The lucky 2019 winner was Heather Thomas of Lexington, KY!
I will recycle this blog next fall to remind everyone to participate…
Every year Avalon Equine donates a warmblood foal for a raffle with proceeds going to the Leg-Up Equestrian Assistance Program. Every year I purchase five tickets (once I was feeling less poor I bought 100). It’s a win-win situation. I am supporting an equestrian charity. I could win a warmblood baby in a raffle (always good)… But I probably won’t (also good, I want an endurance prospect and will be moving to California next summer, so I don’t need this horse right now).
They’ve raffled some really nice horses. This year’s baby is a pretty grey filly with great bloodlines that have produced horses that compete successfully in jumping, dressage, and eventing. Breeding to her Oldenburg sire, Vindication, costs $1,600.
Leg-up raises funds to help support equestrians who have suffered injury, illness, or catastrophic events. In the past, Leg-up has provided assistance to riders suffering from traumatic brain injury. They have also equine researchers recover from a devastating fire.
Would you like to win a Warmblood baby? She will be a yearling by the time you get her! She is currently in Wynnewood, OK. (Don’t worry if you live far away, Oklahoma is a horse hub and it’s easy to arrange shipping).
Even if you do not want another horse, consider donating to the cause. You can always donate the filly back to Leg-up, and an auction will be held to sell her (proceeds going to the charity).
You can buy raffle tickets here. Paypal, credit card, or checks accepted. The drawing is held on December 31.
Past Leg-up raffle foals
2011: Beetlejuice d’Avalon
Beetlejuice as a baby:
Beetlejuice grew up into a beautiful horse:
2013: Elixir d’Avalon
I really wanted to win the first raffle I ever entered, for Elixir d’Avalon. (I love chestnuts!).
2014: Gold Sovereign d’Avalon
In 2014, Gold Sovereign d’Avalon, a buckskin colt, was won by Sandra Rohr of Illinois.
He’s still a baby really (like all horses, Warmbloods are still growing at five), but big!
What would I do with a Warmblood?
Considering I will be looking for an endurance horse next spring… why would I enter a warmblood raffle, even to support an equestrian charity? Not that warmbloods can’t do endurance, it’s just not what they were bred to do.
I would probably not use her for endurance. That’s okay. I’d train her (and warmbloods are easy-going and non-problematic to train). Start with dressage and if I had time, maybe finally learn how to jump properly. I’d most likely sell her once she had a good solid base.
Yes, this raffle is a win-win situation.