An American Icon: the Horse

Robin Ganzert on Pet Life Radio

Robin opens the show with some breaking news of a dramatic horse rescue in Tennessee. Then she’s joined by actress Christie Brooke here to discuss her new movie 'Ragamuffin' and what animal welfare is like in her home state of Hawaii. Later, Madeline Auerbach of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance stops by to talk about the unique challenges facing retired racehorses.


BIO:

Christie Brooke

At 18, Christie Brooke was plucked from the island of Oahu for her talents in music, acting, and dance and was cast on ABC's “High School Musical: Get in the Picture.”  Since then, she has appeared in “Soul Surfer,” co-starred as Melinda on CBS' “Hawaii 5-0,” and now plays the role of Sprinkle in the Rich Mullins biopic “Ragamuffin” in theaters May 2nd. She is also a writer and producer of a sketch comedy show called Gurls Aren't Funny.  Christie spends her time volunteering at Wylder's Rescue Center in Studio City walking her favorite dog Abel! *Christie will be playing a live acoustic show at The House of Blues Thursday May 1!*

Madeline Auerbach

Madeline Auerbach is a long time member of the California Thoroughbred racing community.  She has lived in California for more than 40 years, and along with her late husband, James, established a wholesale furniture manufacturing company, which was a family-run business until it was sold in 2004.  During her 34-year marriage she raised three children and four dogs while becoming involved in the horseracing and breeding business.

In 1997 Madeline and Jim claimed their first horse, Bravo Bravo.  In 1998, they retired their horse Unusual Heat to stud in California. His resume as a stallion speaks for itself; he has produced many graded stakes winners, including Thermal Ablation, Lennyfrommalibu, Bel Air Sizzle, Lethal Heat, Pretty Unusual, Unusual Suspect, Mensa Heat, Golden Doc A, and Acclamation.  Unusual Heat is regularly at the top of the California Sire standings and is his prodigy is a fixture

In 2007 Madeline spearheaded the adoption of a Code of Ethics for Thoroughbred owners.  She was the creator and founder of California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), a 501c3 charity dedicated to raising funds for retired racehorses. She is a member of The Jockey Club, was recently appointed as a commissioner of the California Horse Racing Board, and is the Vice President of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.