The Herd is the Word!

Big Storm Fails to Extinguish Enthusiasm for Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s Annual ‘BBQ @ The Barn’ Fundraiser!

SARATOGA SPRINGS – When faced with ominous skies that threaten to rain on your parade (or BBQ,) flexibility is key:

Video courtesy of our friends at StreamHorseTV, Sharon Dominguez, and Pete Fornatale & In The Money Media

As our summer season hits the homestretch, one of the events I have come to look forward to most is the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation‘s (TRF) Annual “BBQ @ The Barn,” which this year was held last Tuesday, August 23rd.

Everything about this event is, to my mind, perfect. From the casual setting at The Saratoga Winery’s beautiful backyard ambiance, rockstar mini-horses like Tinkerbell, Lilly and Upset, interesting displays, great food and beverages galore, and certainly a wonderful cause – one that helps to foster “Second Chances” to equine’s and humans alike!

*Give this lady a raise! Or a beer! Or both!*

What I didn’t count on, in this above average temperature, drought-conditions summer, was the season’s most hellacious rain and hailstorm knocking the power out at my house, and that of my colleague/photographer Jill Perkins, at the precise time we were both saddling up to go to this event! And I certainly didn’t plan on texting Jill, and TRF’s Kim Weir with updates by candlelight with a rapidly diminishing cellphone battery – updates that amounted to “…Still out,” and “Yeah, me too” for hours that seemed like months. Sigh…

*Soggy/Not Sorry: StreamHorseTV CEO Tom Pierce & Director of Content Natalie Mayrath were glad to come up from NYC to support TRF again!*

Well, fortunately, the show was able to go on for people who were able to make it to the Winery.. Despite the scrambling that must have been necessary, reports were that a good number of people did make it, and had an excellent time – even reclaiming the outdoor backyard at one point, as these photos you are about to see, will show.

Hearty thanks to my friends and colleagues in equine media for providing some of their content, so you can experience the flavor of this evening. Thank you, Tom and Natalie from StreamHorseTV (see above,) as well as Pete Fornatale & In The Money Media, Sharon Dominguez. and Kim Weir at TRF.

When they post about their experiences on this evening, we will update this post and add links to their content. Thanks to them, I can still say – ‘enjoy the gallery,’ except this time – it’s enjoy their gallery. Till next time!