1) EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

Mission
 The Standardbred Retirement Foundation, Inc. (SRF) is a private, non-profit, tax exempt organization created to care for, rehabilitate and secure lifetime adoption of non-competitive racehorses, to ensure their proper care with follow up, and combine the needs of youth at risk and these horses in therapeutic equine programs to benefit both.

Standardbreds are making the successful transition to lives and careers that are far removed from the track. The Standardbred horse has a great deal of versatility and has so much to offer.  In addition, these beautiful horses are able to face every task put before them with gentleness, patience and a heart that know no limit. The Standardbred has already been trained on the bit and knows how to walk, trot, back up and stand patiently in crossties. Standardbreds also enjoy being groomed, bathed and fussed with. They know how to load in/out of a horse trailer, travel and unload. Many Standardbreds have experience around noisy, horsy, active places like race paddocks and /or racetracks. Lastly, these horses clip very well, have their legs wrapped and usually have been taught to wear blankets and coolers.

Adoption Requirements

All adopters of SRF horses are pre-qualified in great detail to insure that they are knowledgeable in the care and maintenance of horses, have the necessary facilities to meet SRF Standards and are looking for a long-term relationship with the horses.

Adoption Follow-up
 
The SRF employees or SRF volunteers follow-up on all horses after they are permanently relocated to insure that the minimum standards of the SRF are continually being met  (i.e. - fencing, pasture, water, feed when pasture is inadequate, shelter from inclement weather, farrier, as needed and Vet checks semi-annually with the Vet report coming back to the SRF. The horses cannot be raced, bred, sold, used for embryo trnasfer, given away or used for any commercial purpose. While SRF encourages lifetime adoptions, if adopters cannot provide proper care for any reason the horse must be returned to the SRF. Why follow-up? The number one cause of abuse is neglect through the loss of interest, according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).                      

Boarding and Rehab Farms

The SRF uses pre-qualified boarding and rehabilitation farms as an interim stop for the horses when they first enter the program. The horses are examined and classified via the Henneke Form as to its shape and condition upon arrival at the farms. The farms are regularly checked by SRF personnel or SRF volunteers to insure that the horses are being properly cared for and the farms are maintaining the standards prescribed by the SRF for all farms; fencing, pasture or feed and hay if pasture is not adequate, water, and shelter. The SRF currently uses 26 boarding and rehab farms to care for horses of all ages and physical condition. Most are classified as “pasture pals,” as age or injury prevent them from being ridden. Some may never be adopted but will remain under the care and expense of the SRF. Not having our own central location for boarding and rehab, in addition to conducting youth programs, causes a logistical hardship and great expense for the SRF, both in finding more adopters and the continuity of our youth programs.
                                             

Standardbred Retirement Foundation (SRF) Awards

            The SRF is the proud recipient of the following national awards:
  

• The Harness Tracks of America (HTA) Distinguished Service Award

• The ARCI International Animal Welfare Award

• The USHWA Proximity Award

• The American Association of Equine Practitioner’s Award

• A Finalist for the Lavin Cup.

• The United States Trotting Association (USTA) has endorsed the SRF         

The SRF has been nominated to receive the Stanley S. Bergstein Messenger Award for 2004. Each year The Harness Tracks of America honor an individual or organization for exceptionally outstanding and meritorious service to the sport of harness racing.

The SRF has also been nominated to receive The Rio Vita Products “Hank” Award with financial grants in 2005. This award is offered in reconnection of the rescue and care of horses nationwide.

The SRF offers its own annual award named “The SRF Humanities Award.” Nominations are requested nationwide via our website, the USTA website and news releases to the horse industry and general media. This award honors the memory of James E. Burke and his lifelong love of Standardbred horses. It is presented annually at the USHWA/USTA Dan Patch Awards Dinner in Atlantic City during the month of February. The purpose of this award is to recognize someone who has demonstrated exceptional compassion or care for a Standardbred horse or horses, or has developed or accomplished substantial positive change for the welfare of the Standardbred Horse.   Last year’s winners are shown below at the annual affair in Atlantic City.

SRF Web Site
The SRF web site, www.adoptahorse.org has received outstanding recognition for its clarity, completeness and effectiveness in providing prospective adopters with information needed to complete the adoption process. The web site averages over 150,000 hits a year and is the main factor in the success of the adoption program. It tells the complete story of the SRF and is updated weekly or as required. Additional information such as the SRF Humanities Award information, special thanks, current events, etc. are posted, as well.

