Our Mims Retirement Haven
From AlexBrownRacing
Contents |
About OMRH
| Web Address: | Our Mims Retirement Haven |
| Phone: | Jeanne Mirabito | Home: | (859) 484-9582 | Cell: | (859) 227-6304 |
| Cheryl Bellucci | Home: | (937) 376-5597 | Cell: | (937) 776-1904 |
| E-mail: | General: | info@ourmims.org |
| Jeanne: | jeanne@ourmims.com | |
| Cheryl: | cheryl@ourmims.com |
| Paypal link: | sales@ourmims.org |
| Fundraising Drives on ABR: | To be announced |
| Media stories: | OMRH Press Release Page |
Our Mims was the 1977 Eclipse Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. Running in the Calumet colors of devil's red and blue, the daughter of Sweet Tooth won 5 of 18 races, including the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks, the Alabama, and the Delaware Handicap.
In 1990, Our Mims was sold as part of Calumet's dispersal sale. In 1999, Jeanne Mirabito found a pensioned Our Mims while working on a local farm. With the help of the Thoroughbred retirement group ReRun, Mims came to live with Jeanne at her farm in Paris, Kentucky... and a lifelong friendship developed.
Our Mims died from colic complications at the age of 29 in December of 2003 and was buried in Calumet's equine cemetery. Her marker stands as a tribute to the fans who would not let her be forgotten.
In memory of the great mare and her dear friend, Jeanne Mirabito created Our Mims Retirement Haven so other mares will be cared for once their broodmare careers are over, using the standard: "Specializing in restoring health and spirit in aged mares." Cheryl Bellucci quickly joined the effort as OMRH's Director of Fund Raising and Promotion.
OMRH began with the arrival of Mims' half-sister, Sugar and Spice in May of 2004. Donated by the Gaines-Gentry group, Sugar joined 1972 Alcibaides winner, Hope of Glory. Hope was already at Jeanne's farm as a ReRun foster, but with the official formation of the Haven, Hope's care was taken over by OMRH.
After the death of Sugar and Hope, the Gaines-Gentry group donated three mares: Taba (dam of Turkoman, granddam of Turko's Turn, great granddam of Point Given), My Turbulent Miss (dam of Prized and Exploit), and Irish-born Exactly So. Two other mares were donated from George Waggoner at the same time: Iza Valentine (dam of Fran's Valentine, granddam of With Anticipation) and Jamra (full sister to Clever Trick). These fine ladies arrived in November of 2004. Iza Valentine and Jamra are still part of the Haven's broodmare band.
OMRH incorporated in August of 2006 and applied for nonprofit status from the IRS in December of 2006. The Haven was granted a 501(c)3 status on March 8, 2007 (Our Mims' birthday). Donations to the Haven may be tax deductible.
While Jeanne does place horses through her carefully screened network, the ladies of the Haven are permanent residents. The Haven currently has room for 10 horses and is at capacity. Renovations on the existing barn are going on now. Through the help of a local company, the Haven is putting memorial stones in its cemetery.
The ladies are supported through donations, eBay auctions of donated items (the Haven's eBay identification is ourmims-org), and the sale of items in its online store. Some special items we have sold in the past are t-shirts (using images of Our Mims and Iza Valentine), Iza Valentine Art Prints, hats, and various signed items. The Haven also has a 2008 date book for sale and horse-themed Christmas Cards.
The Haven is currently selling wall tiles for barn renovations. These tiles are 4" x 8" and can be engraved. The Haven needs to sell 140 of these times to complete the work necessary.
OMRH also accepts sponsorships of the ladies. Names of different levels of sponsorship ("Carrot Contributor", "Peppermint Provider", "Keeper", "Caretaker", "Angel") reflect the different levels of sponsorships available.
Visitors are welcome at the Haven by appointment. Please call or e-mail Jeanne to make an appointment.
Rescue Network
In 2007, OMRH was contacted by the Kentucky Equine Humane Center for possible placement of a California Stakes winning mare. Bel's Starlet, a 1987 daughter of Bel Bolide by Vigor's Star, was trained by Richard Mandella and raced by the Mabees of Golden Eagle Farm. Her total earnings with 46 lifetime starts was $863,802, and she twice won the Cal Cup Distaff. She sold at the 1999 Keeneland November sale for $500,000 to Lakland Farm. Her last foal was a 2003 colt by Point Given. Bel now has a permanent home at the Haven.
In 2005, OMRH was contacted by the Exceller Fund for possible placement of a Thoroughbred mare purchased off a Washington feedlot. The transporation for Hana Bride, a 1982 daughter of 1979 Belmont winner Coastal, was paid for by the Exceller Fund. Hana now has a permanent home at the Haven.
News Releases
June 27, 2008 Our Mims Retirement Haven was awarded a grant of $1,000 from the Thoroughbred Charities of America. The grant will help the Haven repair fencing and expand the pasture for its mares.
Haven Farm Owner and Manager Jeanne Mirabito remarked, "Every dollar means so much to us, here at the Haven. This grant will go a very long way to help the grand dams of the racing industry."
"Rescues are having it tough in recent months," said Cheryl Bellucci, Director of Fund Raising and Promotion for OMRH. "In these economic times, donations are down but requests for our services and Haven expenses are up. That means we are scrambling to make sure our ladies are adequately fed, shod, and medically taken care of. The grant from TCA means we can mend some fencing as well."
Our Mims Retirement Haven was created in 2004 to take in retired Thoroughbred broodmares. Named after Our Mims, the 1977 3-Year-Old Eclipse Champion, OMRH current houses eleven ladies, including Iza Valentine (1985 California Broodmare of the Year), Jamra (full sister to Clever Trick), Timeless Sue (great granddam of 2008 Queen's Plate winner Not Bourbon), Hana Bride (daughter of Coastal), Alabama Nana (ran in the 1985 Breeders Cup Distaff), Little Miss Porter, Australian-born Princess Royale, Bel's Startlet (California stakes winner), Cruella (dam of Diazo), Blue Viking, and Smokie's Love (retired hunter/jumper). Bar Hopper, a Quarter Horse gelding, also shares the ladies' pasture.
OMRH became a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2006. Featured in Barbara Livingston's "More Old Friends," the Haven specializes in "restoring health and spirit in aged mares."
The Haven is supported through donations, eBay auctions, and its online shop. OMRH is currently holding a building fund drive to complete rennovations to its main barn.
Thoroughbred Charities of America is a fund raising organization which follows a "United Way" method by providing the Thoroughbred Industry and supporters a way to give to one entity, which then distributes annual grants to hundreds of non-profits within our mission. TCA has granted more than $15 million over the past 18 years, to over 200 organizations in 35 states. In addition to regular donations, TCA also maintains an endowment fund, which will ensure continuity of the annual funding so vital to their grantees.
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