Dear Donors & Friends,

As we head toward the end of the first trimester of 2023, it is important that we reflect on our many successes of 2022. Personally, I think that, in the midst of an ever-changing philanthropic environment, we had a great year; after all, we held our own and helped many organizations worldwide and right here in the United States.

Here’s a summary of our work during 2022 in anticipation of our upcoming annual report which, as you know, follows our IRS filings.

• We provided micro-grants to US-based equine organizations who were facing troubled times due to economic hardships, increased costs of doing business and an uptake in animal intake and abandonments.
• We supported the United States Equestrian Federation’s Ukrainian Fund, providing 20% of the total monies they donated to the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation Charity Foundation through the FEI’s Solidarity Relief Fund. We were able to help riders and horses in distress, both on the borders and in the battlegrounds.
• We donated funds to our sister organization Brooke Pakistan as colleagues met the needs of flood victims – human and animal. We ensured food, shelter, and veterinary care across the affected areas.
• We helped equine organizations across Florida located on the path of Hurricane Ian and in need of aid, whether it be food, fodder or fresh water, or rebuilding barns and stables.
• We made a difference in India where the brick kilns, an important part of the economy, are at the center of equine suffering. This industry is often unorganized and unregulated, where animals and humans endure the harshest working conditions with limited, if any, legal protection, and rights.
• We made huge strides in 117th Congress as we secured support among legislators – Congressmen and Senators – for the Ejiao Act. We continue steadfast on our intent to ban the import and sale of ejiao in this country and 2023 will certainly get us one step closer.

Over the last few months, we have continued to meet extraordinary new people, share our mission, and engage in strategic conversations that will lead our organization into a healthy and prosperous future.

I remain humbled and delighted to be a part of Brooke USA Foundation and I am thrilled, with Kendall Bierer, our Donor Relations Officer, to welcome two new staff members to our team - Karen Moon as our Mid-Level Gift Officer, and Kim Shipp as our Community Outreach Officer. All of us, together, are committed to you, our donors, and friends. Call us or email us any time; we want to hear from you. You make our days special!

Remember, it is through our joint efforts – Board members, volunteers, advocates, and staff – that we can reach our hefty goals, all focused on helping working horses, donkeys and mules and the people that depend on the for survival all over the world. For me, personally, our mission is a motivating force to keep me centered on my work and what must be done to help those who need it most.

Thank you for your support every moment of every day.

FATOU TOURE - A FEMALE FARRIER IN SENEGAL

Farriery is considered a ‘man’s job’ in Senegal so, before training with Brooke West Africa, Fatou would have not dared to touch a horse. But farriery training with Brooke changed her life. She now takes great pride in her work, providing expert care to the local horses and helping owners understand the importance of animal welfare.

"At first, it was difficult. But with time and learning, I came to see it wasn’t that difficult. Now I can lift the foot of a horse, and work properly without any help, especially when it comes to shoeing," said Fatou.  She added, “what really gives me contentment are the horses from my neighborhood that are brought to my house for trimming and the owners go back satisfied.”

It is rewarding to see Fatou at work, how she is helping horses and inspiring others in her community to care for their animals too. The Senegal government recently approved an official accreditation in farriery thanks to Brooke West Africa, and Fatou now helps mentor a new generation of farriers and has supported the charity in its work to create this newly announced certification.  

Brooke USA Announces New Chair of Its Board of Directors

Brooke USA Foundation (Brooke USA) announces the election of James “Jim” Hamilton DVM as Chair of the Board of Directors. Jim originally joined the Board back in 2007 when the organization was founded and after a hiatus, has returned to the lead the nonprofit.

Over the years, Jim has been instrumental in the development of administrative policies and operational procedures, all contributing toward organizational growth. He has been a contributor toward strong relationships with the equine veterinary community and has positioned the organization as a partner to the AAEP (American Association for Equine Practitioners) and The Foundation For The Horse.

Jim has also participated in Brooke USA’s national advocacy efforts toward combating the import and sale of ejiao, a product made from the gelatin produced from donkey hides and used in traditional Chinese medicine. Hundreds of thousands of donkeys across the world are stolen, smuggled, and slaughtered each year to meet an ever-increasing demand for ejiao, threatening the lives of these equines and the livelihoods of people. The United States is the third largest consumer of ejiao in the world.

