Old Friends Thoroughbred founder Blowen retires as president

Michael Blowen, founder of the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky. in 2003, will be stepping down as president of the facility.

Although he won't be running the farm on a daily basis anymore, he still will greet visitors, give tours and perform other duties as needed.

Taking over as the president and CEO of Old Friends is John Nicholson, best known as the executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park from 1997 to 2014. He will assume his new position on Feb. 1 and will be responsible for the leadership of the organization.

“I started looking a couple of years ago for someone to take over as president,” Blowen said. “The most important thing I was looking for was someone that really, really put the horses first. It's not like they’d just be saying it, but that they really have to think about the horses first.

“Then maybe about six months ago,” Blowen continued, “I ran into John and we started talking, and I said to him, ‘You know, I'm really looking for somebody to take over Old Friends because I've really taken it as far as I can take it. It started out with Diane and I and a golf cart and feeding the horses; a little mom-and-pop operation on the corner. And, today it's like a multimillion-dollar corporation, and it needs somebody that can handle that kind of operation. It needs a really good CEO that has managed a much bigger facility than we have, and the only way that we can improve is to get more space for more horses, which means more money, more donations and an executive CEO that knows how to handle big business.’

“As I was looking for someone to step into the position, something that was a big concern for me was to find somebody who had the same attitude towards the horses that I did. I always worried about that. Well, now, with John coming on board, I'm not worried about it at all. I feel like, instead of being an old has-been, I feel that a big weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.

“So when John said he would like to take the position, I just thought this was the greatest thing. I’ve known John for decades, and what he did over at the Kentucky Horse Park was just phenomenal. He did a wonderful job over there.

“So, two things. First and foremost, to have somebody of his experience, his sensitivity for the horses, his love of the horses, along with his administrative abilities and the way he gets along with people – he knows a lot of really important people that would really love to help Old Friends – I just thought it was so obvious that he was the person to take over this organization and take it up to the next level.

“The second thing was that we finally have put together a great team, both on the farm taking care of the horses and in the office to keep the farm running smoothly. It’s our 'World Series' team, and I wouldn't trade anyone on our staff now. So, I felt like John would be coming into a great situation where the momentum was pretty much there and he just had to keep it going and take it to another level."

In accepting the position, Nicholson said, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity of joining the Old Friends family to continue and enhance Michael Blowen’s vision and values. Old Friends has been at the vanguard of the Thoroughbred aftercare movement, and I feel privileged to be a part of such an important cause.

“I have always had a deeply felt respect and appreciation for Michael’s vision and tenacity,” Nicholson continued. “What he has accomplished is beyond remarkable. I have treasured our friendship over the years, especially having had a great collaborative relationship between Old Friends and the Kentucky Horse Park. He and I have always shared a spirit that the horse has given far more to us than we could ever give in return.

“Old Friends is making an important and vital contribution not only to the racing industry, but most importantly to the lives of the horses who have given so much to us. I have been fortunate in my career to be a part of some meaningful endeavors, but Old Friends offers all of us who love the horse a unique opportunity to serve the animal who has served us so well.

“It is also very gratifying and reassuring that Michael will remain a part of the daily world of Old Friends as the founder. We are blessed that he is in good health and his passion for the mission of Old Friends is undiminished. I plan to sit at his knee in the weeks and months ahead to listen and learn. I know for certain that working with him and the Old Friends team will be exhilarating and rewarding.

“And, at this stage of my life and career, having had much experience in the equine, tourism and nonprofit worlds, I believe I am in a position to help assure that Old Friends will remain a strong and viable force for all the good things it does for decades and generations to come.”

About Michael Blowen

In 2001, the Boston Globe offered buyouts and Michael, who had been the newspaper’s movie critic, and his wife Diane White, who was a Boston Globe columnist, took those buyouts and moved to Midway, Ky. where he worked as Operations Director at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF). During his time at the TRF, he had an idea – if people become star struck when meeting their favorite movie stars, maybe people would have the same reaction when they met their favorite race horses.

