Post by Exceller Fund on Oct 9, 2006 23:15:11 GMT -5
Dear Exceller Fund Members,
Here is the Update for May. What a month it has been. I was going to send the update out a little earlier, but after the Preakness, I just did not have the emotional energy to send anything out right away. I then had a personal emergency that took a lot of my time and attention, but things are settling down now. We have a LOT of information to let you know about!
MAJOR FUNDRAISING NEWS!!!
We have two exciting fundraisers to tell you about!!!
Sing and Alex
This is a DELIGHTFUL children's book that has been written and offered to The Exceller Fund to help with fundraising. We received an inquiry from the author, Rob Sauer, if we would like to sell this book from our website. This is an ADORABLE book about a little racehorse and a little boy who loves him. "Sing So Low" is a racehorse who has never won a race. He moves from barn to barn until he ends up at the barn where Alex's father works. Alex is a little boy who loves Sing and believes in him.
This charming story illustrates the power of love and believing in one's self. It is 20 pages with very cute full-color illustrations. The book was written by Rob Sauer and is based on a real horse he has and his own little boy who loves the horse. Rob wrote this story for his son and then had it made into a book which he hopes can bring in money to benefit other Thoroughbreds in need of a home.
Rob used to live near the Fingerlakes Track and saw our Fingerlakes Track Listings and was appreciative of our efforts to help the horses at this track. Please take a look on our Giftshop at excellerfund.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=E&Category_Code=MM
We are issuing a Press Release and publicity campaign aimed at the General Horse loving media as well as children's media. Our Introductory offer will run until June 30, 2006, but that price will also be available after that time to Exceller Fund Members in good standing (current for at least the past 3 months). You have the opportunity to order the book, and for a few dollars more, you can get the book signed by the author and the illustrator. (They will not be able to to personalized autographs.) This is an amzaing opportunity to own a rare first edition of what is sure to be a classic children's book.
Danielle's Celebrity Horses
You have GOT to see these latest adorable creations from Danielle. There is an Angel horse, Point Given, Smarty Jones, and Phar Lap. The Angel Horse is a beautifully detailed and crafted creation that can look over you and your loved ones. The Angel horse can also be a nice momento for someone who has recently lost a beloved horse.
In addition to the horses listed above, Danielle has also created miniatures of Rich In Dallas, Exceller, and Ferdinand. These have already sold out, but I have their photos up in the Gift Shop for you to see. If you would like to "pre-order" any of these, please send me an e-mail.
Recent Exceller Fund auctions
Our recent eBay auctions have gone very well. Our signed Kentucky Oaks posters went for over $100 each! Our auctions for the Ferdinand Bloodhorse issue, and our Northern Dancer poster also did well. The auction for the 12 year old article on Raise A Native even made $5!.
ADOPTED!!!!
Glo Most Hot - Our own Glo Most Hot has been adopted from the TRF's Makers Mark Secretariat Center! Glo Most Hot was puchased by us from the Fairmount Park Paddock Sale with the help of Keely Morgan of CANTER, Southern Illinois. "Gloey" spent some pasture time with Ton of Gold and Prospector Sally in Southern Illinois before being sent to the Secretariat Center. An evaluation of this sturdy mare showed that she would be fine for most disciplines including Polo Play. Her new home will be at a Polo School near Atlanta Georgia. She is being adopted along with another horse that is from the TRF. The owners have signed our lifetime adoption contract and we look forward to hear how "Gloey" does in her new career.
Gloey's role will be a beginning polo lesson horse where students learn how to balance on the back of a horse will learning how to hold and swing the mallet and hit the ball. For that, the students need a calm horse who will walk until they are ready to trot or canter. I received a call from Mimi Davis, the farm manager at the Secretariat Center. She said Gloey's new owners called and are delighted with the mare. She is calm and seems to know exactly what to do.
NEWS ON OUR CURRENT HORSES!
