from the Standardbred Retirement Foundation

Hamilton, NJ — The US Trotting Association bought the lucky raffle ticket to win a fabulous trip to the Prix d’Amerique.

A fundraiser for the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, the package includes an air voucher up to $2,000, a 4-night/5-day stay in a 4-Star hotel and an exciting opportunity to see Paris, the City of Lights, while also seeing the unforgettable Prix d’Amerique, which features the world’s best trotters in action at the magnificent Vincennes Racecourse. Winners also visit the resplendent Grosbois training centre, truly a kingdom for a horse, plus an auction of trotting horses and a trade fair with many vendors.

“We gratefully accept the trip, which we have made available to all our employees through our own raffle, and I’m thrilled that we won. Many thanks,” was the reaction of Mike Tanner, the USTA’s Executive Vice President.

Jessica Schroeder, USTA’s Assistant Fair Liaison with the Outreach Department, won USTA’s internal raffle. A third generation trainer from both sides of her family, she grew up racing horses in Chicago. Over the years her family kept a couple retired racehorses and Jessica learned how to ride them. She did a little bit of everything, including English, endurance riding, and working for the Pete Foley Stable for a year. Then she joined the USTA in November 2008, working both on the county fair program and in the outreach department.

Jessica, who is bringing her mother, Susan, to Paris said, “My mother went to the Prix d’Amerique quite a few years ago and said I definitely needed to go; that it was a must-see event. I’m so excited for the opportunity!”

Funds raised from the raffle help shorten the list for owners and trainers of more than 150 Standardbreds waiting for SRF’s help, which lack of funds is preventing. It will also support SRF’s youth programs, including the very popular program with the Department of Juvenile Justice.

SRF is now 22 years old and currently has 102 Standardbreds permanently retired at boarding facilities across the country, a huge bill for a non-profit that struggles from year to year. Many of these horses have had homes in the past 22 years of SRF’s mission, but are no longer attractive to adopters due to age or progressed racing injuries. We have been forced to try many different ways to raise funds, and fortunately the Prix raffle is popular.

SRF congratulates the winners and is grateful to all who supported this vital fundraiser.

If you are still interested in going to the Prix d’Amerique, packages are available and must be booked by Dec. 27. Contact Dean Hoffman at hoffman.communications@yahoo.com, 614.457.8750 for details.