The National HBPA and HBPA state affiliates are continuing to rally around trainer Eric Reed and wife Kay Reed through the organization's Horse Cents Fund in the wake of a devastating farm at the couple's Mercury Equine Center in Lexington which killed 23 horses.
Through its charitable foundation, the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association will match HBPA affiliated-organizations contributions to help the Reeds. The foundation's contribution will cap at $10,000, but the hope is that much more than $20,000 is donated overall.
Reed, who is based in Kentucky, also races in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Illinois, and, in addition to the horses, lost substantial tack and supplies. The HBPA contributions will go into an account for the Reeds at Horse Cents tack shop in Versailles, Kentucky, where the trainer does considerable business, allowing him to buy what he needs.
Contributions can be made online via credit card at https://nationalhbpa.com/donate/. Checks made out to the National HBPA Foundation, with “Eric Reed fund” written in the memo, can be mailed to the National HBPA, 870 Corporate Dr., Suite 300, Lexington, KY 40503-5419. In addition, donations also can be mailed to, or dropped by, Horse Cents, 199 Markham Drive, Versailles, KY, 40383. Such checks should be made payable to Horse Cents-Eric Reed fund. Credit card contributions can be made over the phone by calling Horse Cents at 859-873-4707. Donated tack and supplies can be dropped off at Horse Cents or any of three Kentucky HBPA offices: the main office at 3729 S. Fourth Street, Louisville, 40214, or the backside offices at Turfway Park in Florence and The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington. And a GoFundMe account has been set up by the Reeds' close friends Mike, a steward in Ohio and the 1970 Kentucky Derby-winning jockey, and Kitty Manganello at http://bit.ly/2icnkYO.
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