Dah Waterboy is featured as the "May Horse of the Month" by the Horse Welfare Organizations Website!
This fine gelding is currently owned by The Exceller Fund and we have just been told that he is the poster boy for May for the Horse Welfare Organization! You can access their website here: horsewelfare.8k.com .
We are hoping that Dah Waterboy's being featured here will help with adoption efforts, as we have had him up for adoption for some time and had a few people interested - but nothing permanent has panned out. Here is what is written about him on the site:
"Waterboy is a sweet, bay gelding looking for a wonderful new home. I first knew Waterboy back in 2001, when I boarded my horse on the same farm as him. He was one of my favorites to groom and take for long grazing walks.
Waterboy has always been a mature, good-natured horse with excellent ground manners. He loved to be brushed and pampered and (as most horses) would rather spend his time in a field (not a stall). Unfortunately, he is not rideable, but would make a wonderful companion horse. He is currently available for adoption
from The Exceller Fund for only $250! Please consider taking him home today!"
The potential for light riding for Waterboy is a big question mark that will only be answered if/when he is vetted. Unfortunately, we do not have the funding to "vet" our horses, and have been advised that this should be done by a potential adopter's vet to avoid any potential conflict of interest. What I have been told is that he had shattered his sesamoids and possibly bowed, but that was quite a few years ago. From what I have been told, he does not appear to be lame (he did have a couple of abscesses which have worked their way out), so we don't know if the injuries have mended enough for very light riding, or if he is only pasture sound.
We thought Waterboy would have a "forever" home when he was adopted a couple of years ago as a companion horse, but his owner died, and thus he is back looking for a new home.
Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this beautiful boy finds a good home! If you know someone who might like a sweet and regal friend, please have them contact us.
Now Is The Hour
Some of The Exceller Fund's longer-term members will remember this gelding as one of our earliest rescues, when the then 12-year old stallion was running at Charles Town in West Virginia. Helen Meredith of United Pegasus Foundation has let me know that NITH has been returned by his adoptive owner to the UPF ranch in Hemet, California.
If you recall Now is the Hour's story, he was running down in races at Charles Town for a trainer that was known to sell to "kill" buyers. At the time, The Exceller Fund did not have a relationship with ReRun or any other organization on the East Coast that could take this old warrior. So we shipped him to United Pegasus Foundation in California and also paid to have him gelded. NITH was adopted out through United Pegasus' process, since The Exceller Fund was not yet incorporated at the time.
Now Is The Hour is now in need of a sponsor to pay for his stay and/or retirement at UPF. The Exceller Fund was founded on the notion that we commit ourselves to taking care of horses for the rest of their lives as necessary, and Now Is The Hour needs our support!!!
However, this comes at a time when our monthly donations are shrinking, and we have not received much in the way of grant funding so far this year. There are many members who have fallen behind, perhaps due to credit card expiration dates or other reasons. I ask that those of you who are behind, PLEASE send in a donation to get current, or update your credit card information with Karla by e-mailing her at britadog@aol.com If you need additional information, please let me know.
In addition, if anyone out there can contribute just a little more each month to help support Now Is The Hour, or if you know someone who might like to join The Exceller Fund as a member...every little bit we raise will help this deserving horse.
NEW HORSES - AND OTHER HORSES WE HAVE HELPED
Handsome Jolly Jim
Our volunteer at Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate NY sent us this urgent bulletin about a old-time campaigner:
"I talked to one of the trainers, who has a horse that he doesn't want to sell, but wants to give away to a good home. The horse's name is Handsome Jolly Jim. He's a nice looking 11 year old bay gelding, who stands about 15.3. The trainer says he has run a lot, has won a good amount of money and that he is still sound. Over the winter this poor guy got kicked in the head by another horse, and got his jaw broken. It seems to be healing nicely, though there still is some infection. Due to the injury, the horse lolls his tongue all the time. The trainer says that the vet thinks it is simply because, with the jaw pain, he is more comfortable that way. There doesn't seem to be any neurological damage, the horse can move the tongue, and even retract it, with no problem. The danger is that, even after the jaw finishes healing, it may have become a habit for this horse to loll his tongue, which would mean that he would not be acceptable as a show horse. The trainer wants to keep this horse until the jaw is healed, then he will give him away. Anybody have any ideas about how we can find this guy a home?"
