This weekend at Kentucky Horse Park, ten champions were crowned at the 2026 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The banner event of the Retired Racehorse Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to increasing demand for Thoroughbreds beyond racing, the Thoroughbred Makeover is the largest and most lucrative retraining program in North America, offering $135,000 guaranteed base prize money and nearly $40,000 in additional special awards.
It’s a multi-discipline event, so while eventing features as a discipline, horses can compete in virtually any discipline, a feature that truly highlights the versatility of the breed.
Here’s the 2026 Eventing champion, presented by Bourbon Lane Retirement Fund:
Thoroughbred Makeover Eventing champion Al Tirah, trained by Rory Catherine Parks. Photo by Megan Mullan for Erin Gilmore Photography.
Al Tirah – Trained by Rory Catherine Parks
Cross Traffic – My Gal Lexie, by Sultry Song
Race Record and Earnings: 18-1-0-2, $24,170
2020 gray/roan mare bred in Kentucky by Modo Tesio Equine, LLC
Owned by Arnaldo Monge
Trained by Darragh Holden
“Opal” was gifted to Rory and from day one, Rory knew she had a very special horse on her hands – one that was capable of winning the Makeover.
“This horse is a once in a lifetime horse,” Rory said in a press release. “I got her from a good friend who is actually here. I knew her at the track, and I immediately went into the barn after not being there for a while and said ‘I want this one when she’s done.’ This is a once in a lifetime horse and this will be my 5* horse hopefully!”
Beyond that, you can meet the other nine winners across divisions and learn more about the Thoroughbred Makeover here.
U.S. Events Opening Entries Today
Pine Top Thanksgiving H.T. (GA)
U.S. Events Closing Entries Today
The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs (CA); Virginia Horse Center Eventing Fall (VA); Rocking Horse Fall H.T. (FL); Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (TX)
In the News
- Show jumping Olympian Scott Brash was involved in a fatal car accident in Spain last week
Sponsor Corner:
Two quick tests can tell you a lot about your horse’s hydration levels, and they’re simple enough to commit to muscle memory for when you need them. Hydration, or lack thereof, is a key contributor to a horse’s overall health so it’s a good thing to keep a close eye on, especially after hard work or other stresses or high temperatures.
Learn more about these simple tests here, and save the graphics above for future reference.
Recommended Reading & Listening
- An awesome interview with Sinead Halpin Maynard on the Live Free Ride Free podcast with Rupert Isaacson
- Why horses are the place Lucienne Bellissimo feels the most like herself
Coaching Corner
- Want to take a close look at some of the top courses in the world, with some of the best designers? The FEI recently launched a new FEI Campus series dedicated to cross country course design. The series opens with course insights from Avenches, and Hartpury. More courses will be added to the series. [Watch it here]
- Walk a rail-ditch-rail question with Laine Ashker
Go Eventing
The family that goes eventing together stays together, or something to that effect:
