Placement Liaison Program Awards

Geographic Scope: United States and Canada; operating through accredited organizations in multiple states
Focus Areas: Support for Standardbred racehorse placement and transition services

Purpose

Supports the Placement Liaison Program, which streamlines the process of placing retiring Standardbred racehorses into quality aftercare programs. Awards are distributed to accredited aftercare organizations participating in the PLP.

Program Overview

The Placement Liaison Program:

• Acts as a conduit for retiring racehorses, placing them in STA accredited aftercare programs
• Ensures each horse is offered the best chance for a quality life after the track
• Helps owners navigate the transition process by being their direct connection to an accredited aftercare organization
• Fully endorsed by the USTA (United States Trotting Association)
• Guides retiring racehorses and owners through all phases of transition, alleviating stress of locating quality aftercare programs

How the Program Works

1. Horse owner completes three forms to enroll horse in PLP:
   • Intake Agreement
   • Horse Info Form
   • Vet Form
2. STA Liaison processes paperwork and becomes first point of contact for transition
3. STA Accredited aftercare organization receives retired racehorse and begins rehoming services

Key Features

• Enrollment is free - no cost to horse owners
• Fast placement - STA strives to locate accredited organization within 1-3 business days
• Owner control - owners retain decision-making ability until horse enters aftercare facility
• Quality assurance - all participating organizations are STA accredited
• Professional oversight - STA liaison manages the entire transition process

Eligibility for Organizations

Participating organizations must:

• Be STA accredited (see STA Accreditation requirements)
• Operate professionally in best interests of the horse
• Actively transition Standardbreds into well-qualified homes
• Have capacity to house retiring racehorses

Ownership and Legal Processing

• Horse owner maintains possession until horse enters STA accredited adoption organization
• Upon facility intake, STA accredited organization processes USTA Transfer of Ownership and Pleasure Horse Conversion
• Adoption contracts must prohibit breeding of adopted horse
• Facility must maintain 2+ years documentation of horse's location and condition
• Facility commits to resume care of horse at any point if requested by owner

Post-Adoption Support

• Updates are dependent upon the organization directly responsible for rehoming
• Different STA accredited organizations handle donor updates differently

Accredited Organizations Participating (2025)

• Future for Standardbreds (ME)
• Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary (OH)
• Heart of Phoenix (WV)
• New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program (FL, KY, LA, NY, OH, PA)
• Purple Haze Standardbred Adoption Program (NY)
• Sunshine Horses (NY)

Impact

Since inception, STA accredited organizations have placed over 700 Standardbreds across 11 facilities in multiple states.

Enrollment Process for Horse Owners

The Placement Liaison Program enrollment is simple and available to all horse owners seeking to transition retiring Standardbred racehorses.

Required Forms (3)

1. Intake Agreement
2. Horse Info Form
3. Vet Form

How to Complete and Submit Forms

1. Open the PDF using free Acrobat Reader application
   • Download free version at Adobe website if needed
2. Fill out your form
   • Click on "Fill & Sign" tool in right pane
   • Complete form by clicking text fields and typing
   • Add checkmarks and fill radio buttons as needed
3. Sign your form
   • Click "Sign" in toolbar at top of page
   • Draw, type, or use image for signature
   • Click "Apply" to place signature on form
4. Send your form
   • Click "Share" in upper right corner
   • Email form to: info@standardbredtransition.org
   • Click "Send" to deliver form
   • You will be notified when recipients view form

Process Timeline

1. Owner completes and submits three forms
2. STA Liaison processes paperwork on behalf of owner
3. STA Liaison becomes first point of contact for transition process
4. STA Accredited aftercare organization receives retired racehorse
5. Organization begins rehoming services immediately

Key Information

• No enrollment fee - program is free for horse owners
• Placement timeline - STA typically locates accredited organization within 1-3 business days of receiving completed paperwork
• Owner responsibility - owner is responsible for shipping horse to STA accredited aftercare facility
• Decision-making - owner retains ability to make decisions regarding horse until it becomes property of STA accredited aftercare organization

Contact for Assistance

Email: info@standardbredtransition.org
For help completing forms, visit: standardbredtransition.org/placement-liaison-program