Brochures & Quarterly Newsletter
The SRF Newsletter goes out four times a year to approximately 3,500 members, donors, supporters, adopters, volunteers and friends of the Foundation. It covers activities, adoptions and special events surrounding the SRF.  (Usually, a friend or associate of the SRF steps forward to cover the cost of the newsletter at approximately $2,000.)

2) ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Officers 

Mrs. Paula Campbell, President
Mrs. Campbell, the wife Hall of Fame Driver, John Campbell was a natural to become involved with the creation of the SRF. She has always lived the racing business since her marriage to John and stays involved in all aspects of it. Her involvement has been a tremendous asset in the development of the SRF over the years through her contacts in and outside of the industry and her ability to raise money for the SRF.

Mr. Peter Gerry, Vice President
A resident of Princeton, N J, Peter Gerry is an investment manager focusing on private equity and venture capital investments. From 1973 to 1995, he was employed at Citigroup Venture Capital, Ltd. - the private equity investment arm of Citicorp - where he served as President from 1983 to 1995. In 1995, he co-founded Sycamore Ventures - a firm dedicated to US and Asian private equity investing, where he continues as managing partner. 
                                      
Mr. Gerry has been involved in harness racing for more than 45 years as an amateur driver, owner and breeder of trotters. Together with his older brother, Elbridge T. Gerry, Jr., he owns and operates Arden Homestead Stable that was founded by his great grandfather more than 100 years ago.  He also serves as a trustee and Treasurer of the Harness Racing Museum, as a Director and Treasurer of the Hambletonian Society, as a Vice President and Trustee of the SRF and as President of the Delvin Miller Amateur Drivers Association, which annually sponsors the CKG Billings Amateur Driving Series. Mr. Gerry has been a trustee of the SRF for many years.

Mrs. Judith Bokman, Secretary & Treasurer
Mrs. Bokman has a BS in Education from Wagner College and taught school from 1980 to1988. She came to realize in the 80’s upon becoming a racehorse owner, that horses were being slaughtered due to injury, age or at times, due to lack of competitive ability. Thus, the SRF was founded in 1989, in conjunction with Mrs. Paula Campbell, wife of Hall of Fame Driver, John Campbell.

From 1989 through 1998 Judith ran the day-to-day operation of the SRF and is one of the driving forces that have made the SRF the oldest, most awarded and productive adoption agency in America. Judith and Dr. Bokman are the parents of two boys and the adopter of a Standardbred that is now 33 years old. 

SRF Trustees 

Dr. Stephen Bokman, DVM, MS
Dr. Bokman, a graduate of Rutgers University and Cornell Veterinary School, is a prominent Equine Vet specializing in Standardbred Racehorses. Dr. Bokman is on the Animal Welfare Committee of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). He initiated the program for short dated drugs from the pharmaceutical companies to be distributed to organizations like SRF. Dr Bokman has worked Pro Bono for the SRF since 1989.

Mr. John Campbell
John is a Hall of Fame Driver and one of the youngest to ever be voted into the Hall. He has driven horses all over the world and won purses of over $250,000,000. He is one of the most respected people in the harness world and is always willing and able to promote the harness racing industry and the SRF.

Mr. Charles “Chuck” Sylvester
Mr. Sylvester has been a Standardbred trainer for nearly 45 years. His specialty has been the trotting Standardbred and he has developed some of the very best. His career took off when he developed the invitational trotters, Slomen and Sirloin (in the 70’s) and the stakes standout, Diamond Exchange (in the early 80’s).  Mack Lobell (in the 80’s) and Pine Chip (in the 90’s) - both developed by Sylvester, are considered two of the finest trotters to ever race.  The Sylvester Stables and training center are called Magical Acres located in Chesterfield, N J. Mr. Sylvester was recently inducted into the Harness Horse Hall of Fame in Goshen, N Y.

Mrs. Sharon Sylvester
Mrs. Sylvester, wife of Chuck, has supported him over the last 35 years, both at home raising their family and at the training facilities doing whatever was necessary to enhance the development of their business. The Sylvesters did not start at the top, but worked their way through the thick and thin times developing their skills and reputation to where they stand today.

Mr. Dennis Dowd
Mr. Dowd is Vice president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, in charge of racing. He is a third generation horseman who has owned, bred and trained both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. He is also an amateur driver.

