Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Most Thoroughbred racehorses retire before the age of 5. They have their entire lives ahead of them if they receive the retraining they need to be successful in a new career. We take as many of these horses as possible and rehabilitate and correctly retrain them so they can represent the amazing potential of the retired Thoroughbred racehorse. There is a steady stream of horses being bred to race so they just keep coming. Many people who choose to take a retired racehorse into their lives need education and support in order to make it work. We also provide clinics, education and consultation to help them succeed.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Retraining Ex-Racers for New Careers
TPR sees a racehorse's experience and previous training as potential, not a problem. Head trainer, Kimberly Clark, has ridden and trained Thoroughbred racehorses for thirty years. For the past five years she has worked with top trainers in other disciplines such as Jim Wofford in Eventing, Elizabeth Madlener in Dressage and David Loman in the Hunter Jumpers. This experience has produced a highly effective training program for transitioning retiring Thoroughbred racehorses from race careers to the show and pleasure world.
Having extensive knowledge from both worlds gives a huge advantage because we start from where the horse is when he arrives at the farm as a racehorse, using much of what he knows as the foundation to build upon. We then build the skills and strength of the horse to showcase his potential as a show or pleasure horse. This enables us to raise more money for the charity through adoption fees and at the same time match the horse to the best possible home because we have evaluated him and given him the skills he needs to succeed in his new life.
Surgery and Rehabilitation
Horses that need rehabilitation, surgery and specialized care and training are the horses that many times "fall through the cracks.” These are horses less likely to receive help because of the high cost and need for expert skills in rehabilitation. Many of them have tremendous potential if given the chance.
Breed Ambassador Program
In our mission to create Thoroughbred Ambassadors which is a part of our work that is essential to helping many more retired racehorses find new lives when their careers end.
Getting Thoroughbreds back into the top tier of competition in disciplines like Eventing, Show Jumping, Dressage and Competitive Trail riding is key in giving this athletic breed an opportunity to shine. This creates a trickle down effect of the students of top trainers choosing the Thoroughbred as their choice for competition. They receive the guidance in training and conditioning needed to win at every level of competition. Their success will spawn even more interest in the Thoroughbred as a competitive sport horse and family pets. Kimberly Godwin Clark rides and trains these horses in an effort to evaluate and then rehome them into the best possible hands. This work has paid off for these lovely horses.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of animals rehomed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Retraining Ex-Racers for New Careers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of animals rehabilitated
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Surgery and Rehabilitation
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of animals rescued
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of animal adoptions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Retraining Ex-Racers for New Careers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Total dollars of operating costs per animal per day
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Retraining Ex-Racers for New Careers
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This is the cost of care - feeding, bedding, supplements, veterinary, farrier. The cost of the retraining is donated and would essentially double the per day cost.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Goal I: Encourage a Thoroughbred racing industry that embraces Responsible Racehorse Retirement as a core principle.
Goal II: Educate the horse public to value retired Thoroughbred racehorses for their potential as competitive and/or pleasure horses after the track, and understand effective retraining methodology.
Goal III: Create breed ambassadors in each TPR Graduate by continuing to transition Thoroughbreds into new homes and teaching others to do so using the proven techniques of TPRs Retraining Program.
Goal IV: Develop and maintain a sustainable financial situation for TPR, to create financial stability and ensure TPR can continue its mission in the future.
By accomplishing these core goals, we help countless retiring Thoroughbred racehorses and their owners and trainers. In addition, those who adopt these horses receive much needed support and information to create a successful partnership with the horse. In turn, each successful partnership will encourage others to consider a retired Thoroughbred racehorse as their next mount.
The racing industry itself will benefit from practicing humane retirement for their retiring racers by attracting more fans. Fans will be able to "fall in love" with the main attraction of racing - the horses.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
TPR will work cooperatively with the racing industry to raise awareness of Responsible Racehorse Retirement and the options that exist for horses retiring from the track. We will encourage the racing industry to take action against those insiders who do not take responsibility for their horses upon retirement by encouraging policies that publicly decry such actions, including wholesale euthanasia and placing horses into unapproved homes which may lead to the slaughter pipeline. Educate those on the backstretch about the options available to retire their horses responsibly, including TPR and other organizations.
