Groom Elite Program comes to Kentucky For the first time in Kentucky, racetrack grooms will have the opportunity to become certified in their work through the Groom Elite Program, a 30-hour professional development course designed to further the knowledge and skills of licensed backstretch workers. Churchill Downs and the Klein Family Learning Center/WinStar Library will offer the program during Churchill's spring meet. Lessons will be scheduled on non-racing days to accommodate grooms' work schedules. Enrollment, which began April 18, is open to licensed workers on a first-come, first-served basis, and tuition is free. Learning center director Jennifer Hoert said the program, sponsored by the Kentucky Derby Museum and the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, would offer hands-on practical experience as well as classroom instruction that will explain the science behind what grooms typically already do. "I think it's a great opportunity for the horsemen to further develop their practical skills and understanding of their work," Hoert said. "This will increase groom confidence, and will lead to safer conditions and more satisfied trainers." The course material ranges from horse anatomy and behavior to shed-row safety and test barn procedures. At the end of the course, grooms' skills will be assessed, and those who master course content will become certified Groom Elite. Graduates will receive a diploma and a jacket at a special ceremony in June. The program, which began in Texas, has incorporated into the non-profit Elite Program and been made available to racetracks across the country. Dr. Reid McLellan, national director of instruction for the Elite Program and former professor and director of Louisiana Tech's equine program, will teach the 14-lesson course, beginning May 10, with the assistance of interim director Christine Miller. Hoert said local volunteers, such as firefighters, EMTs, veterinarians, and farriers would also be asked to contribute instruction in their services. Classes will be taught in English and translated in Spanish by a volunteer interpreter. Course material will be distributed in both languages. Hoert said she hopes to recruit at least 30 students, and that a successful program could lead to additional courses during Churchill's fall meet. — Amy Whitfield, The Blood-Horse, April 23, 2005