Handsome Jolly Jim had raced in more than 130 starts (earning $166,000.) At 11 and after such a terrible accident, we all found it commendable that the owner wanted his horse healed and placed for free.
The Exceller Fund received an offer from one of our newest members, Lisa Gates, who is in New York, to keep the horse at the stable where her trainer is located. We are paying $150 a month to board Handsome Jolly Jim, and Lisa is generously subsidizing the rest.
Now renamed "Sid," this kind horse is recovering nicely at his new home. After some evaluation, we will determine if he can be adopted out as a riding horse or as a companion only horse. I think we can all agree that helping a trainer do the right thing by his horses, and providing a home to such a hard-trying horse, is what such efforts should all be about.
Take a look at this hard-knocking campaigner that is also genuinely sweet!:
Abe
Many of you know about the work done by Columbia Basin Equine Rescue (CBER), a rescue group that works to post information about horses available at a feedlot near Yakima, Washington. The Exceller Fund and individual members have either acquired horses with CBER's help, or have assisted them in rescuing and caring for horses such as Mystic Illahee, Hana Bride, Montibel, Kadu, Grant, and Jeffrey. Recently, a bedraggled yearling Thoroughbred colt was languishing at the feedlot in immediate danger of being shipped to Nebraska and then Canada for slaughter.
Abe a little TB type yearling gelding was brought to The Exceller Funds attention, as no one had paid his price at the feedlot and he was in danger of shipping to slaughter. The Exceller Fund is well beyond our available cash flow for taking in new horses, but fortunately Dean Solomon, the owner of Pacific Equestrian Cener, A Thoroughbred rescue/rehab facility located in Kent, Washington stepped forward and said that she could take this poor youngster at her facility. A quick Exceller Fund Board of Directors e-mail conference later, we agreed to send an overnight check for $375 to CBER to secure the yearling from the lot and send him to PEC.
You can see this poor little guy on this page:
The Exceller Fund (and this means all of YOU) has given this little guy the chance to reach his full potential in life.
Almost Excessive
The Exceller Fund received an urgent e-mail about an injured Thoroughbred gelding located at the Portland Meadows track in Oregon. The e-mailer (the horse's groom) said that the horse was to be sent to the area auction within three days. She expressed a grave concern, as this is an auction that kill buyers attend. Injured horses usually end up with these kill buyers.
The horse had an injured suspensory on one leg and a bowed tendon on the other. The groom claimed that no one at the track wanted him because he was "ugly."
The Exceller Fund has limited resources in the Pacific NW area. One of our Board members in WA mentioned the horse to Dean Solomon, owner of Pacific Equestrian Center boarding stable in Kent, WA and also a frequent participant in horse rescue. There was a hope that Dean could network a place for the Portland Meadows gelding to go.
Dean immediately jumped into the situation. She secured the gelding within a few days, having him shipped over to her stable. Dean refused The Exceller Fund's offer to pay shipping costs in the hopes that we could use the money to save another horse with our funds. The Exceller Fund decided to send over a package of vet supplies to assist this guy.
We have since learned that the gelding's name is Almost Excessive. He was bred in CA in 2002. His sire is from Ireland. He was raced once a year ago and injured. He was then brought back for another race at Portland Meadows this year, when he was eased into 10th place, sustaining his most recent injury.
All of us are very grateful to Dean and her staff for giving this cute little Thoroughbred gelding another chance:
As you can see in the photos, Almost Excessive is far from ugly! He is improving daily with the wonderful care he is receiving at PEC.
