Shawnee Mission, Kansas - May 20, 2003 - Bayer Animal Health, a strong financial supporter of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America’s efforts to honor horse racing’s backstretch and racing farm heroes, has contributed a poster that is the official visual signature of the RTCA’s first White Horse Award.

“I think the rendition captures well the strength, the dignity and the purity
of the white horse that means so much to so many,” said RTCA Executive Director, Dr. Enrique Torres. “It is an outstanding contribution. I was very moved the first time I saw it and it is indeed a fitting tribute to the racing industry heroes.”

The first White Horse Award will be presented during a special White Horse Heroes Luncheon set for Oct. 23, 2003, at Santa Anita Park’s Seabiscuit Court, two days before the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

The award will be given to the one backstretch or racing farm worker determined to have performed the most heroic act on behalf of human or horse. It includes a cash prize, special edition White Horse Statue and other donated gifts. Plans call for several nominees to be brought to Santa Anita during Breeders’ Cup week, be made available to the press, attend the various functions, and have a race that week named in their honor.

“There are so many incredibly skilled and dedicated people who work on
the backstretch at racetracks across the country,” said Allyn Mann, Equine
Product Manager at Bayer. “Backstretch workers literally keep the racing industry running. So it’s an honor for Bayer to support the Race Track Chaplaincy’s first White Horse Award that gives these heroes the
recognition they deserve.”

Since its beginning in 1971, the RTCA has grown until it now sanctions and oversees 45 Chaplains who serve at 60 American tracks and training centers. Its mission is to provide for the spiritual, emotional, material and social needs of racing’s workforce.

Nominations for the inaugural White Horse Award can be made by contacting RTCA Development Director, Ed Donnally, by phone at (310) 680-7822, cell (818) 653-3711 or by e-mail at edonnally@racetrackchaplaincy.org.

Bayer is a worldwide leader in parasite control and prescription pharmaceuticals for dogs, cats, horses, cattle and poultry. Bayer Animal Health is a division of Bayer HealthCare LLC, with its U.S. operations headquartered in Shawnee, Kansas. Bayer HealthCare LLC, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales amounting to some 10 billion Euro, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry. Bayer HealthCare combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Biological Products, Consumer Care, Diagnostics and Pharmaceuticals divisions.

More than 34,000 employees work for Bayer HealthCare worldwide. Our
work at Bayer HealthCare is to discover and manufacture innovative products for the purpose of improving human and animal health worldwide. Our products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing and treating disease.