September Trainer Newsletter: Edits and Clinics CLOSING

September 09, 2025

Final Entry edits and clinic registrations close TOMORROW, September 5th, at 5pm EST. Do not miss out on the opportunity to participate in clinics whether it is with your 2025 horse or a Makeover graduate! Now is the time to change your test/height selections, your stabling reservations, or add a non-compete horse if needed. Please read this newsletter for information on these deadlines and more.

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 Close newsletter, catch up here.

Clinic Registrations CLOSING

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 TOMORROW, September 5, 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.

Clinics will not be hosted if we do not receive enough sign-ups by tomorrow’s deadline. If you are interested, do not delay. If you are already signed up, encourage your friends to register or bring a graduate along!

Final Entry Edits CLOSING

Until tomorrow, 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 at 5pm EST.

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to be considered, it must be received by 5 PM EST on the corresponding deadline, and the trainer must have already withdrawn or scratched the entry and horse registration through the Trainer Portal.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Marketplace fees may be refunded if the horse is withdrawn from the Marketplace prior to August 29, 2025. Marketplace fees are non-refundable after August 29, 2025.
Clinic fees are refundable minus a $15 processing fee if withdrawn prior to September 5, 2025. Clinic fees are non-refundable after September 5, 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, 2025
100% of stabling and discipline fees minus a $75 processing fee per horse if after September 5, 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

Catch Rider and Scratch Forms

The catch rider nomination and scratch forms are available through the portal. Use the dropdown menu in the Actions column next to your horse’s Makeover entry to select “Request a Catch Rider” or “Submit a Scratch Form.”

If you are no longer able to compete your horse in the event and would like to nominate a catch rider, please read the rules for catch riding at the Makeover on page 18 of the rulebook. We have strict rules regarding the use of catch riders and who is considered an eligible catch rider. Make sure you are fully informed on the rules before nominating a catch rider.

Should you need to scratch for any reason or at any time, you must complete the scratch form via the Trainer Portal. Failure to properly scratch your horse’s entry will result in a $100 no show fee.

EHV-1 and Health Doc Reminder

All Makeover competing and non-compete horses must meet our health documentation requirements. Your horse will not be allowed on the Horse Park grounds without the following:

For out-of-state horses: a Health Certificate issued within 30 days of your horse’s move-in date (cannot arrive to KHP before October 6th)
For in-state (Kentucky based) horses: a Health Certificate issued within 12 months of your horse’s move-in date (cannot arrive to KHP before October 6th)
For ALL horses:
- EHV-1 vaccination administered between April 6th, 2024 and September 22nd, 2025. Horses with a most recent EHV-1 vaccination that falls before April 6th or after September 22nd will not be permitted to compete.
- Proof of negative coggins within 12 months

Check the rulebook for appropriate forms of documentation. A veterinarian must provide proof of vaccination, you cannot administer your own vaccines.

Event Scheduling

A provisional event schedule can be found here.
If you have any ride time scheduling requests, you must email them to secretary@therrp.org by 5pm TOMORROW, September 5. We do not guarantee that we can accommodate scheduling requests, but we will do our best.
Stalls will not be available for move-in until NOON on Monday, October 6. This is per our contract with the Kentucky Horse Park. If your horse will be arriving to Lexington before noon on Monday, you will need to make alternate arrangements until check-in opens.
The Makeover schedule is jam packed with fun events this year, including a movie night, stall decorating contest, competitor party, and more! Check out the events here.

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.

Free Tickets to Keeneland

Thanks to our friends at Keeneland, all Makeover trainers (plus one guest) can attend the 2025 Keeneland Fall Race Meet for FREE! Admission is valid any one day of the meet, it is not exclusive to the week of the Makeover. Tickets can be used once per trainer. You can go before or after your clinic on Friday, October 10th, as that would be a great day to attend the Keeneland morning tours and afternoon races. Race day ticket QR code found here and can be used 2x per trainer for any day of the fall meet.

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