"Windy"
Our member Gaye McCullough, who works tirelessly to help find homes for horses at Finger Lakes Racetrack, was making the rounds of the backstretch at the track when she saw a mare that really needed to find a new home. As Gaye put it:
"It was a beautiful day on the backside yesterday, and we got some nice listings. There are two geldings that both have a lot of potential.
And then, there's Windy. If you've had mares, you know that there are a few who come along who are so sweet and so kind, that you just want to love on them all day. I just saw her for a few minutes, but I think, from what I saw and from what the trainer said, that Windy just may be one of these.
She is over at the ankles, so she won't be a big competition horse, but she is sound. She was so interested, in a calm, curious sort of way, in us, and all we were doing. The trainer thinks she would make a good family horse, and what struck me is that she is big enough that she might very well make a good husband horse, or guest rider horse.
Sometimes you see a horse that you know has a lot of love to give. You just want to make sure that horse ends up with someone who will love right back. I think Windy is such a horse. I hope very much that she ends up with a loving family, and be doted on for the rest of her life."
You can see a photo of Windy here:
![]()
exforg.proboards32.com/index.cgi?board=horse&action=display&thread=114641 3646[/IMG]
The folks at Pets Alive said that they had been looking for a calm (preferably older) companion mare for one of the retired carriage horses living at the sanctuary. Kingfish will be 42 years old this year, and recently lost his 30+-year-old TB companion (she herself had been a racehorse, then backyard horse, then hack horse) to Cushings disease. Exceller Fund Board member Darlene contacted the trainer of Windy, and the trainer agreed to donate the mare to The Exceller Fund so we in turn could adopt her out to Pets Alive. She has just arrived at the sanctuary and is already making new friends!
Dee Beau Black
CANTER Ohio has been in a desparate race to secure this beautiful gelding from meeting a bad end. There was quite a bit of back and forth negotiations with the trainer, and at the last minute, an unexpected expense was handed to CANTER if they were going to get this guy into a safe place. With a quick rush of e-mails, the Board approved a $100 donation to CANTER to help with the last minute expenses. CANTER Ohio is extremely grateful for our help! You can see this beautiful horse at:
NEW MEMBERS
Please welcome our newest members. If you are a new member and I have not listed your name on an update, please be sure to let me know. Thanks, and my apologies if I did not include your name:
Lynne Forlenza of Virginia
Richard L. Luskin of California
Diane Massengale of New Mexico
We have added the 2005 year-end financial statement for you to review. This document is in .pdf format and is from the Excel sheet that Gayle sends to the Board. These are not the CPA prepared financial statements; if anyone would like those, please let me know and I will give you the information to obtain it from our accountant.
Also, this Members Area is for YOU, our Exceller Fund members. We have our own messageboard where members can "meet" and exchange ideas and contact information. We are working on updates and enhancements to this area, but these things take time and planning...and then more time! Please send us your suggestions for what you would like to see in this area. We may not be able to do all of them, but will do our best.
If you would like to contact me or anyone on the Board, you can send an e-mail to mail@excellerfund.org. This is our general all-purpose e-mail address and it is accessible to all of our board members.
DUES AND DONATIONS!
Please don't forget to send in your dues for June!!! If you forgot to send in May, you can combine it with June. You can also pay ahead of time for any number of months up through the end of the year. There are several ways that you can make your monthly donation:
Checks (mailing address is below)
Credit Card donation through our Gift Shop: excellerfund.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=E
Credit Card - automatic deduction - send an e-mail to Karla Phaneuf at britadog@aol.com for instructions.
PayPal - The PayPal address is donate@excellerfund.org
American Express now offers cardholders the opportunity to donate using their American Express card and earn Reward Points at the same time: www124.americanexpress.com/cards/loyalty.do?page=donateonline
If you pay by check, please make them payable to The Exceller Fund, Inc. and mailed to:
The Exceller Fund
3572 Star Ridge Road
Hayward, CA 94542
Thanks to all of you for helping horses.
