There are few times that we at GoHorseShow.com are left at a loss for words, and this is one of them. In just its second year, the Trainer Bowl absolutely exceeded everyone’s wildest dreams thanks to the tenacity and generosity of so many. There are countless people to thank but first off we must congratulate Reid Thomas, the winner of Trainer Bowl II Presented by Kendalls Western Hats. Through hard work and unbridled determination, Reid raised $40,761.75 towards an overall total of $63,761.75 thus earning him the title of Trainer Bowl Champion!
Lainie DeBoer fought an incredible battle matching Thomas dollar for dollar until the last few hours. She herself raised $18,000 for her charity, We Can Ride, which is absolutely incredible in itself.
GoHorseShow.com would personally like to thank each and every person who made the 2009 Trainer Bowl happen. We are so appreciative to all of you! Thank you to the voters who racked up over 500,000 votes through five rounds and to all of the extremely generous donations throughout this past week. Lastly, to all 64 trainers who worked incredibly hard and who donated an additional $5,000 to the total amount raised.
Reid’s charity was the Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center in his hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas. Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center is an accredited organization which provides equine-assisted therapy and rehabilitation for children and adults with physical, mental, emotional and learning disabilities. Reid’s mother, Charlene Thomas, runs Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center and Reid has dedicated much of his time and energy to helping this cause.
Donations were made to Equine Sharing Program, Inc. which is a charitable organization exempt from income tax under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. This program was organized to fulfill a growing need for equine assisted therapy for handicapped individuals who do not have the financial means to pay for this program on their own.
The money Reid raised through the Trainer Bowl will assist eligible individuals to experience the many benefits of horseback riding which will improve their quality of life both physically and mentally through their interaction with the horse. Recipients will be granted scholarships to be used exclusively for therapeutic horseback riding from a qualified instructor at the Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center which is certified by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). The Equine Sharing Program scholarship committee will select eligible scholarship recipients based upon available funds.
On behalf of all of us at GoHorseShow.com, we thank everyone for supporting such a fantastic cause.
