Equine Management Student Rides Retired Racehorse to National Top 5 Finish

WC Senior Ali Davis Dedicated to Finding Second Careers for Thoroughbreds Only the crème de la crème of Thoroughbred racehorses spend their retirement years living a life of luxury breeding future champions. So, what becomes of the overwhelming majority of off-the-track Thoroughbreds — the non-elite — who aren’t of breeding stock and are too old, injured or ineffective to continue racing? PICTURED: Alison Davis is pictured with Zen at WC's Equine Center. They teamed to place fifth in the nation in the in the Show Hunters class of the Thoroughbred Makeover. Enter the Retired Racehorse Project, which seeks to transition these majestic animals into second careers. Some become polo ponies or pleasure horses while others work on ranches or train to compete in other such arenas beyond the racetrack as dressage horses, hunters and jumpers. The bottom line is the animals can continue to lead useful and fulfilling lives instead of being devalued and literally sent out to pasture. Count among their advocates Wilmington College senior Alison Davis, an equine business management major from Gallipolis. Two years ago, she volunteered with the Retired Racehorse Project, an experience that helped define her interest and future in the equine industry. “It was amazing and inspiring. They show that these former racehorses are still valuable after they retire from racing careers,” she said. “I knew that, from then on, my next horse would be an off-the-track thoroughbred (OTTB).” A year ago, she obtained an OTTB with a racing name of Hey Garçon and barn name Zen. “He’s super Zen,” she said about the horse’s peaceful and relaxed aura. Zen raced as a two, three and four-year-old. Davis boarded Zen, now five, at the College Equine Center and began preparing him for competition last December. “The biggest challenge for me was emotionally doing right by him,” she added. “He’s been a dream come true.” This summer, Davis engaged in an internship with an eventing trainer. She took Zen with her and learned about retraining racehorses and showing Thoroughbreds from a professional in the industry. Earlier this month, she and Zen competed in the Show Hunters class of the Thoroughbred Makeover, a national event hosted by the Retired Racehorse Project at Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. Horses in the contest demonstrate both talent and trainability. Criteria for entry in the 2018 competition included scrutiny by a selection committee and the requirement that the horse raced after July 1, 2016, but competed fewer than 10 times before December 2017. Davis and Zen competed against more than 130 other retired Thoroughbreds, many of whom were trained by professional trainers in such activities as walk-trot and a hunter course with jumps. To her amazement, they placed fifth and advanced to the championship round. “I had no plans to make the finale. In fact, my family already left for home,” she recalled, noting the original competition was Friday morning and she found out they advanced Friday night — to compete in the finals the next morning. “It was a quick turnaround,” she said. “I put out an SOS on Facebook for a braider for his hair and had several offers within five minutes.” The difference was night and day between the outdoor preliminary round and the “intense” finals, the latter of which was held indoors in front of a large crowd. The finalist riders featured some of the top horsemen in the world — and “my horse allowed me to be in the same room with them,” she said. Zen ultimately placed fifth, capping an incredible experience for both horse and rider/trainer. “My horse is amazing,” she said. “He competed like he’s done it his whole life. Zen’s and my relationship is cemented in trust. It was a very emotional experience.” Davis praised the role her WC experience played in their success, along with the support she received from Bethany Siehr, assistant professor of equine business management. “With a focus on horse care and the science behind what we do, I better understand why I am doing what I’m doing with the horses,” Davis said. “This experience cemented my love for off-the-track Thoroughbreds, but it also taught me a lot about working with young horses.” Looking ahead to her December graduation, Davis has already been offered jobs, including working with OTTBs. Siehr said Davis has excelled academically and taken advantage of numerous hands-on learning experiences at WC, including undergraduate research, the horse judging team and involvement with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Assn. “Ali has taken everything the equine business management major provides and really run with it to get the most out of her Wilmington College experience,” Siehr said, noting how experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom have complemented her education. “This instance with training Zen for the Thoroughbred Makeover is no different — she set her sights on a goal and completely dedicated herself to success,” she added. “I have always been impressed with her dedication.”