“I am excited to lead Brooke USA’s Board of Directors and work closely with fellow Board members and staff to further execute our mission-driven strategy,” said Jim. “I know that many challenges lie ahead but I’m confident that we will continue to build support by making new friends and extending our work.”

“Brooke USA has a very bright future, and I look forward to leveraging our greater strengths and exceptional talent to grow our presence, increase awareness for our mission and raise the needed funds to make a significant difference in the lives of equines and people in the developing world,” Jim concluded.

Jim succeeds Katherine Kaneb from Wellington, FL who served in the Chair role for the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Katherine said, “It has been an honor to serve as Board Chair. I am confident in the future and in Jim’s leadership as Brooke USA continues to grow and fund more programs that improve the lives of working equines and people.” She added, “I have no doubt that Jim’s deep knowledge of Brooke USA, coupled with his veterinary expertise, will help realize Brooke USA’s full potential.”

Brooke USA Chief Executive Officer Emily Dulin stated, “Jim has been instrumental to our success since she joined the Board of Directors at the very beginning. His deep knowledge of the equestrian industry makes him asset as we continue expand our brand across the country.”

Brooke USA’s 2023 Board of Directors is comprised of:

Officers:

• James “Jim” Hamilton, DVM, Board Chair; Southern Pines, NC
• Laura Rombauer, Vice Chair; St. Helena, CA
• Mark Beausoleil, Treasurer; Boca Raton, FL
• Lisa Bair, Secretary; Wellington, FL  
• David Jones, Chair Emeritus; Asheboro, NC

Directors-at-large:

• Pernilla Ammann; Wellington, FL
• Tami Fratis; Ocala, FL
• Sally Frick; Campobello, SC
• Dwayne Hildreth; Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX
• Gill Johnston; Wellington, FL
• John Nicholson, Past Board Chair; Georgetown, KY
• Katie Roth; Aiken, SC
• Holly Sampson; Duluth, MN
• Jennifer Schechter; Wellington, FL
• Lisa Spoden; Delray Beach, FL
• Chris Tattersall; East Sussex, UK
• Tannetta Fentener van Vlissingen; Southern Pines, NC
• Julia Wilson, DVM; Stillwater, MN
• Stuart Wilson; Newport Beach, CA

WORKING IN A BRICK KILN IS HARD FOR A MOTHER OF FIVE BUT HAVING HER DONKEY MEETU MAKES IT ALL A BIT EASIER

Rafia’s day starts at 4 a.m. when she wakes up and changes and washes the children. She then goes to feed Meetu green fodder from the nearby field and collects water for him from the pump to drink before making breakfast for her children, her husband Muhammad, and mother-in-law. She then makes the chapatis (Indian flat bread) for the family’s lunch and they all go off to the brick kiln to work.

“I know in my heart how important it is to keep my donkey healthy. When I wake up in the morning, I care for him first before my children because I know if my donkey is not happy, he cannot provide for my family. If I have no donkey I have no life,” explained Rafia.

There are parts of Rafia's working day that are unimaginably tough. She spends most of it making bricks in the kiln with her children, taking the babies with her and breastfeeding them while working. It can reach up to 122 degrees in the brick kiln with no shade for Rafia or the children as they gather mud and mold it into bricks for Muhammad to transport to the kiln with Meetu.

The brick kiln owner lent Rafia 55,000 rupees ($420) to buy Meetu and he takes money from the family's weekly salary to pay off the loan. But Rafia worries about what would happen if Meetu became very ill: “If my donkey dies, we will have to borrow more money to buy another donkey and my family will be in more debt,” she says.

So, it is a comfort to her to know that the Brooke India vets, and community advisers are on hand to keep Meetu in good health. Meetu used to frequently suffer with colic until Rafia started attending Brooke India’s women’s community sessions. “My donkey used to be depressed and get colic a lot, but I have learnt from Brooke India the importance of making sure he gets plenty of green fodder to eat so that he is healthy and happy,” added Rafia.

Brooke USA Paints Wellington Orange!

The Debut of The Watering Hole was Nothing but Extraordinary

 Ponies & Pearls and Divertimentos & Dressage will follow successful path!

