I hope that y’all know me well enough by now, to know that if there’s anything I can do to help a horse–I will. I have to admit that, if a decision had to be made–to save my Uncle Ray or save a horse–the horse wins every time. Equines are my preferred species: I’ve yet to meet a human who loves unconditionally; is beautiful, intelligent and utterly loyal as The Horse.
And you probably know me well enough to know that there’s only one sport other than horse racing that I can watch and not want to pluck out my own eyeballs. Golf. My Mother and I used to love watching golf together: it’s quiet, cordial (generally speaking) and genteel. No screaming fans, and no one paints their half-nekkid chest the colors of their favorite duffer.
It seems that most horsewomen and horsemen, when they’re not at their barns prepping horses for races or sales–is somewhere on a golf course, putting away. No doubt after the cacophony of a race track, they need golf to re-connect with that focus and Zen space in their heads. I’m sure that a lot of horse business gets done on a golf course, as well.
So when I heard that the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is hosting their 13th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Tuesday, August 13 at Saratoga National Golf Club…immediately I thought…”I don’t golf”…
I don’t golf, so I can’t sign up for the tournament. (Put your paparazzi cameras away: you won’t catch me on the links, making a fool of myself on August 13th.)
So I guess I can’t help the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation to raise money for that incredibly worthy, wonderful organization.
Oh. Wait. I can’t golf, but I can write about the tournament and the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. I can tell you about the amazing things they do, and the impressive people with whom they work–and maybe, just maybe, you’ll decide to golf in my stead on August 13th.
History of The Foundation, for Instant-Gratification Culture:
For those of you who have the attention span of a fruitfly–and that includes most horse race fans: The Grayson Foundation was foaled in 1940. Its initial incorporators included William Woodward (Chairman of The Jockey Club at the time). John Hay (Jock) Whitney was the Foundation’s initial President. The Jockey Club created a research foundation in 1984, which merged five years later to create the organization that we know now as The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Inc. (GJCRF, The Foundation.)
Were I writing a book, I could tell you about everything that The Foundation does, but in a nutshell: The Foundation raises money and distribute it for serious, academic veterinary research that benefits the health and future of The Horse. Many who aren’t aware of The Foundation may be fuzzy on the details, but when you read their website, you’ll see that this is serious stuff. Academics, scientists, veterinarians and veterinary hospitals and research institutions apply for grants through The Foundation.
And check this out: To date, $19, 953, 183 have gone to over 40 universities and non-university research centers. Yes, I wrote Nineteen-Million, Nine-Hundred and Fifty-Three Thousand, One-Hundred and Eighty-Three Dollars. A number larger than I can fathom. (Please look at the bottom of this article, for the lists of projects funded and current projects, all beneficiaries of The Foundation.)
So why does this matter? It matters because, for example, laminitis still baffles us. But with scientists and veterinarians striving every day to find the cure or preventative action–we won’t lose any more horses to the dreaded disease. Even the mighty Secretariat–the huge-hearted monster who tore up Belmont and plowed down competitors left-and-right–was felled by a disease for which there is not-yet a cure. The boy’s huge heart, brilliant speed and extraordinary stamina could not save him from this disease that respects none.
The Foundation funds many projects–it’s not all laminitis. As complicated as is the biology and physiology of a horse–as many problems can arise, and either make life miserable for a horse or outright kill her–they all are the concern of The Foundation. The Foundation funds people and projects in every corner of the world (including Australia and Canada)–good people who, like us, love horses and want to save as many as they can, from as many diseases, conditions, viruses, bacteria and other pathogens as possible. And the research can’t be conducted–equipment cannot be purchased, salaries paid, experiments conducted–without cold, hard cash. I know, it’s sad and horrible to think that the cure to so many things that kill our horses comes down to lack of funding.
But it’s true: the scientist or veterinarian who’s striving every single day to find the cure for MRLS (Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome)–well, she has a family to feed, too. She’d love to work on her project, but unless you and I cough up the cash to help The Foundation fund her work–she can’t do it. Without research dollars, studies fold, are boxed up and put on a shelf in basements.
