For Immediate Release
May 9, 2022
Contact:
Elisabeth Jensen
(859) 259-0007
The KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew Specialty License Plate Marks Five Years on Kentucky Roads, Benefitting Education and Workforce Development Initiatives
Lexington, Ky. (Monday, May 9, 2022) – The KEEP Foundation is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Seattle Slew specialty license plate. The specialty plate is available through Kentucky's local County Clerks' offices.
Following the release of the specialty plate on May 1, 2017, the number of Kentuckians choosing to use the Seattle Slew plate have increased annually. With the purchase and renewal of the specialty plate, ten dollars is donated to the KEEP Foundation and is used for educational initiatives related to Kentucky's horse industry. Funding donated to the KEEP Foundation from the license plate has totaled $139,121.
This donation has been the seed funding for several critical initiatives undertaken by the KEEP Foundation in recent years including:
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The Equine Workforce Initiative - a partnership between the KEEP Foundation and the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center to address the shortage of qualified equine workers on a state level. Through employer-led work groups, the Initiative is working to assess the workforce shortages and potential solutions so that the community and education partners can be better informed of the needs of industry employers.
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KET Thoroughbred Careers In Demand - a collaboration between the KEEP Foundation and KET to provide greater awareness and public education about the career opportunities for Kentuckians within the Thoroughbred industry.
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Equine Educational Luncheon Series - a traveling series of educational events that highlight the many different facets of the horse industry. Past participants have had an opportunity to visit facilities and hear from experts on topics including horse health, rehabilitation, equine events, different breeds and disciplines, the economic impact of the industry on the Commonwealth, and many more.
Looking ahead, with the growing popularity of the license plate, the KEEP Foundation will increase support of these initiatives, as well as expand into scholarships for Kentucky students and other educational projects.
The KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew specialty license plate would not have been possible without the gracious support of Karen and Mickey Taylor, the owners of Seattle Slew, and Bobby Shiflet, owner of the Tony Leonard Collection, who donated the photo of Seattle Slew that was used for the license plate.
Karen Taylor commented, "Mickey and I are so pleased with the success of the Seattle Slew license plate and the good work of KEEP. Slew continues to live in the hearts of so many Thoroughbred racing and breeding fans. Mickey and I cherish our memories of him every day.”
"The KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew specialty license plate has paid incredible dividends for the Commonwealth by directing these funds toward essential education and workforce development projects. We look forward to where the next five years will take us and we have no doubts that it will match the incredible success that we have seen over the past five years. The KEEP Foundation will be forever grateful to the Taylors and the Tony Leonard Collection for making this success possible," added Elisabeth Jensen, Chair of the KEEP Foundation Board of Directors.
ABOUT THE KEEP FOUNDATION
The mission of the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), established in 2014, is to support the economic success of Kentucky’s signature industry by ensuring its continued economic viability, making the industry accessible for all who want to participate, introducing more young people to the industry and its opportunities, and educating the people of the Commonwealth about the importance of horses to the state, its economy, its heritage, and its people.