Bonnie Mizrahi
The Exceller Fund
Here is the Update for May. What a month it has been. I was going to send the update out a little earlier, but after the Preakness, I just did not have the emotional energy to send anything out right away. I then had a personal emergency that took a lot of my time and attention, but things are settling down now. We have a LOT of information to let you know about!
MAJOR FUNDRAISING NEWS!!!
We have two exciting fundraisers to tell you about!!!
Sing and Alex
This is a DELIGHTFUL children's book that has been written and offered to The Exceller Fund to help with fundraising. We received an inquiry from the author, Rob Sauer, if we would like to sell this book from our website. This is an ADORABLE book about a little racehorse and a little boy who loves him. "Sing So Low" is a racehorse who has never won a race. He moves from barn to barn until he ends up at the barn where Alex's father works. Alex is a little boy who loves Sing and believes in him.
This charming story illustrates the power of love and believing in one's self. It is 20 pages with very cute full-color illustrations. The book was written by Rob Sauer and is based on a real horse he has and his own little boy who loves the horse. Rob wrote this story for his son and then had it made into a book which he hopes can bring in money to benefit other Thoroughbreds in need of a home.
Rob used to live near the Fingerlakes Track and saw our Fingerlakes Track Listings and was appreciative of our efforts to help the horses at this track. Please take a look on our Giftshop at excellerfund.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=E&Category_Code=MM
We are issuing a Press Release and publicity campaign aimed at the General Horse loving media as well as children's media. Our Introductory offer will run until June 30, 2006, but that price will also be available after that time to Exceller Fund Members in good standing (current for at least the past 3 months). You have the opportunity to order the book, and for a few dollars more, you can get the book signed by the author and the illustrator. (They will not be able to to personalized autographs.) This is an amzaing opportunity to own a rare first edition of what is sure to be a classic children's book.
Danielle's Celebrity Horses
You have GOT to see these latest adorable creations from Danielle. There is an Angel horse, Point Given, Smarty Jones, and Phar Lap. The Angel Horse is a beautifully detailed and crafted creation that can look over you and your loved ones. The Angel horse can also be a nice momento for someone who has recently lost a beloved horse.
In addition to the horses listed above, Danielle has also created miniatures of Rich In Dallas, Exceller, and Ferdinand. These have already sold out, but I have their photos up in the Gift Shop for you to see. If you would like to "pre-order" any of these, please send me an e-mail.
Recent Exceller Fund auctions
Our recent eBay auctions have gone very well. Our signed Kentucky Oaks posters went for over $100 each! Our auctions for the Ferdinand Bloodhorse issue, and our Northern Dancer poster also did well. The auction for the 12 year old article on Raise A Native even made $5!.
ADOPTED!!!!
Glo Most Hot - Our own Glo Most Hot has been adopted from the TRF's Makers Mark Secretariat Center! Glo Most Hot was puchased by us from the Fairmount Park Paddock Sale with the help of Keely Morgan of CANTER, Southern Illinois. "Gloey" spent some pasture time with Ton of Gold and Prospector Sally in Southern Illinois before being sent to the Secretariat Center. An evaluation of this sturdy mare showed that she would be fine for most disciplines including Polo Play. Her new home will be at a Polo School near Atlanta Georgia. She is being adopted along with another horse that is from the TRF. The owners have signed our lifetime adoption contract and we look forward to hear how "Gloey" does in her new career.
Gloey's role will be a beginning polo lesson horse where students learn how to balance on the back of a horse will learning how to hold and swing the mallet and hit the ball. For that, the students need a calm horse who will walk until they are ready to trot or canter. I received a call from Mimi Davis, the farm manager at the Secretariat Center. She said Gloey's new owners called and are delighted with the mare. She is calm and seems to know exactly what to do.
NEWS ON OUR CURRENT HORSES!
