On July 17, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH) hosted its third annual Night of the Stars gala in the Keene Barn at Keeneland on a breezy summer evening. As CKRH President Jeanne Cox-Owens aptly noted, “This gala helps support our many therapeutic riding and hippotheraphy classes as well as spreading awareness in the community about the many services our program provides.”
Executive Director, Pat Kline, introduced CKRH students Amber Snell and Alicia Howard who opened the evening by sharing the impact this life changing program has had in their lives.
With a Disney-themed background, the spotlight shone on several worthy participants throughout the evening. First among the lot were eight CKRH riders costumed as characters from such well-known Disney films as Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and Toy Story. As rider Gabrielle McHone said “It’s fun to dress up. I liked waving and blowing kisses to the crowd and I really, really liked getting a trophy for riding Annie.” In true horse industry fashion, each of these charming exhibitors were consigned to a special auction by such community-minded sponsors as Bluewater Farm and Sales, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Machmer Hall/Laumor Farm, Merrill Lynch, Taylor Made Farm, Stockplace, Winfield Stud and Wintergreen Stallion Station.
The spotlight then shifted to the more traditional Silent and Live Auction areas, which included high-bidding items as a 1985 Jaguar previously owned by Castleton Farm’s Mrs. Fredrick Van Lennep, the 1/8 mile pole from Keeneland’s historic racetrack and a vacation to St. Croix. Other notable items included a Winfield Landscape Services package, the Chase Bank skybox at Keeneland and a memorabilia trunk from Calumet Farm. Night of the Stars ’06 raised approximately $198,000 for Central Kentucky Riding for Hope.
The gala also served as an important checkpoint for the new $3.6 million indoor arena effort. It was announced that $2.3 of the total amount had been raised thus far thanks in great part to major gifts from the John Creech family and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Corporation Kentucky, Inc. Tom Creech owns Charles T. Creech, Inc., a well-known supplier of hay products and services to Thoroughbred farms in Central Kentucky and across the country. His company has donated hay to the program through the years and been the lead sponsor for each Night of the Stars Gala. The family donated $1 million to the arena in memory of their wife and mother Virginia R. Creech, an active humanitarian who devoted her life to helping disabled children. “We gave this lead donation with the hope that other people would step up to the plate and we could go on and build this building for those who need it” said Tom on behalf of his father, John Creech Jr., who put up the lion’s share of the donation, and brother, John Creech III, who has cerebral palsy.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK), a cornerstone of Kentucky’s economy and workforce numbers, also received deserving praise for their $250,000 donation to one of the two stable wings. TMMK Corporate Contributions Program spokesperson Nila Wells said “Toyota is pleased to be a long time supporter of CKRH and one of the first contributors to their new indoor arena. This unique program utilizes one of Kentucky’s great assets, the horse, to provide a positive impact and experience for those individuals who take part.” An added urgency factor to the building of this arena was the recent announcement of the Para-Equestrian component of the 2010 FEI World Games. CKRH will be able to provide a training facility away from the usual hustle and bustle of the main Horse Park barn area, and provide housing for the horses of this special group of riders. The opportunity also exists for CKRH to lend some of its horses to the international riders who will be unable to bring their horses from their respective countries.
A final spotlight moment singled out the event sponsors: Charles T. Creech, Inc. (Gold Sponsor); Ashford Stud/Creek View Farm, Darley Stud at Jonabell Farm, Diane and David Goodnight and National City Bank (Bronze Sponsors); WUKY (Media Sponsor), Ball Homes, LLC, The Blood Horse, Cobra Farm, Cornerstone Stable, Equine Medical Associates, PSC, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Halcyon Farm, Hayden Company, Juddmonte Farm, Leininger Cabinet & Woodworking, Inc., Milburn Distributors, Inc. & Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Mulholland Springs, Stites & Harbison, PLLC, Three Chimneys Farm and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (Table Sponsors).