News Horse Country Provides Memorable Experience for Local Students July 28, 2025 The heart of Kentucky’s Horse Country truly came alive on Wednesday, July 23rd, as 170 elementary school students from Woodford County’s Summer School Program embarked on field trips through the region’s iconic Thoroughbred farms. Organized by Visit Horse Country, this immersive educational initiative provided students with unparalleled, hands-on experiences, fostering a deeper connection to the horse, land, and people that define the Bluegrass. From kindergarteners to fourth graders, each class enjoyed a specially curated morning designed to ignite their curiosity and introduce them to their signature industry. Five prominent Horse Country member farms generously opened their gates: Godolphin at Gainsborough Farm hosted the kindergarten class, Airdrie Stud the first graders, Lane’s End Farm the second graders, Pin Oak Stud the third graders, and Resolute Racing the fourth graders. The field trips and the work that went into planning each visit are a testament to the farms’ commitment to engaging the next generation in horse racing. “It’s not every day in Horse Country that we get to work with local students, seeing the pure joy and excitement on the faces of these kids as they connected with the horse was an uplifting experience, it reminded me as to why I got into this business in the first place,” said Hallie Hardy, Executive Director of Horse Country. “These field trips were invaluable in showing students the breadth of what ‘Horse Country’ truly means – not just racing, but breeding, raising, caring for, and celebrating these incredible animals. We believe these moments will spark a lifelong appreciation for the horse and perhaps even inspire future horsemen and women.” Each farm organized the content of their field trip to provide both education and entertainment, with the goal of connecting the local students to their signature industry and instilling pride as well. Some examples of the activities from the morning include: Watching the 2025 Kentucky Derby at Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm and learning that the winner, Sovereignty, was born and raised right there on the farm. At Airdrie Stud, the students learned about “hands” as a traditional unit for measuring horses and recorded their height in hands against the backdrop of a life-size printout of the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner, Mage. The class took home the backdrop for their classroom! 2022 Horse of the Year, Flightline, was brought out of his stall for the students at Lane’s End Farm to measure their stride lengths compared to his. Pin Oak Stud provided an interactive experience with the farm’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the training track, equine spa, treadmill, equicizer, and observing horses as they went through their morning training routines. At Resolute Racing, the students got up close and personal with Puca and her 2025 Good Magic filly! This programming was unique to the “normal” experience in Horse Country and required all five farms to customize the field trips with material that met the students at their educational and interest levels. Both Amplify Horse Racing and Keeneland’s team who implement their Kids Club consulted on the programming to ensure that each farm had the support to make these field trips as impactful as possible. “Pin Oak were delighted to welcome the next generation of Woodford County to visit and learn about the Thoroughbred,” shared Michael Hardy, Director of Farm Operations at Pin Oak Stud. “It was incredible to see their responses when given the opportunity to groom a horse or get up close to the racetrack, but what was most rewarding was hearing them say this was the best day ever when getting back on the bus. Hopefully we have inspired a few new fans.” The collaboration between Horse Country, the participating farms, and Woodford County Public Schools exemplifies an important community partnership for the racing industry, that will bring a positive impact to all. “Horse Country and their member farms did a spectacular job meeting our needs to provide a fun, educational and unique experience for our summer program students,” said Sandra Southworth, District Counselor from Woodford County Public Schools. “These farm field trips gave our students a deeper connection to their community and a diverse learning experience these students do not typically have access to, allowing us to meet district goals and our mission statement while promoting the individual growth and achievement of each student.” “I can’t imagine having a better time on a horse farm,” added Kindergarten teacher, Anne Brooks. “I loved that the kids made a connection between where they live and this beautiful place. It was great for the kids to see that they could be part of the horse industry now and in the future.” Horse Country and its member farms remain committed to fostering community connections and offering unparalleled access to the horse. This successful day with Woodford County students serves as a shining example of the positive impact that can be achieved when the industry works together to open its doors to the future.