Dah Waterboy is featured as the "May Horse of the Month" by the Horse Welfare Organizations Website!
This fine gelding is currently owned by The Exceller Fund and we have just been told that he is the poster boy for May for the Horse Welfare Organization! You can access their website here: horsewelfare.8k.com .
We are hoping that Dah Waterboy's being featured here will help with adoption efforts, as we have had him up for adoption for some time and had a few people interested - but nothing permanent has panned out. Here is what is written about him on the site:
"Waterboy is a sweet, bay gelding looking for a wonderful new home. I first knew Waterboy back in 2001, when I boarded my horse on the same farm as him. He was one of my favorites to groom and take for long grazing walks.
Waterboy has always been a mature, good-natured horse with excellent ground manners. He loved to be brushed and pampered and (as most horses) would rather spend his time in a field (not a stall). Unfortunately, he is not rideable, but would make a wonderful companion horse. He is currently available for adoption
from The Exceller Fund for only $250! Please consider taking him home today!"
The potential for light riding for Waterboy is a big question mark that will only be answered if/when he is vetted. Unfortunately, we do not have the funding to "vet" our horses, and have been advised that this should be done by a potential adopter's vet to avoid any potential conflict of interest. What I have been told is that he had shattered his sesamoids and possibly bowed, but that was quite a few years ago. From what I have been told, he does not appear to be lame (he did have a couple of abscesses which have worked their way out), so we don't know if the injuries have mended enough for very light riding, or if he is only pasture sound.
We thought Waterboy would have a "forever" home when he was adopted a couple of years ago as a companion horse, but his owner died, and thus he is back looking for a new home.
Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this beautiful boy finds a good home! If you know someone who might like a sweet and regal friend, please have them contact us.
Now Is The Hour
Some of The Exceller Fund's longer-term members will remember this gelding as one of our earliest rescues, when the then 12-year old stallion was running at Charles Town in West Virginia. Helen Meredith of United Pegasus Foundation has let me know that NITH has been returned by his adoptive owner to the UPF ranch in Hemet, California.
If you recall Now is the Hour's story, he was running down in races at Charles Town for a trainer that was known to sell to "kill" buyers. At the time, The Exceller Fund did not have a relationship with ReRun or any other organization on the East Coast that could take this old warrior. So we shipped him to United Pegasus Foundation in California and also paid to have him gelded. NITH was adopted out through United Pegasus' process, since The Exceller Fund was not yet incorporated at the time.
Now Is The Hour is now in need of a sponsor to pay for his stay and/or retirement at UPF. The Exceller Fund was founded on the notion that we commit ourselves to taking care of horses for the rest of their lives as necessary, and Now Is The Hour needs our support!!!
However, this comes at a time when our monthly donations are shrinking, and we have not received much in the way of grant funding so far this year. There are many members who have fallen behind, perhaps due to credit card expiration dates or other reasons. I ask that those of you who are behind, PLEASE send in a donation to get current, or update your credit card information with Karla by e-mailing her at britadog@aol.com If you need additional information, please let me know.
In addition, if anyone out there can contribute just a little more each month to help support Now Is The Hour, or if you know someone who might like to join The Exceller Fund as a member...every little bit we raise will help this deserving horse.
NEW HORSES - AND OTHER HORSES WE HAVE HELPED
Handsome Jolly Jim
Our volunteer at Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate NY sent us this urgent bulletin about a old-time campaigner:
"I talked to one of the trainers, who has a horse that he doesn't want to sell, but wants to give away to a good home. The horse's name is Handsome Jolly Jim. He's a nice looking 11 year old bay gelding, who stands about 15.3. The trainer says he has run a lot, has won a good amount of money and that he is still sound. Over the winter this poor guy got kicked in the head by another horse, and got his jaw broken. It seems to be healing nicely, though there still is some infection. Due to the injury, the horse lolls his tongue all the time. The trainer says that the vet thinks it is simply because, with the jaw pain, he is more comfortable that way. There doesn't seem to be any neurological damage, the horse can move the tongue, and even retract it, with no problem. The danger is that, even after the jaw finishes healing, it may have become a habit for this horse to loll his tongue, which would mean that he would not be acceptable as a show horse. The trainer wants to keep this horse until the jaw is healed, then he will give him away. Anybody have any ideas about how we can find this guy a home?"