Brooke USA Foundation’s (Brooke USA) approach to building awareness among various sectors of the Wellington market proved to be right on target with the resounding success of Brooke USA’s The Watering Hole, a pool party targeting young riders and providing the right venue and means for relaxation on a Monday afternoon at the National Polo Center. More than 250 riders and friends were in attendance sharing libations – drinks, food, music by DJ Lexey and entertainment, games, shopping and auctions.

Ash Atkinson, Kaela Genovese, Robert Reyers, Brianne Link, Morgan Measey with Brooke USA Donor Relations Officer Kendall Bierer

In total, the event, planned by Brooke USA’s Young Professionals, raised close to $75,000 toward underwriting water troughs for working equines in Ethiopia where access to basic water is a problem due to worsening drought conditions and lack of current services.  

“Reality is that without water, crops cannot grow, and animals and livestock die”, stated Emily Dulin, CEO of Brooke USA. “We are ever so grateful to Brooke USA’s Young Professionals for taking an interest in our work and for ensuring that the party truly had a purpose – helping those who are severely affected by water shortages in Ethiopia," added Dulin.

Brooke USA’s Young Professionals and 2023 Event Committee for The Watering Hole was comprised of co-chairs Ash Atkinson and Morgan Measey, Kaela Genovese, Brianne Link and Robert Reyers. Brooke USA’s The Watering Hole was sponsored by Human Touch, OnCourse Consignment, Media Zone, Equisite Elements of Style, Poll to Tail Magnawave, Cugini Winery, Star Liquors, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Project Florida and Maxwell’s Plum. Even a Sip-and-Shop for the those looking to accessorize and buy clothing, jewelry, and equestrian items was on-hand thanks to La Enovese Designs, Caryna Nina, Veltri, Palm Harbor Boutique, Kai Lassen, and Sofie’s Boutique. The “sip” part of the “shop” was sponsored by Hotels at Sea and Celebrity Cruises, featuring their exclusive Celebration Oasis Rosé.

Photos © Project Florida / www.projectflorida.work

Right around the corner, Brooke USA’s remaining events will be taking place Sunday, March 19 with Ponies & Pearls, during the U.S. Open Women's Polo Championship Final on Field One of the National Polo Center. Sponsors, to date, include presenting sponsor Celebrity Cruises & Hotels At Sea, Raise Your Glass Sponsor Gill Johnston, Welcome to the Party Sponsor Valley Bank, and Fun on the Field Sponsor Shutts - Attorneys at Law.

Only one Golden Goal Table remains, as well as a limited number of Bronze Goal Tables and individual tickets. Ponies & Pearls benefits female empowerment programs across Kenya as women have proven to gain most from Brooke’s interventions when it comes to husbandry and first-aid training, thus increasing women’s skills and the likelihood of added income for the family. The event is chaired by Brooke USA Board members Lisa Bair, Gill Johnston, and Lisa Spoden.

And, lastly, Divertimentos & Dressage-presented by Lugano Diamonds will offer a dressage musical freestyle to the live performances of the Palm Beach Symphony with riders JJ Tate and Rebecca Hart, both Brooke USA Ambassadors, Todd Flettrich, Sahar Daniel Hirosh, Jim Koford and Allison Kavey. 

On Thursday, March 23 at Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, spectators will be overwhelmed by the beauty of this event when horses, orchestra and guests literally share the arena. Chairs Selma Garber and Margaret Hamilton Duprey are in full planning mode for Divertimentos & Dressage and have a guaranteed an unforgettable affair.

To purchase tickets for Brooke USA upcoming events, visit BrookeUSAevents.org and follow Brooke USA on Instagram and Facebook.

Tickets for these events are also available at www.BrookeUSAevents.org.

To stay abreast of all event developments, visit Brooke USA’s social media at www.facebook.com/brookeusaonline or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/brooke_usa.

GORI AND HER FAMILY ARE PART OF A TRASH-COLLECTING COMMUNITY IN PAKISTAN. THEIR DONKEY LADU IS THE FAMILY’S ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME.

Twenty-five-year-old Gori Aslam lives with her husband and three children and their four-year old donkey Ladu, meaning “to eat”. Gori explains, “I call him this for love because he provides food for my family.”

