Hawthorne Hosted ILEHC Fundraiser a Great Success!
Surrounded by his fans, Esther Egg takes his final bow in the Hawthorne Winner’s Circle.
The Illinois Equine Humane Center, NFP (ILEHC) held its first fundraising event on Saturday, November 1 at Hawthorne Race Course during Illinois Stakes Day. The event was a tremendous success with several thousand dollars being raised to provide care and support for ILEHC horses and to further assist at-risk Illinois horses.
ILEHC volunteers (left to right)Linda Seidler, Christine Righeimer, and Gail Vacca man the information table at Hawthorne Race Course.
Throughout the day, ILEHC board members and volunteers were on hand to answer questions about the organization and its mission, sign up new members, take listings of horses in need of new homes, and to accept donations. The support we received from Illinois racing fans really touched our hearts. It was wonderful to see how deeply racing fans care about the welfare of horses, and how concerned they are that retiring racehorses are afforded the opportunity to be placed into new homes and vocations once their careers at the track have ended.
Watch Gail being interviewed by Hawthorne correspondent Katie Mikolay.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the day was when the 13-year-old Illinois-bred Esther Egg took to the racetrack to make his final pass before the Hawthorne grandstand during an official retirement ceremony held to honor the gelding’s outstanding accomplishments.
Esther Egg makes his final pass before the grandstand during a special retirement ceremony in his honor. Retired jockey, Billy Baird, in the irons.
Esther Egg’s incredible racing career spanned 11 years: he competed in 123 races, won a total of 24 times, and earned more than $464,000. After parading before the Hawthorne grandstand Esther Egg entered the Winner’s Circle for one final time, where he was greeted by fans who presented him with a “retirement basket” filled with carrots, apples, and peppermints. Esther Egg’s racing saddle was removed for the last time and the gelding then made his way back to the stable area amid the cheers and well wishes of Hawthorne racing fans.
Watch Esther Egg on the track with Billy Baird up. There's no sound in the beginning, just track announcer Peter Galassi giving Iggy's accomplishments.
Following the days events, Esther Egg was returned to the ILEHC Hall of Champions where he now takes his place serving as a spokes-horse of sorts, to further promote the safe and humane retirement of Illinois racehorses. Esther Egg will be given several months to just relax and enjoy being a horse, and next spring he’ll begin the retraining process necessary to properly prepare him for a new vocation.
Esther Egg heading back to the Hawthorne stable area and on to his new life at the ILEHC.
The ILEHC would like to thank Hawthorne Race Course for their gracious hospitality in hosting this event. We’d also like to thank trainer Janice Ely for taking wonderful care of Esther Egg while he was stabled at the track, Aprile Horse Transport for donating their services in transporting Esther Egg to Hawthorne for his retirement celebration, Four Footed Fotos, and all of the volunteers who helped to make our very first fundraiser a huge success!
Our deepest heartfelt thanks is expressed to equine advocate and ILEHC volunteer, Linda Seidler. Linda brought the ILEHC table of volunteers to tears on Saturday when she presented the ILEHC with an incredibly generous donation, making her the very first non-ILEHC Board member to join the ILEHC Founder’s Society. We are deeply honored and grateful to have Linda’s faith and support and are delighted to have her aboard as a Founder’s Society member.
Finally, we’d like thank everyone who donated goods, services, or monetary contributions that helped to make this event successful.
