The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its creation when it hosts a fund-raising celebration at the Keeneland Entertainment Center in Lexington, Ky., on Friday, October 16.
The event will honor foundation board members Dr. Larry Bramlage, the longtime chairman of the Research Advisory Committee, and Dr. Gary Lavin, the longtime vice chairman of the foundation.
The evening will feature entertainment by Asleep at the Wheel, the "kings of Texas swing." Tickets are $150.
"Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has been able to carry on the important work of its forerunners over the last 20 years through the generosity of countless individuals and organizations that share a deep-rooted passion for the welfare of the horse," said foundation Chairman Dell Hancock. "This anniversary is really a celebration of the foundation's many supporters through the years."
The foundation was formed in 1989 when the Grayson Foundation and The Jockey Club Research Foundation, both of which were funding equine research, merged. Since the merger, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has underwritten 218 specific projects at 36 universities for more than $14.6 million.
"The merger was a rare example of two organizations joining forces to move an initiative forward, in this case to better serve the horse," added Hancock.
"Dr. Bramlage and Dr. Lavin are two veterinarians who have always put the interests of the horse before anything else," said foundation President Edward L. Bowen. "Both have been longtime advocates for equine medical research and the mission of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. We are proud to honor them for their many contributions over the years and look forward to their continued involvement with the foundation in the years ahead."
Bramlage, a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), is a partner in Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and serves on Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation's board of directors. He spent 11 years as chairman of the foundation's Research Advisory Committee before stepping down from the committee earlier this year because of time constraints.
Lavin owns Longfield Farm in Goshen, Ky., and serves as vice chairman of the foundation. He is a director of Keeneland Association and also a past president of the AAEP, which awards the Lavin Cup to a non-veterinary individual or organization that has exemplified outstanding care and compassion for horses and upheld AAEP horse welfare guidelines.
Asleep at the Wheel has earned nine Grammy Awards. They have played or toured with a wide range of performers, including Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton and Vince Gill.
Additional information about the anniversary event may be obtained by contacting Nancy Kelly, vice president of development for Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, at (212) 521-5305 or nkelly@jockeyclub.com.
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