CEOF Equine Fund

The CEOF Equine Fund provides tuition assistance in grades K-8  for children whose parents/guardians work in the equine industry.

To make a donation please contact Kim Thompson kthompson@ceoflex.org or call 859-303-9555.

CEOF Equine Fund Gains Momentum in Central Kentucky

by Katie Petrunyak, Thoroughbred Daily News

English may be his second language, but it certainly would have been difficult to guess when 2nd grader Markus won his school’s spelling bee and went on to compete against kids several years his elder in a district-wide spelling tournament.

Markus and his brother were born in the U.S. after their parents moved from Mexico to Paris, Kentucky and started jobs working on a horse farm. His family valued education and after receiving a partial scholarship, Markus was able to attend St. Mary School in his new hometown, where his principal, Miranda Chaplin, said he and his preschool-aged younger brother are model students.

“They are bright, respectful and incredibly hardworking,” she shared. “They are thriving at our school.” Markus is one of the first young students to benefit from a newly formed fund dedicated to providing tuition assistance for children in Kindergarten through eighth grade whose parents or legal guardian work in the equine industry in Central Kentucky.

The CEOF Equine Fund began as an idea years ago from Father Chris Clay and his family of Runnymede Farm. The fund officially launched this year and in its inaugural academic season, 10 children applied for funding and each one received tuition assistance of some kind.

Godolphin’s Gerry Duffy is a member of the CEOF’s Leadership Council and is also on the CEOF Equine Fund committee. He said funding from this project could have a lasting impact on the industry and its participants. “If you want to change your environment or change your community, give people an education,” he said.