Leading Thoroughbred aftercare charity to be steered by Prominent Racing Syndicate Founder
The California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), a non-profit organization that provides funding for retirement of California-raced Thoroughbred horses, announced today that Billy Koch has been unanimously elected board president.
Nominated by his predecessor, Candace Coder-Chew, whose term expired in January, Koch fills the position perfectly by bringing a key perspective and infectious enthusiasm to the board.
As the Founder and Managing partner of Little Red Feather Racing, one of the largest and most successful syndicates in horse racing, Billy Koch has his finger on the pulse of the future of Thoroughbred ownership.
“Retirement of our horses is an absolute priority,” said Koch. “These amazing animals are the sole reason any of us are in this game and they deserve every ounce of our support once their racing careers are over. This responsibility falls on owners, trainers, jockeys, players, ADW providers, and our racetrack partners. Organizations like CARMA and our very own LRF Cares continue to step up, but we need more assistance from all areas of the horse racing world to make sure our horses are continually cared for. I am honored to serve as the next President of CARMA and look forward to working with the dedicated and passionate industry professionals that make up CARMA’s board of directors as we continue to fulfill our mission of funding racehorse retirement.”
“There is no one who deserves this title more than Billy,” said CARMA’s past-president Candace Coder-Chew. “He has been a committed and active member of the board and executive committee since his appointment in 2015 and I am confident he will lead the organization with the energy and enthusiasm he is known for.”
In his previous role as Treasurer, Koch was instrumental in developing and implementing the CARMAthon virtual fundraisers in 2020 and 2021. Under his leadership, these popular online events raised more than $300,000 for retired racehorses. During a time of great uncertainty for non-profits across the country, Koch’s ingenuity, and creativity lead to the creation of CARMA’s most successful events to date.
“We are thrilled Billy has agreed to lead the organization,” said CARMA Executive Director Lucinda Lovitt, “His enthusiasm and dedication to this industry is without compare, so having him serve as President is of great benefit to the organization.”