It was an idea he followed through on, and in 2003, with a lot of hard work, perseverance, and help from some others, he opened Old Friends, a retirement farm for Thoroughbreds, at Afton Farm in Georgetown, Ky. thanks to Mary Sue Walters who owned the farm. When it opened, it consisted of a few paddocks, his own horse, Invigorate, his pet miniature horse, Little Silver Charm, and its first official retiree, Narrow Escape, a mare that had been left in a stall following a sale.

A year later, Old Friends outgrew that farm, and thanks to Alfred Nuckols, the retirement farm moved to his Hurstland Farm in Midway, Ky. However, soon after that the facility outgrew that farm, too, and in 2004 Michael purchased a permanent home for Old Friends in Georgetown, Ky. Named Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm, it consisted of 52 acres with plenty of room to grow.

In addition, following the death of 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand in Japan, Old Friends, along with help from some others, became the first organization to repatriate Thoroughbreds from Japan to the U.S. The first two horses to arrive home were Sunshine Forever and Creator.

Since then, six more Thoroughbreds – Fraise, Ogygian, Wallenda, Silver Charm, War Emblem, and Charismatic – have been repatriated to the U.S. from Japan thanks to the efforts of Michael and Old Friends.

In time, Old Friends has repatriated a horse from Italy, Geri, and in 2022, he opened the door to returning horses from South Korea with the arrival of Any Given Saturday.

Today, Old Friends has grown to over 240 acres with close to 300 horses.

In addition to the main farm in Georgetown, Ky., Old Friends has two satellite farms, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which opened in 2009 in Greenfield Center, N.Y, near Saratoga Race Course, and Old Friends at Ashton Grove, a senior retirement community in Georgetown, Ky., a place that gives seniors a chance to interact with horses. There are also a few small annex farms near the main farm.

Also, in his time at Old Friends, Michael and Old Friends have earned a number of awards, both personal and for the retirement farm, highlighted by the 2014 special Eclipse Award, which honors extraordinary service or contributions to the Thoroughbred industry.

About John Nicholson

John Nicholson has had a very impressive career in the horse industry in two states.

The position he is most known for in Kentucky was as the executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park from 1997 to 2014, when he retired. He was the longest-serving executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park in its history.

His most notable achievement during his tenure was working to attract the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to the Kentucky Horse Park, the first time the event was ever held outside of Europe. Nicholson served as president of the World Games 2010 Foundation board that organized the event, which had a $201.5 million economic impact on Kentucky’s economy.

Nicholson also led the largest expansion in the history of the Kentucky Horse Park, which included the building of many new facilities on the grounds, including the Alltech Arena, which seats 5,500; the Rolex Stadium, which seats 7,300; new stabling barns and a new 8,500-square-foot wing of the International Museum of the Horse.

In addition, Nicholson led the expansion of the National Horse Center, which today consists of offices and headquarters of 33 national, regional and state equine organizations at the Kentucky Horse Park. The expansion included bringing the United States Equestrian Federation to the Kentucky Horse Park. Prior to its moving to Kentucky, the USEF headquarters was located in New York City, where it opened in 1917.

After leaving his position at the Kentucky Horse Park, Nicholson accepted a position as CEO of the Virginia Horse Center, in Lexington, Va., from 2015 to 2021.

Under his leadership, he was able to help turn the Virginia Horse Center Foundation around at a time when it was struggling financially. To accomplish this, he brought new horse shows and other events to the facility, which attracted the support of many people, most importantly, the area’s horse community. He also helped recruit new people for the VHCF board and helped raise the money to fund renovations and upgrades to the center’s facilities.

Nicholson also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Brooke USA, a nonprofit dedicated to significantly improving the health, welfare and productivity of working horses, donkeys and mules, and the people and families that depend on them for survival worldwide.