Travel Kentucky with Ripples the Ranvet Pony

This article is proudly brought to you by Ranvet.

Ripples the Ranvet Pony has racked up some serious miles after her first 12 months on the job, following the Australian National Pony Racing Series from East Coast to West Coast, North to South. In July, Ripples became an international traveller for the first time, bound for the horse capital of the world, Kentucky USA, with the Pony Club Australia International Quiz Team.

Alongside the Australian Team, Ripples visited locations on equestrian bucket lists globally, as well as enjoying some exclusive money-can’t-buy experiences. Thankfully the tour diary captured all the adventure!

Jonabell Farm, Godolphin America

Godolphin and Darley Stallions are renowned as some of the world’s greatest thoroughbred racing and breeding operations, with farms in Australia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, and American. Jonabell Farm is the headquarters of the American facilities, spanning 800 acres of prime producing land in Lexington, Kentucky. The facilities can host over 170 horses, including 13 Darley Stallions whose American breeding season has just come to a close.

The stallions included the likes of Kentucky Derby Winners Street Sense and Nyquist, Group 1 Winners Frosted and Maxfield, Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality, and internationally renowned Sire Medaglia d’Oro. In the barn was also one very special horse by the name Cody’s Wish. Cody’s Wish is not only a formidable racehorse, winning more Group 1 races on dirt than any colt in history, he was also at the center of a remarkable “Make-a-Wish” story, with young boy Cody, who was a part of Cody Wish’s racing journey from his days as a foal.

Nods to Australians were not hard to come by either, even though you are on the other side of the world! Stallion Manager Grahame, a proud Aussie who has travelled and worked across the world with Stallions, as well as an immortalised tribute to legendary stallion Street Cry, who amongst the plaques of his Champion Progeny included Winx. The stallion complex included

two magnificent barns with a grand parade circuit interconnecting the two, as well as a breeding barn the included both sand and rubber flooring options to suit the needs of different stallions.

Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum

Churchill Downs, known famously for the Kentucky Derby, is one of the world’s most regarded racetracks, complete with its heritage signature of the Twin Spires. Our day started off at

trackwork and with an exclusive back track tour with Helen Pitts Racing, learning all about how the Kentucky Racing industry operates. Unlike Australia, most of American racing takes place on dirt tracks, not turf, and we learnt that there is a very particular recipe that goes into making it the perfect racing texture and maintaining it.

Whilst trainers are based on course, they aren’t based there year-round. In fact, for the winter season between December and March, the track is closed and all stables cleared out, with trainers either heading to different training facilities in Kentucky, or heading interstate to follow race meets. Due to the high quarantine and biosecurity between states, it is more effective for trainers to basically take their operations to where the races are that month, rather than do trips back and forth as we would back home. To add to this, their racetracks don’t host races year-round as we do in Australia, rather a racetrack will have two or so months of the year where they hold all their meets – supporting the trainers’ semi-nomadic operations.

From the back track we headed over to the main course – first stop, the Kentucky Derby Museum! The multi-storey building is adjoined to Churchill Downs and boasts a phenomenal collection of history celebrating the now 150-year-old “Run for the Roses”. It has a wide range of memorabilia as well as interactive opportunities, including a 360-degree movie, which is a must see at the top of every hour, and racing simulators. From the museum we were then provided with a private all access tour where we got to experience all the prime on track locations-

including locations that are enjoyed by the winning owners and the most exclusive invitation holders!

Second Stride Inc.

With many hours spent admiring Thoroughbreds in their racing careers, it was only right that respect was paid to their after-racing careers. Just as we have in Australia with our programs (such as Racing Victoria’s Off The Track program), Second Stride Inc. facilitates retraining and rehoming of Thoroughbreds from both Kentucky and the greater USA. Powered by volunteers, Second Stride provides a range of support for Thoroughbreds, looking to individually identify what their life after racing path may be, whether it is in a new performance discipline, breeding or as a pleasure horse, and match them appropriately with their new homes. Since 2005, over 1700 horses have been successfully adopted via their program, with 160 alone finding their new chapter in 2023.

Spy Coast Farm

For sport horse enthusiasts, Spy Coast Farm is an all-inclusive operation that includes specialised facilities for breeding, young horses, rehabilitation and quarantine. The facilities were not only breathtaking architecturally, but jaw dropping in the level of technology they had

available, all in one place. The rehab centre contains facilities to provide laser, shockwave and pulse therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture and soft tissue treatments. As well as cold saltwater spas, hot and cold-water treadmills, dry treadmills, a Eurociser, solariums, in-stall vibration plates and Equinosis lameness locators, just to name a few. And all of that is just in one centre!

The breeding, quarantine and young horse centres all boast beautiful barns, multiple arenas, and all the finer details that only a horse person would consider, executed to perfection. Spy Coast is certainly a hub for the North American sport horse scene.

Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital

Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital would be considered amongst the world leaders in veterinary services. Founded in 1982 by Dr Bill Rood and Dr Tim Riddle, the 24-acre Lexington hospital would be the birthplace of a veterinary partnership that would span to hospitals in Saratoga

New York and Wellington Florida. Today the Lexington Hospital boasts multiple surgery suites, a podiatry centre, neonatal ICU, adult critical care ward, MRI, CT, PET scan, nuclear scintigraphy and full ambulatory services alongside its long list of specialised treatment options. The clinic performs 5,000 surgeries a year, and on a day-to-day basis can average between 15-18. The most they have performed in a 24-hour period though is an unbelievable 43!

The day of our visit was no exception, as we got to briefly observe a horse in surgery for a compaction colic – not something everyone can say they’ve seen.

Keeneland

Keeneland, at almost 90 years old, is one of the most prominent Thoroughbred auction operations in the world. Keeneland hosts four sales annually, attended by buyers and sellers from over 50 countries and surpassing over $500 million in annual sales. Not only does the site boast an impressive sales complex, but it is also a fully equipped racing facility! It’s over 800 acres in size and is home to over 1200 Thoroughbred horses and their trainers.

Come April and October, Keeneland hosts highly anticipated race meets, featuring the Maker’s Mark Mile and, on rotation, the Breeder’s Cup. Upon our visit we were lucky enough to catch a spot of trackwork on a glorious Kentucky summer morning, before a private tour of the facilities, which included their broadcast and controls room, and the winning circle constructed especially for the Queen to present the inaugural running of a Group 1 race named in her honour, back in 1984. Membership to Keeneland racing is extremely exclusive, with a waiting list in the 1000s, however we were extremely lucky to get a sneak peak of the exclusive club members room as we passed by!

Kentucky Horse Park

After hosting the World Equestrian Games in 2010, there wouldn’t be too many equestrians that are unfamiliar with Kentucky Horse Park. Home to the Defender Kentucky 3DE, one of the

world’s seven FEI CCI5* eventing circuits, the horse park was the host venue for the United States Pony Club Festival. The festival combines both the USPC’s national championships and an additional week of education workshops. It is attended by regions all across America, with riders travelling from as far as Hawaii to compete. This year the festival also hosted the International Quiz Challenge amongst its schedule that draws almost 1000 riders.

The event kicked off with a grand opening ceremony and parade in the Rolex Arena, which was a surreal experience. Whilst at the park, we dedicated time to walk out on the cross-country course, and yes, the CCI5* jumps are as big as they look on TV! There were also plenty of other attractions to enjoy such as the Hall of Champions, Breed Barn, Mounted Police Barn and International Museum of the Horse.

Ashford Stud, Coolmore America

Whilst it may have been one of the last stops on the tour, it certainly wasn’t the least impressive! Coolmore is an International Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding empire, with operation bases in Ireland, Australia and America. Ashford Stud is Coolmore’s American Headquarters, and is home to their impressive stallion roster that includes the two Tripple Crown Winners of this generation, American Pharoah and Justify, as well as Uncle Mo, Tiz the Law and Epicenter. The stallion quarters boasts three beautiful stone built barns, complete with grand stables fit for the impressive horses the house.

At the end of the main barn is a bronze statue of Giants Causeway, an extremely influential stallion who topped the General Sires List on three occasions. The monument stands adjacent to a garden of champions with odes to the many sires past who left incredible marks on global Thoroughbred breeding, including Thunder Gulch, Scat Daddy, Grand Slam, Fusaichi Pegasus, Storm Bird and El Gran Senor, to name a few. It was a pleasure to have a private parade of American Pharoah and meet the stallions up close as they were bought in from turnout by their dedicated handlers who make sure they are always looking and feeling their best.

Iroquois Hounds

Whilst Foxhunting is a sport perhaps not as widely seen as in years past, there is still a great emphasis on the skill and service to the community hunt clubs play in country America.

Iroquois Hounds was home to the Hunt Master and Iroquois Hunt Club, who service the

Lexington and greater Kentucky area.

We learnt all about the Foxhunting sport, which in America actually follows Coyotes! Whilst many traditional practices are still upheld, technology has also been adopted, with the likes of GPS trackers on hound collars and UHF communications, which allow the club to effectively track their hounds and communicate. After all, in the modern era, intersecting with suburbia must be considered. The hunt club not only helps farmers in deterring Coyotes, but can assist with checking fences and stock, especially after natural disasters.

With many riders missing their own dogs back home, it was smiles all round when we got to spend some time with their litter of pups! Iroquois Hounds keep every dog they breed, even in their retirement. They have a huge emphasis on hound welfare, both adopting and rescuing hounds, and ensuring all of their homebred are taken care of with the highest of quality – that’s all 140+ of them!

Relive the adventures day by day, and enjoy all the happy snaps on Facebook via the Pony Club Australia International Quiz Team page.

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This article was written in conjunction with Ranvet.