Thursday, August 14, 2008

"The Dorf" Makes Horseracing Hall of Shame!

A "Heavenly Perfect" Melody Played So Terribly Wrong!

"North Americas' Best" Owner / Trainer
Jerry Hollendorfer Races Foundered Horse Near to Death -
Then Sends Her Off To Slaughter!


Heavenly Perfect, a descendent of War Admiral was just a number
to the racing industry - The heart of a racehorse can be their demise.
To the people of the rescue world Heavenly Perfect, known to those
who loved her as Melody, was a beautiful loving mare who lured you
into her stall with her low loving nickers and then when you went into
her stall she was there to wrap her head around you and give you a big
horsy hug. To other horses Melody was nice mare that was the peace-
keeper of her small herd. She got along with everyone and made sure
no one was picked on. But, to the racing industry Melody was a number..
she was tattoo number G24671, she was known as Heavenly Perfect,
a descendent of War Admiral. Heavenly perfect was born in 2003 and
bred by Magali Ventures LLC, she was sold at Barretts Equine Limited
October 2004 Sale of Preferred Yearlings for $33,000. She had what they
wanted, a potential earner and the heart of a racehorse.

Life does not always end as it begins, for many racehorses there
is a cruel twist that changes their life and not for the better. Melody
was rescued from going to the slaughterhouse in Mexico on May 23,
2008. She had run her last physical race 10 days prior and this time
the only wagering going on was between the killbuyers and the rescuers.
It was a claiming race taking place at a cold dark kill auction in Sugarcreek,
Ohio and if Melody lost, the price would be her life. That day, Melody and
the other horses won their race. ... They were rescued. Sometimes in rescue
the most you can do is give the horses a last chapter that is filled with love
and kindness and a dignified ending.

On June 7th Melody was brought into the hospital because of a bout with
colic, which she was able to get through. What was discovered at the
hospital was disgraceful. Melody not only had laminitis but it was evident
from the x-rays that this rotation began over 5 months ago, by the time she
came to us her coffin bone was nearly coming through her sole on both
front feet. Melody had 3 chips in her knees, one in the 4th Carpel bone and
2 in her joints, the x-rays also showed that she had at least 2 fractures,
one in her second carpel bone and one in her radial carpel bone. .
These injuries were not new. On a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the worst,
Melody´s arthritis was an 8.

One would think that months ago Melody would have quit racing, but no, her
trainers would get everything they could out of this mare. Her last race was
May 13th, 2008, where the only comment about her was " a steady fade."
What would you expect with her condition? Her trainer and owner was
Jerry Hollendorfer.

Jerry Hollendorfer is not new to the racing industry nor was he
new to Heavenly Perfect. According to Equineline Database he and
his partner George Todaro obtained her in a claiming race in October
of 2006. Hollendorfer developed a reputation as a claiming trainer,
but in a career turning point, Hollendorfer turned $16,000 claimer
Novel Sprite into a $467,586 multiple stakes winner, to receive the
Horsemen's Benevolent and Protection Association's 1986 Claimer
of the Year award. Selected as California Thoroughbred Breeders
Association Trainer of the Year in 1995. With over 5,000 training
victories, his horses have earned more than $91 million.

AS of May 13th Holledorger was still her owner and trainer of record
and on May 13th Hollendorfer raced Heavenly Perfect at River Downs
Racetrack in Ohio in the condition she was in, the only comment on her
chart said "steady fade." We called Hollendorfer´s facility to get a
comment but did not receive a return phone call. On May 23, 2008,
10 days after her last race, she was sent to the kill auction in Sugarcreek,
Ohio. On May 23, 2008 with the combined efforts of the Victoria McCullough
Founder of the Triumph Project through the Davis/McCullough Foundation
and Pure Thoughts, Heavenly Perfect was safe.

