PEF member plays key part
Inmates,retiredracehorsesearnwinning
rolesin‘Homestretch’documentary
ByDEBORAHA.MILES compassionfortheinmatesandhorses
Duringthelastyear,moreandmore becameclear.Hebecameaguideforme
newsstorieshavefeaturedthefateof andhelpedsetthetonefor“Homestretch,”
retiredracehorses.Federallegislationhas shesaid.
beenpassedtopreventtheslaughterof TrempersaidthefilmingatWallkill
theseoldathletesintheU.S.Buttheyare alsobenefitedtheinmates.
stillbeingshippedtoCanadaandMexico “Theylovedtheattention,andthey
wheretheirfinalmomentsaretakenwith likedbeinginthespotlight.They
utmostcruelty. developedadeepermeaninginthework
Therearealternatives, theydowiththehorses.Thefilming
asthenumberofretired helpedthemrealizetheirworkis
thoroughbredsclimbs necessary,importantandspecial,”he
eachyear. said.
PEFmemberJim “Today,thereisalotmoreinterestin
Tremper,avocational retiredracehorsesandtheirfatethan
instructoratWallkill
IT’SAWRAP–FilmmakerSheri
therewas25yearsago,”Trempersaid.
CorrectionalFacility,has
BylanderstrokesKing’sHonor,thehorse
“It’sabigissue.Somanyhorsesneed
beenpartofthesolution
“hero”in“Homestretch.”
help.We’restillnotthereyet.We’restill
formorethan25years. notwherewe
TREMPER
Tremperrunsthe
•NOW PLAYING•
oughttobe.”
ThoroughbredRetirement The
Foundation’s (TRF)horse documentary
farmatWallkill,where premieredat
hard-coreprisonersdevelopcompassion theSonoma
andsensitivitybycaringforthesehorses. ValleyFilm
Thesuccessofthisprogramcaptured Festivalin
theattentionoffilmmakerSheriBylander April 2007.
whodirectedandproduceda Butitwill
documentarycalled“Homestretch.”Much makeits
ofitwasfilmedattheWallkillhorsefarm. films,saidittooknearlythreeyearsto NewYorkdebutFriday,December4atthe
“Thisdocumentaryisimportant, complete“Homestretch.” StissingHouseinPinePlains,5:30to8:30
especiallyifitgetstotherighttarget “Iwantedtheviewertoexperiencethe p.m.Itwillbeaccompaniedbyanart
audience–thepeoplewhodon’tknow passageoftime,theseasonsatthefarm. showwithpaintingsandsculptures.Part
whatisreallygoingonwhenaracehorse Forinmates,prisontimeismeasured oftheproceedswillbenefittheTRF.More
isfinishedwithitscareer,”Trempersaid. muchdifferently.Iwantedtoconveythat informationisavailableatwww.trfinc.org
“Thefilmshouldchangetheirmindset pace,”Bylandersaid. ore-mailpjean1953@aol.comtoattend
andshowwhatcanbedonewiththese “JimTremperwasresponsibleforall theshowing.
animalswhentheynolongercanrace. thebeautifulfootageatWallkill.He Thedocumentaryisalsoavailableat
Theystillhavethepowertorehabilitate.” allowedmetobecomeaninsiderinaway www.homestretchthemovie.com.
Bylander,whowonseveralprestigious verynecessaryforadocumentary.From
awardsforhereditingandproducingof theminuteIsetfootonthefarm,his
BlackCaucusinspiresyouththroughscholarshipprogram
Nearly100PEFmembers RobertsfromAlbany,daughterof satisfyingcareer,andasawayofgiving
enjoyedaneveningofmusic, MaddieShannon-Roberts,and backtothecommunity.
dininganddancingOctober24at RumealWilhitefromBuffalo,sonof “Thesescholarshipsrepresenta
theBlackandWhiteBallto RaymondWilhite.Bothparentsare celebrationoflife,”Cheesesaid.“Theyare
celebratethe30thanniversaryof disabilityanalysts. asymbolofhopefortherecipientsand
theBlackCaucusofPEF.The “Thiseventisalotmorethan alsoremindusofVivian,whowasa
eventwasheldatAntun’s,Queens membersgettingtogetherfora vibrantandpositiveperson.”
Village. dance.Itistailoredtoinspireour Thescholarshipprogrambeganin1988
Thehighlightoftheeveningwas youngpeopletofurthertheir andwasnamedafterMonsanto,aBlack
thepresentationofthecaucus’
CHEESE
educations,”saidPEFBlackCaucus Caucuschapterpresident.Thecaucushas
annualVivianBirdsongMonsanto PresidentElizabethCheese. awardednearly80scholarshipsinher
Scholarship.Thisyear’srecipients “Educationisthekeytoopenthe memory.
ofthe$500awardwereMoriah doorforabetterfutureand — Deborah A. Miles
Page20—TheCommunicatorDecember2009/January2010 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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