Gori, her family, and Ladu live in a makeshift home surrounding large piles of trash. Under the Pakistan sun, the trash is smelly and the air thick with flies. This is the everyday reality for people working in these trash-collecting communities.

Gori gets up at 4 a.m., hitches Ladu to the cart and they walk the busy Lahore streets looking for trash. Once the cart is full, they head back home to sort it, finishing at 2 p.m. A day’s work earns the family between 200 and 300 rupees (approximately $2 a day).

Once her working day is finished, Gori has household chores. She is responsible for cleaning and cooking as well as looking after Ladu. Gori is part of a women-only donkey welfare group facilitated by Brooke Pakistan. The Brooke Pakistan team visits the group every other week and leads a community engagement session with the women. Each session focuses on a different topic of animal welfare, including nutrition, wound management and stable care. 

“I have learned lots since attending these sessions. Before I would treat my donkey with homemade remedies if it was sick. For example, if he showed signs of colic, I would feed him onion weeds. Now, I know that he needs to see a vet if this happens, and I know that it can be prevented with a balanced diet and lots of water. Or, if he had a wound, I would rub cooking oil into it but now I know that it needs to be properly cleaned and disinfected,” explains Gori. “If we had no donkey we would starve, our lives would collapse,” she added.

Omaha Equestrian Foundation and Brooke USA Foundation

Announce Partnership during FEI World Cup Finals

Brooke USA Foundation (Brooke USA), the leading national nonprofit focused on alleviating the misery of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people they serve in vulnerable communities worldwide, recently announced that it has joined forces with the Omaha Equestrian Foundation, operator of the FEI World Cup™ Finals Omaha 2023, which runs April 4-8. The partnership is dedicated to building awareness for the contributions of horses to human livelihoods – whether elevating the status of women, securing water for families, transporting goods to market for sale, or taking children to school to advance education. Both organizations are committed to ensuring the most favorable conditions for equine welfare – from working in a brick kiln in India to competing at the highest level of equestrian sport at the CHI Health Center Omaha.

From April 4 to April 7, at the FEI World Cup™ Finals Omaha 2023, Brooke USA representatives will be on hand to meet and greet attendees and guests, and will answer questions regarding current work in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas, especially in the United States. Brooke USA is working with the Horses & Humans Research Foundation to learn about the needs of equines living among Native American reservations and answer the question of what the best way is to conduct a research study on equine welfare and Native American wellbeing on federally recognized reservations. The hope is to develop a body of knowledge which will not only help make targeted granting decisions but also serve as a resource to other organizations with similar interests.

“We were delighted to meet the team at the Omaha Equestrian Foundation and learn that the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Omaha will pay homage to the horse’s regional tradition and cultural impact by infusing tributes to Native American heritage,” said Emily Dulin, CEO of Brooke USA. “We could not be happier to join forces with Omaha Equestrian Foundation as we aim to encourage learning and stimulate debate on equine welfare and their impact on human livelihoods,” she added.

“Three hundred years ago in Omaha, horses were serving as essential contributors to Native American livelihoods. For Native Americans in the Great Plains Region, horses were more than animals – they were valued and respected members of the tribe. Indigenous people relied on horses to transform hunting tactics, inspire artistry, and strengthen transportation routes. The status of the family, village and nation was often linked to the number of horses owned,” explained Julie Boilesen, CEO of Omaha Equestrian Foundation. “We’re thrilled to join forces with Brooke USA as we celebrate the horses of the American Plains – past, present and future,” added Boilesen.

On Friday, April 7, the 2023 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, which highlights the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music, has been designated as “Brooke USA’s Charity Session” and will feature giveaways to the public and special mementos to guests in the VIP area. Other programs and events are also being planned for the week. For more information and ongoing updates, visit www.BrookeUSAevents.org.

Thank You to Our 2023 Paint Wellington Orange Sponsors

For more information on Brooke USA Foundation's upcoming events, please contact Kendall Bierer, Brooke USA Foundation Donor Relations Officer. We are currently accepting sponsors and silent auction donations.

Visit www.brookeusaevents.org to see all the event opportunities.

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

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