TAMU Horse Judging Team to Host Kentucky Derby Watch Party & Fundraiser

 

From Texas A&M Horse Judging Team:

There is only a week and a half until the public eye is focused on the sport of kings in the 150th running of The Kentucky Derby.

This year, the Texas A&M University Horse Judging team will be hosting a watch party/fundraiser with prizes, a live auction, silent auction and more. Access to the event is on a ticketed basis, you can purchase individual tickets or a table for your group to join in on the fun. The silent auction items are online for viewing and will be available for bidding on race day.

“We are so excited to be bringing back an event one of the previous Texas A&M Horse Judging Coaches put on roughly ten years ago. Everyone loved the event back then, and we have been diligently working to make the evening incredible with wonderful food, cocktails, entertainment, and auction items! While you enjoy the night, this is a great way to support a wonderful group of students, who are both exceptional in their character and talented horsemen,” stated head coach Sarah Schobert.

“As a coach, it takes a large budget to travel with our horse judging team. Texas A&M usually travels with anywhere between 10-20 students per contest, at around six different major events for the year. Rather than downsizing our team members and eliminating the incredible industry opportunity this team offers students, we have worked to up our fundraising efforts to continue to make this wonderful experience for students possible,” said Schobert. “Money raised from the evening will support hotel, vehicle, student meals, entry fees, scholarships and much more!”

A ticket to the Run for the Roses event at Hildebrand Equine Complex will gain the carrier access to two free drinks, a private chef buffett, Live Kentucky Derby viewing and competition for prizes. Prizes for the Best Dressed, as well as race winners and losers will include chests of wild game, signature wines, and beef with specialty wagyu cuts.

All proceeds will go to benefit the aforementioned expenses of the TAMU Horse Judging team. Last year’s team were the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Show National Champions, Spring Sweepstakes Champions and American Paint Horse Association Champions.

“In the last three years, Texas A&M University has had the highest number of Academic All-Americans from the National Horse Judging Team Coaches Association,” Schobert pointed out. “From 2021-2023, Texas A&M University has received recognition for 18 students as either Academic All-American or Distinguished Academic All-Americans. We are proud of our student’s talent in the arena, but also their extreme dedication and discipline to the classroom.”

Purchase tickets here by April 24. If you can’t make it to College Station for the weekend, check out the Silent Auction Items here.

Live auction items will include a National Finals Rodeo ticket package, a mini belted galloway bull, a Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield Plus Semi Automatic Pistol, CZ 1012 12 Gauge Semi-Automatic Shotgun 6355, Mossy Oak Bottomlands Camo, an Aggieland Baseball Weekend Package, Painting by Dani Powers of Powers Western Design Co., and a 500x custom hat and hat can.