As an attorney he has represented numerous horsemen, training farms, horse groups and racetracks. He also has served as Chairman of the New Jersey Racing Commission and as president of Freehold Raceway, Rosecroft Raceway, and Ocean Downs. Mr. Dowd has been a trustee of the SRF for many years.

Volunteers 

SRF volunteers are many and varied, and always come through. The SRF requests help, usually through the website and volunteers come from far and wide to offer assistance. They help at horse shows, foster farms when adopters are looking to adopt, test ride the horses whose abilities are unknown to the SRF, and also help with any special needs that may arise. The Foundation could not do it all without them and extends a warm “thank you” for their time and effort.

                   
3) CURRENT FINANCING

Breeding Donations

The major contributors to the SRF are the breeding farms through their yearly donation of stallion breedings. The farms donate the breedings to the SRF who sells them on the open market, sometimes at a lesser price than the farm gets for the same breeding. SRF receives approximately 100 breeding donations yearly and sells about 60. All of the top breedings donated are sold. The SRF is the only agency that sponsors races for offspring of stallions whose breedings have been donated. If a breeding is donated to the SRF in 2005, whether sold or not, the stallions progeny that are two or three in 2005 are eligible for SRF races. These races have generated over one million dollars in purses.  

Memberships
There are approximately 3,800 active members and volunteers of the SRF who contribute in many different ways. The membership cost varies from $25 for the basic “Starting Gate” membership through the “Benefactor” membership starting at $5,000. Once a year, in our quarterly newsletter, we publish a list of our SRF donors by category, as recognition for their support.  

Sponsorships & Donations

The Equine Pharmaceutical Companies donate dated drugs and medicine to the SRF in great amounts and usually as we request them. This is a great benefit to the SRF as these items are used at the various boarding and rehab farms. The SRF is responsible for the vet and farrier expenses at these locations. Individuals also donate supplies for the care of the horses, in general.
When new horses come into the program, their previous owners are asked to pay for transportation and sponsorship until the horse is adopted. This is a tremendous help to the SRF. Several foundations and employee-sponsored giving programs contribute to the SRF on an annual basis. Our Horse Sponsorship Program has shown some good results through our website when people see some “before” and “after” photos of horses coming into the SRF; they often sponsor that particular horse and/or others.

We now have 40 horses at boarding and rehab farms with sponsors covering their expenses. We are always trying to increase the Sponsorship Program. Some people will send in a large amount of money one time and ask that it go towards the cost of horses in the program.

In addition, many vets and farriers work Pro Bono for the SRF. Others charge reduced rates for their services. The SRF is very fortunate to have our attorney, Toni Lee Cavanagh, Esq. and Dr. Stephen Bokman, who volunteer their services to the SRF, plus all of the other professional people who show their love and concern for the SRF and its mission.

4) CURRENT LIABILITIES

The SRF has no long-term liabilities.                  

Boarding and Rehab Farms

The boarding and rehab farms are the largest expense that the SRF faces each year. It has been averaging over $200,000 a year.  When the Vet, Farrier and Transport charges are added in, the number far exceeds the $250,000 figure.  Added to this is the fact that the youth programs lack continuity and suffer from not having permanent facilities to use.
It is estimated that our adoption rate could double to approximately 400 horses a year with a centralized location while reducing our overall expenses.
                                                 
 Veterinary & Farrier

At the boarding and rehab farms, the SRF is responsible for Vet and Farrier expenses. As some of these horses are old, injured or both, these costs can mount very quickly, if not monitored. Even with adopted horses we request semi-annual to annual vet checks on all the adopted horses. These are conducted at the adopter’s expense. Many vets and farriers work at a discounted rate and some work Pro Bono for the SRF.
                           
Shipping

Factors involving shipping include new horses entering the program, relocating horses between farms for various reasons and rescue of horses in distress. The shipping cost of adopted horses is the responsibility of the adopter. The SRF has a network of shippers that transport horses throughout the United States at a discounted price when their load allows.

