TBMAKE10” at checkout. A few exclusions apply, but most products are eligible – even for added savings on closeouts! Shop here.

The Retired Racehorse Project staff is here to help you have a successful and positive experience preparing your horse for the Thoroughbred Makeover and beyond. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing secretary@therrp.org.

All the best,

Rayna