A Word From Annise
The website you are seeing right now is the new and improved digital presence of Amplify Horse Racing, and the realization of a dream for those of us behind Amplify.
Amplify launched in 2019 as a grassroots effort to create a platform for youth in the Thoroughbred horse racing industry, and to “amplify” the positive exploits of existing educational initiatives that were connecting kids with horses. Our initial planning committee didn’t know where it would go or the impact Amplify would come to have in the industry, but we’ve always wanted to serve as a catalyst for making the world of Thoroughbred racing more accessible to youth and young adults everywhere. Our timeline for growth has looked something like this:
● 2019 – The creation of Amplify is announced, inspired by gatherings of young professionals who love the Thoroughbred industry and want to do right by the horse.
● 2020 – Amplify Horse Racing is officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3), with a mission to promote education and careers to youth and young adults. Its first website is launched, and a new virtual series called “Horse Racing Hangouts” kicks off.
● January 2021 – Amplify begins working with the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation, supporting an existing initiative and becoming established in one state before growing nationally.
● July 2021 – The Amplify Horse Racing Mentorship Program is launched, creating a formal way for industry newcomers to gain insight from professionals and pursue a career.
● 2022 – Amplify’s in-person programming expands to include a series of behind the scenes equine career tours in Kentucky, and Amplify Junior events for children and their families.
● January 2023 – Amplify brings on its first full-time staff member, formalizing its movement toward becoming the national youth arm of the Thoroughbred racing industry. A second staffer was welcomed on board in March.
● June 2023 – I embarked on an international mission to England and Ireland to learn from comparable programs that are serving the Thoroughbred industry in the space of education and careers.
● June, July & August 2023 – Amplify had its busiest summer of programming EVER, highlighted by presenting at a national equine education conference in Texas, providing engaging coverage of the Belmont Stakes in New York, hosting an activation at the fan-favorite event BreyerFest in collaboration with Horse Country in Kentucky, executing on five successful behind-the-scenes student tours at Saratoga Race Course in New York, and welcoming over 30 mentees to the industry through our mentorship program.
● October 2023 – Amplify’s new website is launched, signifying a new era of quality resources about the Thoroughbred industry that can be accessed by students, families and educators everywhere. This new and improved website achieves our goal of housing a job and internship board, a blog, and an educational programs directory.
There is so much ahead for Amplify Horse Racing, as we continue to develop a continuum of resources for young people of all ages–from introductions to horses for children, all the way to career guidance for young adults. Our growth will remain tethered to the four pillars of our vision:
1. Leverage the Thoroughbred industry to connect youth, families, students, and educators with opportunities to learn about and engage with horses.
2. Serve as the first step for newcomers to Thoroughbred horse racing to learn about the industry and discover opportunities for involvement.
3. Create pathways to vocational training, employment, and continuing education.
4. Generate positivity, share knowledge and experiences, and collaborate with others to create a thriving industry.
I hope that you feel inspired by our content to grow in your own personal and professional pathway, or to support the journey of a youth who is just getting started. If you are in a position to give back, please consider becoming a mentor today, or donating so that we can continue creating more horse programs for youth.
Finally, I want to recognize the individual who made the creation of our first website possible. Back in 2020, shortly after our first ever press release announcing the birth of Amplify, I received an email from Kaitlin Fox, now the COO of CHRIMS. CHRIMS provides technology solutions for the pari-mutuel gaming aspect of the industry, which at first glance sounds a bit disconnected from our mission. Our alignment came from a mutual desire to grow the industry by facilitating youth involvement. Kaitlin, understanding that we had no resources at the time, offered to build us a website, from scratch and free of charge. Seeing that website for the first time suddenly made Amplify–still in its infancy–finally feel real. For the past three years, Kaitlin has served as my tech support, once even helping me to restore the website after I devastatingly crashed it.
Just a few weeks ago at the Horse Racing Women’s Summit (another industry initiative that has grown into an amazing movement) Kaitlin and I finally met in person for the first time. Thank you Kaitlin and CHRIMS for getting us started on this journey, and to all of our other major industry partners including Breeders’ Cup, Churchill Downs, Godolphin, John Ballantyne, Keeneland, and The Jockey Club.
If you want to learn more about Amplify’s mission, or to get in touch with me directly, please contact us today.