Administration
                      
The SRF functions with three full-time personnel, many volunteers and some young adults serving community service. All the full-time employees are experienced horse lovers and treat each in their care as their own. They ensure that the new adopter is pre-qualified and looking for a long-term adoption. Every horse in the program is followed up on a semi-annual or annual basis, with vet checks to insure that the proper care is being administered. The SRF database (File Maker) contains all relative information on all horses, people and activities, past and present, associated with the SRF programs. The quarterly newsletter is written in-house, as well as membership follow-ups, website maintenance, stallion breedings and foaling certificates, volunteer coordination, fundraising events, publicity, marketing brochures, etc.

The SRF presently works out of an office space in Freehold, N J. The objective of the SRF is to have the administrative offices on premise with the horse and youth rehab facilities, thus eliminating the expense of outside office facilities.  The administrative cost was approximately 20% of the total budget for 2004, due to the cost of upgrading a nine and half year old computer system, outdated records and files, and the addition of another Placement Coordinator. As a result of these three factors, SRF had the best adoption year ever in 2004. The objective for 2006 is to lower the administrative cost to less than 15% of the total budget through more adoptions and continual growth of the youth programs.    

5) SRF REHAB FARM (For Horses & Youths)

Horse Care

With its own facilities, the SRF could process many more horse adoptions each year at a centralized location, as some adopters resist traveling any distance to view a potentially adoptable horse. Horses that are already started under saddle are more adoptable than those that are not. This would also be done at the SRF Rehab Farm with volunteers. Providing better care for the ones that are not likely to be adopted at a far lesser cost to the SRF is also a factor.
Many horses coming into the program need up to six months rehabilitation time prior to being put up for adoption.  This is very costly for the SRF using boarding and rehab farms.  The SRF Rehab Farm would be a faster and cheaper method, utilizing a centralized Vet and Farrier, and also includes the volunteers that are always there to help. The cost of the normal care would be reduced substantially for all horses. In addition, the SRF can employ the services of volunteers and youth groups to work with the horses to provide normal care and maintenance on a daily basis.

The SRF Placement Coordinators always give an honest and accurate description of the condition and ability of each horse to prospective adopters, thus eliminating the possibility of an adopter being disappointed and returning the horse.

Youth Programs

The SRF has four youth programs that have suffered due to the lack of a permanent facility for conducting the programs on a continual basis.  Two new programs are also being developed at this time.

The Therapeutic Riding and Driving Program

This program benefits children challenged by Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Attention Deficit Disorder and developmental disorders. These children enjoy the physical and emotional experience of petting, riding, driving, talking and just giving these horses what they so easily give to everyone else - unconditional love. If you come on a day that they are here you will hear laughter and the squeals of happiness everywhere.

Youth in Focus

This program helps youngsters in need of direction to focus and channel their energy in a positive way. SRF works with schools to target students who will benefit most in after school and summer programs. With guidance, two students take on the responsibility of caring for a horse, they learn to work together, building self-esteem and setting and accomplishing goals as they prepare their horse for a loving home.

Project Redirect

This program serves as a learning and work situation for youth who are court ordered to serve community service hours for their violations of the law. Through their required work, troubled youngsters learn respect, responsibility and companionship - qualities often missing in their young lives. Three such individuals are currently working as volunteers at the SRF.

Vocational Training Program

Once SRF has a permanent home, it would like to start a program for young people who want to learn about the care and management of horses, in general. The SRF averages four requests monthly from young people or their parents inquiring about volunteering to learn more about the daily care and management of horses/the facility. Some may want to continue on in the horse industry as a vocation, later in life. This could develop into a formal Groom’s Training Program with the candidates moving on into the racing industry as a vocation.

Juvenile Justice Program

The SRF has initiated a program with the New Jersey Department of Juvenile Justice System, the New Jersey Department of Education and Rutgers University. This program will use horses provided by the SRF to teach social skills required by the youth for re-entering society.  Trust, teamwork, responsibility, kindness, love, dedication, etc. are a few of the traits that can be developed from dealing with horses, as they are non-judgmental.

The state has built a large compound with three stalls for horses and training facilities at the Jamesburg Home for Boys to be used for this particular program. The state has also hired a USTA Licensed Trainer to head up the program. The overall goal is to develop a program to serve as a model for the State and possibly the country, working with juvenile justice systems. The USTA has approved the program and will issue certificates of completion to those that qualify.

President Paula Campbell

Vice President Peter Gerry

Secretary/Treasurer Judith Bokman

Trustees:

Dr. Stephen Bokman, M.S., DVM

John Campbell

Chuck Sylvester

Dennis Dowd

Sharon Sylvester