08 Sep Our Mims Horses at 2016 Secretariat Festival

The Secretariat Festival in Paris, Ky is just days away, and the horses and staff at Our Mims Retirement Haven are ready to entertain the many visitors to our beautiful county.

Elmhurst, the 1997 Breeders’ Cup™ Sprint Champion will be holding court at the Legion Park Fairgrounds between noon and 3 pm. Elmhurst, who considers himself King at OMRH, is the grandson of the great Our Mims. Elmhurst’s dramatic come-from-behind win in the 1997 Sprint race cemented his place in history. He came to OMRH in 2011 and has been a favorite for visitors.

Also appearing at the Fairgrounds will be OMRH miracle horse, Jo Jo’s Gypsy. Jo Jo gained international fame for her miraculous recovery after being abandoned in 2014. People and organizations from Paris, Bourbon County and all over the world rallied to support Jo Jo after she was found near death. Jo Jo’s progress was being followed by many thousands of people via the internet. In almost fairy tale like fashion, Jo Jo found the will to live through a young Paris girl named Kaylee Brooke. The then six-year-old visited the barn with her grandmother, OMRH owner Jeanne Mirabito, and Jo Jo became infatuated with the child. Kaylee became just as important to Jo Jo as food and water. For the last two years, Kaylee has accompanied her grandmother to the barn to help care for her equine friend. Jo Jo not only recovered but she thrives. Through videos and photographs, the horse and child are internet favorites among horse lovers and rescue operations worldwide. The two even receive letters and gifts from their fans. Kaylee and Jo Jo will be available for a meet and greet from 12-3.

While the full-sized horses are at the Fairgrounds, OMRH mini-horse, Tea Biscuit, will be wandering downtown Paris with his handlers. Tea Biscuit will create water color Mares-terpieces using his nose and whiskers. Look for the painting pony among the crowd. But be wary, Tea Biscuit is a skilled pick-pocket. Guard your wallet, cell phone, and your heart… for this little horse is quite the Artful Dodger.

Our Mims Retirement Haven has been part of the Bourbon County community since the fall of 1999, giving sanctuary to many famous and some not so famous aging horses. OMRH became a nonprofit charity in 2006.

Since the beginning, OMRH receives about 450 visitors per year. OMRH has had visitors from every state but Alaska, most of the European countries, Australia, Peru, Columbia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Bolivia.

OMRH draws many celebrities to town as well. Actress and movie producer Victoria Racimo was so smitten with the facility she created a film about Our Mims, called ONE DAY. The film has already garnered Racimo a BEST PRODUCER Award at the Equus Film Festival. A limited number of copies of ONE DAY will be for sale in the OMRH booth on the day of the Festival.

Tours to the Haven can be scheduled through the website.

Our Mims Retirement Haven
www.OurMims.org

Jeanne Mirabito:
(859) 227-6304
jeanne@ourmims.org

One Day – a film by Victoria Racimo
www.OneDayHorseFilm.com