Handsome Jolly Jim had raced in more than 130 starts (earning $166,000.) At 11 and after such a terrible accident, we all found it commendable that the owner wanted his horse healed and placed for free.
The Exceller Fund received an offer from one of our newest members, Lisa Gates, who is in New York, to keep the horse at the stable where her trainer is located. We are paying $150 a month to board Handsome Jolly Jim, and Lisa is generously subsidizing the rest.
Now renamed "Sid," this kind horse is recovering nicely at his new home. After some evaluation, we will determine if he can be adopted out as a riding horse or as a companion only horse. I think we can all agree that helping a trainer do the right thing by his horses, and providing a home to such a hard-trying horse, is what such efforts should all be about.
Take a look at this hard-knocking campaigner that is also genuinely sweet!:
Abe
Many of you know about the work done by Columbia Basin Equine Rescue (CBER), a rescue group that works to post information about horses available at a feedlot near Yakima, Washington. The Exceller Fund and individual members have either acquired horses with CBER's help, or have assisted them in rescuing and caring for horses such as Mystic Illahee, Hana Bride, Montibel, Kadu, Grant, and Jeffrey. Recently, a bedraggled yearling Thoroughbred colt was languishing at the feedlot in immediate danger of being shipped to Nebraska and then Canada for slaughter.
Abe a little TB type yearling gelding was brought to The Exceller Funds attention, as no one had paid his price at the feedlot and he was in danger of shipping to slaughter. The Exceller Fund is well beyond our available cash flow for taking in new horses, but fortunately Dean Solomon, the owner of Pacific Equestrian Cener, A Thoroughbred rescue/rehab facility located in Kent, Washington stepped forward and said that she could take this poor youngster at her facility. A quick Exceller Fund Board of Directors e-mail conference later, we agreed to send an overnight check for $375 to CBER to secure the yearling from the lot and send him to PEC.
You can see this poor little guy on this page:
The Exceller Fund (and this means all of YOU) has given this little guy the chance to reach his full potential in life.
Almost Excessive
The Exceller Fund received an urgent e-mail about an injured Thoroughbred gelding located at the Portland Meadows track in Oregon. The e-mailer (the horse's groom) said that the horse was to be sent to the area auction within three days. She expressed a grave concern, as this is an auction that kill buyers attend. Injured horses usually end up with these kill buyers.
The horse had an injured suspensory on one leg and a bowed tendon on the other. The groom claimed that no one at the track wanted him because he was "ugly."
The Exceller Fund has limited resources in the Pacific NW area. One of our Board members in WA mentioned the horse to Dean Solomon, owner of Pacific Equestrian Center boarding stable in Kent, WA and also a frequent participant in horse rescue. There was a hope that Dean could network a place for the Portland Meadows gelding to go.
Dean immediately jumped into the situation. She secured the gelding within a few days, having him shipped over to her stable. Dean refused The Exceller Fund's offer to pay shipping costs in the hopes that we could use the money to save another horse with our funds. The Exceller Fund decided to send over a package of vet supplies to assist this guy.
We have since learned that the gelding's name is Almost Excessive. He was bred in CA in 2002. His sire is from Ireland. He was raced once a year ago and injured. He was then brought back for another race at Portland Meadows this year, when he was eased into 10th place, sustaining his most recent injury.
All of us are very grateful to Dean and her staff for giving this cute little Thoroughbred gelding another chance:
As you can see in the photos, Almost Excessive is far from ugly! He is improving daily with the wonderful care he is receiving at PEC.
