OUR MISSION
We at KatieRich Farms provide growth opportunities for success in the sales ring, the race track and for our staff.
We at KatieRich strive to provide optimum opportunity for our equine partners and for our staff. We feel each job is an integral and important piece of the puzzle and that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. We treat each mare, each foal, each yearling (either sales preparation or breaking), and each employee as an individual and expect them to be invested in our program. We feel the rewards are great for all participants, equine and human.
OUR HISTORY
The history of what is now KatieRich Farms is an exciting an awe-inspiring story. Birthed as a cattle farm, KatieRich Farms has grown into a great Kentucky horse farm.
The property that is now KatieRich farms was acquired in 2007 when it was a cattle farm. The property was purchased from Leonard Greathouse and is from three generations of cattle farmers. The Greathouse’s are a Kentucky family who own a substantial amount of property in the midway area, in particular, Glencrest Farm, just down the road from KatieRich.
Much work has been done on the farm since its inception. All that has been done on the farm is based off the above master plan, which was prepared by Horst Schach, Professor Emeritus University of Kentucky Department of Landscape Agriculture. There was a 12 stall barn which has been completely stripped and re-done, as well as a tobacco barn that was converted into a 13 stall foaling barn. All the cattle fencing was removed and miles of new fencing has been provided to help the farm serve as a horse farm. The two main houses on the farm were completely renovated and now serve as the main house and additional farm house. These homes are over a century old and retain much of their original structure remains intact. A pool was added the first summer. Two smaller houses were demolished and a new house was constructed for foreman, David Ramirez and his family.
The training barn was constructed in 2008. The roads were excavated by the farm in that same year and the asphalt was laid down in 2010 by C&R Asphalt. In 2008 Robert “Elmo” Richardson, head of maintenance and capital improvements laid down the concrete for the two storage buildings and maintenance shop.
In 2009 Elmo broke ground for the main broodmare barn, which has become the centerpiece of the farm. All grates, doors, and the balcony railings were welded on the farm, in short, all the work on the broodmare barn was completed by the farm with the exception of the stone facade done by Juan Valdez. All barns were designed by Mark Hubley.
In 2012 construction was begun on the “guest house” which was completed in 2013. It is a beautiful rustic home which has all its interior walls and stairs made from barn wood retrieved from an old tobacco barn. The house also has been built by Elmo and has many special features inside and out which make it a fitting tribute to the work and care that has gone into developing KatieRich. In 2013 we are adding ten stalls to our original foaling barn, as the horse population grows.
What started out as a facility to house some of our retired race fillies to become broodmares has become a thriving year round endeavor. We continue to improve our broodmare band, supplementing with acquisitions and the better of our racing fillies retired from the race track. We have gradually become more client oriented and offer client services including foaling, sales prep, sales, breaking, race prep, and racing. KatieRich breeds, and horses prepped by KatieRich are racing at tracks from New Orleans to Toronto, and from California to New York.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
The purpose of KatieRich Farms is threefold. 1) develop the farm. 2) develop a broodmare band that is commercially viable. 3) develop a staff that offers a premium in services.
KatieRich was purchased in 2007 as a breeding farm and a place to break and prep our young horses for the racing. In recent years there has been a shift to a more commercial operation and to that end KatieRich has upgraded its broodmare band to be more sales oriented. We also have recently begun offering client services, and with that we have become customer oriented. In developing the KatieRich brand our philosophy has always been to provide opportunities for growth. In every detail we seek excellence, no job is too small, and every job is important and fits into the context of a vision that incorporates the whole farm.
The KatieRich property has been developed to combine aesthetics with function. Our stalls and barns offer safety, size, ventilation, and equipment that is incorporated with an appreciation of the landscape, and all the barns are intended to compliment the land. Paddocks have been laid out to best utilize the rolling hills and natural features. KatieRich is not just a farm, it is a vision of the possibilities of what man and horse can produce.
In putting together our broodmare band we have concentrated on purchasing young mares off the race track with exceptional pedigrees. Most of these mares have continued their racing careers with success before they are retired and bred.
At the farm all horses are treated with respect and given every opportunity to thrive. Mares and foals are brought in every day, groomed and feet checked, temperatures taken and eating habits closely monitored. Every horse on the farm is afforded an environment that encourages growth and success, whether it be for sales, racing, or foaling. We feel that if we create an environment that incorporates our beliefs, that success is built from luck, patience, quality care, and quality maintenance, then success will find us. By providing all the best, and doing our best, we court success.
At KatieRich no job is considered small, or unimportant. We appreciate our staff as being essential to our brand; the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Management expects all staff to be invested in their jobs, and we provide growth opportunities for the people who keep us running day to day. In some ways our human resources are our greatest asset and most employees have been here for years. We like to think of the farm as our home and our fellow employees as family.
We equate the KatieRich with integrity, excellence, and success, and these values guide us in all our efforts, from small menial tasks to our grand design.