Dubai's Sheikh Mohammed Gives 5 million to Disaster Relief

["Susan Swope-Attardi" <Nagzarus@worldnet.att.net>]

Ridecampers:

Found this press release on the Keeneland website while doing a bit of
research for Daniel Boone Distance Riders Fall Newsletter. Sorry if this is
old news.

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NEW--Disaster Relief Fund Soars To $5.7 Million; Fund Established by
Keeneland, Horsemen at September Sale
Lexington, KY (September 20, 2001)
Lexington, Ky. (September 20, 2001)—In an unprecedented show of compassion
from the Thoroughbred community, contributions to the disaster relief fund
organized by Keeneland have soared to $5.7 million, Keeneland President Nick
Nicholson revealed today in an interim progress report on the fund.


Contributions have ranged from $10 . . . to hundreds of thousands of dollars
. . . to $5 million pledged by Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum. Sheikh Mohammed breeds and races Thoroughbreds throughout the world
and has purchased horses at Keeneland since the early 1980s. He also is the
Crown Prince of Dubai and is the Minister of Defense of the United Arab
Emirates.

“Sheikh Mohammed was deeply touched by the tragic events and the recovery
and relief efforts that followed,” said Nicholson. “His donation is a
wonderfully generous display of leadership and humanity.”

Keeneland was minutes away from starting the second session of its 13-day
September Yearling Sale when terrorists initiated an attack on America.

The Tuesday, September 11, session was postponed. The auction resumed on
Wednesday following an announcement that Keeneland, in conjunction with
buyers and sellers, had organized a relief fund that would be forwarded to
the American Red Cross.

“Literally on the spur of that awful moment – Keeneland volunteered to
administer and coordinate a relief fund for the American Red Cross,” said
Nicholson. “To be honest, there was no planning, no goal, no structure. Just
an immediate, human reaction to do something.”

Everyone from employees in the barns to the industry’s largest investors
have embraced the fund.

“From buyers to consignors, farm workers to Keeneland employees, the entire
Thoroughbred community responded with compassion and generosity. We can’t
thank them enough for their contributions to the fund,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson believes that the example Sheikh Mohammed and the other
contributors have shown is a great lesson for everyone.

“The unmistakable conclusion is simple, yet profound,” said Nicholson.
“Across the planet, despite our differences, those things we have in common
are much greater than those that separate us.”


Anyone wishing to contribute to the relief fund, please contact the
Keeneland Association at 800-456-3412.



Susan Swope-Attardi, secretary
Daniel Boone Distance Riders
Host of the 2001 American Endurance Ride Conference National Championships
http://home.att.net/~dbdistanceriders/