We will work with the general and horse public to promote Retiring Racehorses as quality competitive and/or pleasure mounts through clinics, online videos, the online retraining manual, the DVD series and all Thoroughbred horse shows. Our graduates will showcase what horses can accomplish at different time points after retirement from racing.
We will continue to transition retiring racehorses through TPRs Retraining Program. These horses go on to competitive homes at all levels, including several international level Eventers. Each TPR Graduate serves as an ambassador for all other retired racehorses and the TPR Retraining Program.
We will work with upper level contacts in the disciplines of Eventing, Dressage, Hunters and Jumpers to place horses in upper level competitive homes, raising their visibility to prospective adopters and improving the overall perception of the breed. Organize the 2015 OTTB Clinic Series, including sessions on Maryland Racetracks and at Leighton Farm to give people the opportunity to watch TPRs Retraining Program techniques applies in a hands on environment.
We will expand our work with other non-profit and charitable organizations. TPR is staffed entirely by volunteers, all money contributed goes directly to finance TPRs retraining, rehoming and educational work.
Through positive advertising, social media and public appearances, we will increase our marketing presence to raise awareness of TPRs mission and activities and increase individual donations to TPR. Hold multiple fundraisers to benefit TPR. Continue to market and adopt out horses that complete TPRs Retraining Program, using their adoption fees to fund future horses' progress through the program.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
TPR has expanded it's work significantly through retraining and offering these wonderful horses at increased adoption fees. All of the retraining is donated by TPR founder, Kimberly Clark. We have been fortunate to have the guidance of Olympic level trainers such as Elizabeth Madlener, Jim Wofford and David Loman, among others. TPR has also enjoyed support from Thoroughbred grantors and donations from the public.
As the retraining program expands and we move more horses into the Upper Levels of various equine disciplines, so does our reputation and public image expand. This in turn makes our retiring racehorses more desirable so that we can rehome more horses into successful, safe futures. It also promotes the trainability and talent of retiring Thoroughbred racehorses, making them the choice of more upper level riders who then will share their expertise with Thoroughbreds with their students.
Kimberly Clark, founder of TPR has written a comprehensive retraining book, New Track, New Life: Understanding and Retraining the Off-Track Thoroughbred, which is currently available on Amazon. All proceeds benefit TPR. Ms. Clark receives requests for help in retraining retired racers from all over the world. This in itself has saved many horse/rider partnerships that were in trouble. We are now developing a DVD series based on the book and offering shorts on specific retraining principles on venues such as YouTube and Facebook.
Our staff is all volunteer. Kimberly Clark donates her riding, and retraining skills as well as use of Leighton Farm to the charity. We have a solid volunteer base that contributes everything from farm help, riding skills, office work and marketing of TPR activities which have been a major factor in propelling TPR to the top of the Retired Racehorse Retirement Community.
Our Responsible Racehorse Retirement Awareness Campaign is being embraced by many within the racing and sport horse communities. We look forward to the future of this campaign.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The progress of TPR's graduates in their equine disciplines has catapulted TPR into the eye's of many of the top level riders and trainers across multiple equestrian disciplines. The successes of Rocky Times and Constant Star are just two of the countless success stories you will hear about TPR horses if you visit Mid-Atlantic horse shows and events.
Our Responsible Racehorse Retirement Campaign is aimed at connecting the show and racing worlds. Many on both sides believe in this concept and we believe by wearing the RRR pin. To date we have not been able to encourage the Maryland racing industry as a whole to embrace support for responsible retirement of her ex-racers. While there is movement in that direction at present, there is minimal support for a few organizations that assist retiring racers. This is far from an organized and effective retirement program for these horses, so that they may live long and productive lives after their race careers end.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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THOROUGHBRED PLACEMENT RESOURCES, INC
Board of directorsas of 03/18/2023
Ms. Christina Church
Kimberly Godwin Clark
Owner, Trainer, Exercise Rider, mid-atlantic states
Lucy Kessler
Robin Donovick
Nina Dupont
Dr. Kathleen Coyle
Carol King
Christina Church
Laura Van Waardenburg
Katie Lingerfelt
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data