The Triumph Project was formed in November 2007 to assist in raising
awareness about horse slaughter and horse welfare. It is the hope of the
"Triumph Project" that enlightenment of the senseless cruelty that lurks
within the shadows be brought forward and the horses have an ally and
are given a voice.

On July 8th, Melody was laid to rest, no longer would she endure
the pain. Victoria McCullough promised this mare she would soon
be in greener pastures. The realization of the cruelty to the horses
was said eloquently by Victoria "For myself and the "Davis McCullough
Foundation we are learning everyday that it is not enough to save the
horses from needless slaughter, there is yet another abuse that rests
in silence, it is unspeakable that any horse endure this painful road to
a premature death thankfully given in dignity instead of at the hand of
an inhuman and callous worker with a knife to sever her spine as a reward
for her gallant heart."

This brave mare touched the heart of many in her short time with us,
Dr. Robert Smith somberly stated, "Melody was an exceptional horse,
I am very sorry that a mare with such a heart had to be put down." It
was not the slaughterhouse that killed Melody.... it was
her heart.... the heart of a racehorse. They give their heart and soul to
their passion... the race. They give their heart and soul to their
trainers/owners. These racehorses give their heart and soul to the
racing industry... who in turn.... chew it up, spit it out and send the horses
to a tortuous end. If only, 6 months ago, the people in charge of Heavenly
Perfect´s well being had given back to her what she had given to them,
she would be alive today. A change must be made.

Here are some links to some YouTube vidoes where you can see Melodys last
three races...being so close in time, you just have to know that she was made
to run in terrible pain. There is a place to leave your comments just beneath
each video, and we evcourage all to do so DEMANDING an inquiry into this matter
of a beautiful, Heavenly Perfect Melody played so terribly wrong. If there is any
justice in the horse-racing diciplinary world, Mr. Jerry Hollendorfer will have his
racing license permanently revoked.

Bay Meadows on Mar 23, 2008 in Race 9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZl7gyB-cBY

Bay Meadows on April 6, 2008 in Race 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PJFupVJHvQ

River Downs on May 13, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thzyC6bqqas

And below can sign a petition telling the WORLD just what you think
of our newest inductee to:

THE HORSE-RACING HALL OF SHAME!

Welcome Jerry Hollendorfer

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/trainer-of-the-year-runs-horse-to-death

and
SHAME ON YOU!

Visit The Horse Racing Hall of Shame here:
http://www.freewebs.com/horseracinghallofshame/dorfmakeshallofshame.htm

3 comments:

Mary Walsh said...

Don't you have the equivalent to Australia's RSPCA (Royal Society Protection of Cruelty to Animals) in America? I somehow thought that America was so bent on suing anyone about anything that animals would automatically come under protection.

Admittedly just this week we've had a major scandal in the horse racing industry. One would have thought that racing horses were subjected to vet scrutiny before and after a race.

I didn't accept your offer to look at the races on You Tube as I am a coward like that. It pains me to see animals in pain and even more so when it is inflicted by a human being who probably professes themselves to be "good church going citizens".....I can assume the same things happen in Australia but I just don't come into that sphere........There is so much ugliness in the world one wonders how we can endure it.

Mz.Many Names said...

Mary, the funny thing as that we do have national animal protection orgs, the United States Humane Society (USHS) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and even the United States Dept. of Agriculture has Federal cruelty to animal statutes, but the tragic thing is, is that the racing industry is a completely self-regulating industry and no org has jurisdiction over its affairs. Kind of like putting the fox to guard the hen house. I am so glad to find you are a compassionate soul....we seem to be the minority these days! Stay strong...we are working towards a better world. Maybe we will get it someday...if not in our own time, then for future generations to come. We can only hope!

wheelin126 said...

This ass could have learned something from Genuine Risks owner(s)!! They should punish him and reward people that do the right thing by their horses like retire them until they pass on peacefully...not run the hell out of them on severe injuries!! It's people like "The Dorf" that give racing such a bad name!!