History of Thoroughbred Charities of America
TCA's founders (left to right)
The late Mrs. Allaire duPont
and Herb and Ellen Moelis
|
In 1990, a small group of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred owners, headed by
Herb and Ellen Moelis and the late Mrs. Allaire duPont, banded together
to promote the well being of retired racehorses. A small dinner auction,
featuring art and racing memorabilia, was held at the Moelis' Candy
Land Farm in Middletown, Delaware. $15,000 was raised and donated to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.
The event grew annually and in 1997, when
the funds raised at the Stallion Season Auction neared $1 million,
Thoroughbred Charities of America was created to enable many other
non-profits caring for ex-racehorses to receive grants as well.
In 2007, the Stallion Season Auction was moved from Middletown, Delaware to Lexington, Kentucky where it is hosted each winter.
In 2008, TCA formally affiliated with the
Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) and is now the charitable arm of the
organization. TCA’s affiliation with TOBA has allowed TCA to further
expand its national reach and provides the continuity needed to carry on
its mission into the future.
Over the years, TCA's Stallion Season Auction has raised over $17
million which has been distributed to over 200 different Thoroughbred
industry related non-profit organizations.