"Windy"
Our member Gaye McCullough, who works tirelessly to help find homes for horses at Finger Lakes Racetrack, was making the rounds of the backstretch at the track when she saw a mare that really needed to find a new home. As Gaye put it:
"It was a beautiful day on the backside yesterday, and we got some nice listings. There are two geldings that both have a lot of potential.
And then, there's Windy. If you've had mares, you know that there are a few who come along who are so sweet and so kind, that you just want to love on them all day. I just saw her for a few minutes, but I think, from what I saw and from what the trainer said, that Windy just may be one of these.
She is over at the ankles, so she won't be a big competition horse, but she is sound. She was so interested, in a calm, curious sort of way, in us, and all we were doing. The trainer thinks she would make a good family horse, and what struck me is that she is big enough that she might very well make a good husband horse, or guest rider horse.
Sometimes you see a horse that you know has a lot of love to give. You just want to make sure that horse ends up with someone who will love right back. I think Windy is such a horse. I hope very much that she ends up with a loving family, and be doted on for the rest of her life."
You can see a photo of Windy here:
The folks at Pets Alive said that they had been looking for a calm (preferably older) companion mare for one of the retired carriage horses living at the sanctuary. Kingfish will be 42 years old this year, and recently lost his 30+-year-old TB companion (she herself had been a racehorse, then backyard horse, then hack horse) to Cushings disease. Exceller Fund Board member Darlene contacted the trainer of Windy, and the trainer agreed to donate the mare to The Exceller Fund so we in turn could adopt her out to Pets Alive. She has just arrived at the sanctuary and is already making new friends!
Dee Beau Black
CANTER Ohio has been in a desparate race to secure this beautiful gelding from meeting a bad end. There was quite a bit of back and forth negotiations with the trainer, and at the last minute, an unexpected expense was handed to CANTER if they were going to get this guy into a safe place. With a quick rush of e-mails, the Board approved a $100 donation to CANTER to help with the last minute expenses. CANTER Ohio is extremely grateful for our help! You can see this beautiful horse at:
NEW MEMBERS
Please welcome our newest members. If you are a new member and I have not listed your name on an update, please be sure to let me know. Thanks, and my apologies if I did not include your name:
Lynne Forlenza of Virginia
Richard L. Luskin of California
Diane Massengale of New Mexico
We have added the 2005 year-end financial statement for you to review. This document is in .pdf format and is from the Excel sheet that Gayle sends to the Board. These are not the CPA prepared financial statements; if anyone would like those, please let me know and I will give you the information to obtain it from our accountant.
Also, this Members Area is for YOU, our Exceller Fund members. We have our own messageboard where members can "meet" and exchange ideas and contact information. We are working on updates and enhancements to this area, but these things take time and planning...and then more time! Please send us your suggestions for what you would like to see in this area. We may not be able to do all of them, but will do our best.
If you would like to contact me or anyone on the Board, you can send an e-mail to mail@excellerfund.org. This is our general all-purpose e-mail address and it is accessible to all of our board members.
DUES AND DONATIONS!
Please don't forget to send in your dues for June!!! If you forgot to send in May, you can combine it with June. You can also pay ahead of time for any number of months up through the end of the year. There are several ways that you can make your monthly donation:
Checks (mailing address is below)
Credit Card donation through our Gift Shop: excellerfund.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=E
Credit Card - automatic deduction - send an e-mail to Karla Phaneuf at britadog@aol.com for instructions.
PayPal - The PayPal address is donate@excellerfund.org
American Express now offers cardholders the opportunity to donate using their American Express card and earn Reward Points at the same time: www124.americanexpress.com/cards/loyalty.do?page=donateonline
If you pay by check, please make them payable to The Exceller Fund, Inc. and mailed to:
The Exceller Fund
3572 Star Ridge Road
Hayward, CA 94542
Thanks to all of you for helping horses.
Bonnie Mizrahi
The Exceller Fund