He Won $1 Million Racing on 2 Continents; Now Preparing to Compete in National Show as Part of National Retraining Competition
Lettucerockthem A – or simply “Lettuce” to his friends, already knows he’s a superstar with nothing to prove. A ‘warhorse’ on the harness track, Lettuce won more than $1 million racing in Australia and the United States prior to his retirement a few years ago. Now he is preparing to compete on a totally different stage at the National Standardbred Horse Show as part of the Rebrand Initiative Trainers Challenge, a first of its kind competition to showcase retired harness horses in new careers.
Local Standardbred rehoming and rescue organization Safe Harbor Sanctuary is one of only five organizations in the country participating with one of their adoptable horses.
“Off the track Standardbreds often wind up at auction or in less-than-ideal situations,” explains Safe Harbor rescue director Elizabeth Howe. “They are bred to be even-tempered, willing partners and they can literally do anything an equestrian might want to do when given the opportunity. We rehabilitate them if needed, get them restarted as riding or pleasure driving horses and adopt them to new homes under a lifetime safety net contract.”
Lettuce is partnered with trainer Kristina Hendrickson-Russell of Flamingo Equine LLC in Monrovia, Indiana. Hendrickson-Russell has built a program of not only western horsemanship, but quality care, thoughtful training, patience, and consistency.
For the Rebrand Initiative Trainers Challenge, five adoptable horses from Standardbred rescues around the country were paired with 5 volunteer trainers who are each donating 90 days of discipline-specific training to compete in the Challenge designed to showcase the versatility of the Standardbred. The competition culminates September 18-20 at the National Standardbred Show in Allentown, NJ.
Follow the competition on social media @safeharborsanctuary or @flamingoequinellc. Lettuce is adoptable and can go to his new home once the competition ends, but interested, approved adopters can meet him at any time. Visit safeharborhorses.org for more information.
Safe Harbor is a non-profit, all-volunteer network of foster farms in middle Tennessee and south-central Kentucky dedicated to transitioning retired Standardbred racehorses into new careers and forever homes, and outreach to improve the welfare of horses and humans in our region. For more information, visit www.safeharborhorses.org
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