Kenneth Bonuccelli – Woodbine, MD

Kenneth is a legal studies major at Stevenson University, where he competes in competitive Mock Trial. He enjoys spending time with friends and family and watching sports, and is excited to meet everyone in the Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program.

Sam Franklin – Churchton, MD

Sam is a junior at the University of Louisville majoring in Equine Business Management. He has experience working with horses in both farm settings and hot walking at Churchill Downs. Sam loves working with horses, and after college hopes to become a winning thoroughbred trainer. For the MTCP, he hopes to learn as much as he can and to make the most of his time in the program.

Olivia Kaltenbach – New Castle, PA

Olivia is a junior studying Animal Science-Business and Management at Penn State University. As an Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Delegate for Penn State, she has a passion for growing her network in the equine industry and looking for any and all opportunities to be an advocate for animal agriculture. Olivia was born and raised working with horses in the western world and eventually learned to love the adrenaline rush of rodeo! She is incredibly excited to partake in the Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program and is looking forward to learning more about the Thoroughbred industry and where her place could be in it.

Haden Sisk – Reisterstown, MD

Haden is a 17-year-old high school junior living on his family’s six-horse farm in Reisterstown, Maryland. He competes in Maryland High School Rodeo and Central Pennsylvania Youth Rodeo as a team roper. Aside from a cowboy, Haden is also an avid equestrian and loves to ride to the hunt. Currently, he works for William Dowling at W-D Racing as a groom and exercise rider. As far as his future in the equine industry, he is interested in pursuing a career as either a vet or farrier.

Addison (Addy) Smith – Knoxville, MD

Addy is a student at Middletown High School in Frederick, Maryland, where she is an active member of their Future Farmers of America (FFA) club. She helps with her family’s non-profit horse rescue February Star Sanctuary, and has three horses of her own, one of which is an Off-Track Thoroughbred named Unstoppable Heart. She began barrel racing competitively in 2020 and has since added pole bending to her resume. Though not completely sure where she will go in her career, Addy has a passion for horses and plans to stay in the industry. She considers her love for her horses and the bond they have formed as a great learning experience for life and relationships.

Sydney Trigilio – West Springfield, MA

Sydney is a rising senior in the Equine Science program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as well as an event rider with a passion for breeding and training. This summer, she will be continuing her education while working at a breeding facility and hopes to follow a career in that field. While she hasn’t yet had the opportunity to work in the thoroughbred industry, she is excited that Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program will be opening a new door.

 

Follow along with the 2023 Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program participants June 5-9 on the Maryland Horse Foundation’s Facebook page.