Welcome to The Racehorse Sanctuary

2008 Christmas Cards are now available - Click here for information on how to order.

The Racehorse Sanctuary has recently registered with the online fundraising company, Just Giving.

This allows everyone to make a donation to us simply by going on to the Just Giving website at www.justgiving.com and entering The Racehorse Sanctuary under the charity search.
It also allows our supporters to create their own fundraising page for any activity and collect sponsorship very simply through the Just Giving website.

This is a very easy way to fundraise and they also claim gift aid on our behalf.

The Racehorse Sanctuary is the brainchild of Graham Oldfield & Sue Collins. Graham having had a successful career as a lead driver in the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery, a British Horse Society Inspector, competitor and dressage judge along with Sue who had successfully managed a thriving high classed livery yard whilst competing in all three disciplines decided to concentrate purely on the thoroughbred ex-racehorse.

It was in 1996 when the great “Moorcroft Boy” was gifted to Graham that the decision was made by him and Sue create “The Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre”. This venture grew rapidly and under their guidance over 100 horses were successfully re-homed during the ten years that followed and a reputation was created that was second to none, on leaving this charity was on a first class footing and capable of standing on its own two feet.

One of the reasons for leaving “Moorcroft” was frustration, in the respect that continual financial pressure meant that targets had to be met and in meeting these targets it meant that those horses that needed time to adjust had to be avoided, this played on their minds a great deal and lead them on to create a facility where time wasn’t the main factor and attention could be paid to the detail and expertise needed to tend those horses who are not so straight forward but still deserve the chance.

This was a huge risk to take on but having been through this once before they were a great deal wiser and with all the best intentions in the world they were fully aware that they simply couldn’t do it alone.

After a great deal of thought three very close friends were contacted and the plan explained to them, the enthusiastic feed back received was more than enough to take the plunge and set about creating the “Racehorse Sanctuary”. One of the three people involved with Graham and Sue is Colin Passmore, a very successful businessman who has his feet well and truly on the ground and has the where with all to make sound financial and business decisions.

Colin has great vision for the future and the type of man that can see well beyond the problems that we are facing at present and is continually working on eliminating those that are likely to occur in the future. Another is Colin’s wife Pauline, and avid racing fan who is absolutely passionate about racehorse welfare and what happens to these creatures when their racing days are over.

Pauline is tireless in her work toward this cause hence living in Dorset isn’t a hindrance, she is non stop with fund raising efforts and generally organising help for the sanctuary. The third and final to come on board in this venture is Debbie Bonham who lives in West Sussex and has two ex-racehorses in her care.

Debbie’s brother John Bonham was the legendary drummer of Led Zeplin before he tragically lost his life at an early age and she has followed in his footsteps very successfully building a career as a rock singer around the world. As with all involved with this venture Debbie’s ambition is centred around securing a future for all of those horses that still have so much to offer even though their racing career’s have come to an end.

Those mentioned along with Graham and Sue form the core of our directors; we also have a patron in Julie Routledge-Martin. Julie owns many racehorses and also breeds for the sport, she has been hugely instrumental and involved with making this venture possible and continues on a daily basis to both promote and support our cause.

Whilst even at this early stage there are many people helping in many different ways there two more special people involved those being Gaynor Renwick, a racehorse owner who co-ordinates and promotes our support group and Lee-Ann Day who also owns racehorses and has and continues to put in a lot of time and effort into promoting the sanctuary.