GEORGETOWN, KY – SEPTEMBER 21, 2017-Now, fans of Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem and three-time Santa Anita Handicap champ Game On Dude can relive the rush of their winning stretch runs with their morning cup of Joe.
This week Old Friends,the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility based in Georgetown, KY.,and the Equo Vitae Foundation have joined together on a line of specialty coffees inspired by these and other equine athletes.
Old Friends, which cares for 175 retired racehorses, is one of the nonprofit organizations that will receive proceeds from the coffee sales.
War Emblem, who won the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and multiple graded stakes winner Game on Dude, are just two of the pensioned turf champions that call Old Friends home.
The Old Friends coffee is part of the Equo Vitae Collection, a new initiative designed to support rescued and retired horses.
The initial product line, announced this week, includes five, high quality, gourmet coffee blends, each honoring notable racehorses from the Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, and Harness racing worlds.
The Old Friends coffee can be ordered online byCLICKING HEREfor War Emblemand CLICK HEREfor Game On Dude.
The War Emblem blend is described as a dark bean roast, big bodied with dark cherry, cocoa, and a clean, sweet briskness. Game On Dude, meanwhile, is a dark mountain blend, smooth but with rich body with hints of nutmeg, cocoa, and hazelnut and a pomegranate nose during grinding. The 12-ounce bags are $13.75 per bag and can be ordered in whole bean or custom ground. A portion of the proceeds of the War Emblem and Game On Dude blends will benefit Old Friends.
“We’ve put together a program featuring high-quality, specialty grade coffee, fair trade sourced, contained in packaging that’s environmentally conscious, with profits helping to support an important area of need for the horse racing industry,” said concept developer Dan Kelliher.
“We feel there is a need to do a better job bringing new ideas forward to create reliable, long-term revenue sources to help retired Thoroughbreds,” he added, “and coffee reaches across the spectrum of horse racing fans, horse racing participants, sports fans, horse players and general marketplace consumers.”
“This is just a terrific concept,” said Old Friends President and founder Michael Blowen. “Dan and the Equo Vitae Foundation have put together a terrific product that can be enjoyed by so many people and will do so much to support the horses.”
Produced in partnership with Erie Coffee Roasters, the Equo Vitae Coffee Collection features unique package designs and artful blends, including First Down Dash-Legends Morning Blend, Foiled Again-Classic Medium Roast, Game On Dude-DarkMountain Blend, Rags to Riches-Sunshine Roast, and War Emblem-Dark Bean Roast.
Proceeds from coffee sales will be directed to several aftercare organizations in order to assist with equine care and program support costs, including New Vocations, Old Friends, and A Home for Every Horse. Additionally, profits from the First Down Dash-Legends Morning Blend will be donated to The Scoop Vessels Scholarship Fund, managed by the American Quarter Horse Association.
For additional information, contact the Old Friends office at (502) 863-1775
About the Equo Vitae Foundation: Utilizing Newman’s Own brand as a model, Equo Vitae’s goal is to provide consistent funding for race horse retirement programs. A variety of ideas will be pursued by the Foundation, including product initiatives, strategic group purchasing opportunities and lobbying efforts focused on racing commissions for regulatory support. The Foundation is the brainchild of founder Dan Kelliher, a lifelong horseman and racing aficionado, who says “I love horseracing and wanted to show some direct, personal investment in making a difference in the lives of the horses. Capturing new revenue streams for the care of our horses as they transition from the racing world to other careers or retirement is an effort I’m happy to commit resources to.”
Erie Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roastery nestled in Erie, CO, just east of the Rockies. Part of the mission of Erie Coffee Roasters is to support Non-Profit organizations via their private labeling program, which contributes a significant portion of proceeds to the non-profit. Programs to date include partnerships with American Cancer Society, Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, Meals on Wheels, and now, the Equo Vitae Foundation. For more information or to order, visit https://www.eriecoffeeroasters.com/