What can we do? Me, I can write about it, and try to raise awareness. You, because you’re a golfer or live with/work with/love/know at least one golfer–you can take the information below, and sign up for The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation’s 13th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. Sponsored by NYRA, The Jockey Club, apollojets, EquiBase, Equiline.com, The Jockey Club Incompass Solutions and Saratoga150–this is THE charity golf tournament of the Sesquicentennial Saratoga race meet.
If you’re a duffer and you miss it, you’re going to miss the opp to golf with some of horse racing’s finest. You can become a sponsor of golf carts, golf balls or other great opportunities. For a mere three-hundred bucks entry fee, you can have a great day of golfing, side-by-side with some of your racing heroes and heroines. Sponsorship and entry fees all go to research so that the cures and prevention can be found for some of the most heinous diseases and conditions known to horse–now, doesn’t that thought make you feel good? Have fun, AND help a horse?
And check this out: say you don’t golf. Say you’re like me, barely coordinated enough to drive a car without driving into a building. You still can help The Foundation and all the horses who benefit from their hard work–because for a practically-free $50, you can jump on over to Saratoga National Golf Club for Cocktails at 5:30 and a fabulously delicious Dinner and Awards Ceremony at 6:30.
Where–where, I ask you–in Saratoga, during racing season, can you have cocktails, dinner and sit cheek-to-jowl with some of your racing idols–for a mere fifty bucks? You’re going to throw at least that much money out the window if you trek downtown to fight crowds and imbibers, just to find a table somewhere and eat dinner, right?
Here’s what you do: Leave the track, but g RIGHT onto Union, instead of LEFT. Drive for five minutes to Saratoga National–cocktail-it and dine–fight no crowds–and come out feeling pretty darned good about yourself. For the cost of dinner in Saratoga–you may have saved a horse’s Life.
Golfer or not, you can join racing’s hottest stars on Tuesday, August 13th. On a day and night like this, for an organization like The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and all the beautiful horses they’re working to save–everyone goes home a winner.
DETAILS:
Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation 13th Annual Charity Golf Tournament:
Tuesday, August 13th
Registration and Lunch: 11:30AM
Shotgun Start: 1PM
Cocktail Reception: 5:30PM
Dinner and Awards Ceremony: 6:30PM
For Information–to receive an invitation, and to reserve your place for golf and/or dinner:
Nancy C. Kelly
Vice President of Development
Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation
(518) 226-0609
SIGN UP ONLINE USING PAYPAL:
http://tinyurl.com/GRFGolf2013
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FYI: I told you earlier, that I’d tell you about some of the great work that The Foundation is doing, and has done. Take a breath, and read slowly:
Since 1940 funded research has resulted in the following:
1. The first vaccine for equine influenza, which allowed some control of race track cough.
2. Identified the cause of virus abortion and led to the vaccine for that malady.
3. Defined many aspects of passive immunity in foals.
4. Enhanced understanding of basic aspects of Equine Infectious Anemia (the disease for which Coggins Tests became mandatory).
5. Led to development of the field of biomechanics in horses.
6. Defined the cause of Colitis X.
7. Control of the Shaker Foal Syndrome.
8. Defined the nature of the Wobbler Syndrome.
9. Developed vaccine for Equine Viral Arteritis.
10. Corrected assumptions about the actual cause of abortion in placentitis cases.
11. Verified dosages of Xylazine as an efficient tranquilizer for horses injured during high exercise.
12. Quantified the increased risk of injury from use of front toe grabs.
13. Increased understanding of various aspects of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis.
14. Facilitated improvements in protecting soundness and repairing injuries.
Current and recent projects have and are addressing such subjects as:
1. Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome.
2. Use of serum markers to detect impending injury to bone and joint.
3. Improved immunities through DNA vaccination.
4. Clearer understanding of equine gastric ulcers.
5. Solving the Laminitis puzzle.
6. Refinement of knowledge regarding safer horseshoes and the horse/racetrack interface.
7. Use of stem cells for cartilage repair.
8. Gene therapy for Equine Arthritis.
9. Factors involved in Vesticular Stomatitis in horses.
10. Details of cause and diagnosis of placentitis in mares.
11. New approaches to vaccination against R. equi pneumonia.
12. Muscular factors influencing size of airway in exercising horses.
13. Dietary implications for colon impaction.
14. Studies of immunity to EPM.
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Photo Credit:
Secretariat 31-length Stretch Run, courtesy of www.championsgallery.com
