CLAY — Sunshine Horses in Clay will welcome community members to the farm from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 18.
Founded in 2003, Sunshine is an independent, not-for-profit horse adoption agency and rescue facility.
The farm specializes in rehabilitating, retraining, and rehoming retired Standardbred racehorses but is committed to helping all horses in need, regardless of industry or breed.
Visitors to the farm will have the chance to tour the facilities, meet the horses and the volunteers who care for them, discover the versatility and disposition of Standardbreds; and learn how to adopt, sponsor and volunteer.
The event will also feature carriage and pony rides, equine demonstrations, raffle baskets, face painting, arts and crafts, food catered by Phoenix Sports Restaurant, Skippy’s ice cream, horse treats, and the Clay fire truck. The farm will be accepting bottles, cans, and excess metals throughout the day.
The open house will be held immediately following Sunshine’s ShortcaKe 4K, which starts at 10 a.m.
The race, which is the sixth event in the 2022 Dick’s Sporting Goods Family Fit Running Series, is presented by Northside Collision.
All finishers will receive a fresh strawberry shortcake and medals featuring the ShortcaKe 4K mascot, Strawberry the Donkey. The first 250 registrants will also receive a custom race shirt.
Visit runsignup.com to sign up. Registration ends at 11:59 p.m. June 16. A virtual option is also available for runners who cannot make the in-person race. Parking is free and portable toilets will be available.
Proceeds from the day will go towards furthering Sunshine’s mission.
“This is a major fundraiser for Sunshine, as our expenses are heavy and ongoing,” said Jan Lower, an event committee member.
Sunshine’s 56-acre property is currently home to 21 horses, with more expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
Through volunteer support and community donations, the organization has found homes for more than 250 horses and become the largest Standardbred rescue and adoption group in New York State.
“[Racehorses] are required to retire at the age of 14 but often leave the track well before that for several reasons, including not earning/winning or suffering an injury,” explained Lower. “Horses can live well into their 20s and can be retrained to be ridden and often are driven for pleasure.”
In addition to helping horses, Sunshine strives to help people and offer opportunities for personal growth.
According to Lower, the farm furthers this aspect of its mission in a variety of ways.
“Individuals come with their mentors to help us care for the horses, giving them a sense of helping in the community,” she said. “Scouts have earned their Eagle badges with projects they have designed, inner city children attended our Summer Horse Camp session, [and] companies look for ways their employees can support their communities by volunteering with a project, like painting fences.”
Lower also noted that senior citizens from retirement communities have visited the farm to tour and enjoy a “day in the country” and high school students often take advantage of the opportunity to fulfill their community service requirements.
Sunshine Horses is located at 3721 Verplank Road in Clay.
To learn more about the organization and how to support its work, visit sunshinehorses.org.
