MILTON, Del. - Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding is saddling up for its Kentucky Derby Watch Party on Saturday. It raises money for the equine-assisted therapy program.
The annual event is hosted in SDTR's riding arena with a big screen and mint juleps. Attendees come dressed in their fanciest hats and craziest pants. CoastTV News Anchor Mallory Metzner will emcee the event and judge the crazy hats and crazy pants contests.
The horses at the Milton farm will be wearing numbers that match the numbers the racehorses are wearing in the Kentucky Derby.Â
"We bring our horses out from all the stall area and we have them come out and we call it a parade," says Kentucky Derby Day Chair Linda Berdine. "They do a circle. We have an auctioneer and you get to bid on which horse you actually think is going to win the Kentucky Derby."
The program at Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding helps people with disabilities gain strength and mobility while learning leadership and partnership skills. Riders enrolled range in age from 4 to 76.
"SDTR's cost per lesson is $95," says Program Director and Instructor Kelly Boyer. "We ask the participants to contribute $45 per lesson if they're able to and then weekly we have over 60 lessons a week and then our approximate yearly cost for horse care is well over $130,000 a year."
Money raised at this event goes towards program costs, but also Boyer says they want to add two new horses to the herd and in turn, the program.
Coverage of the Kentucky Derby will air on CoastTV starting at 2:30 p.m. on May 4. The watch party runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.Â
