Visitors to Fasig-Tipton Company and the Kentucky Horse Park might have noticed the new stone walls and University of Kentucky insignia along Newtown Pike, but might not know what occurs behind those walls on UK’s Maine Chance Equine Campus, the university’s research and teaching farm in north Lexington. (Maine Chance is part of the collective North Farm complex that includes Spindletop Farm and provides a location for the equine health research conducted by Gluck Equine Research scientists.)

Before and after classes each day, a group of 10 students care for approximately 116 horses as part of UK’s experimental breeding program. The Maine Chance property has been used as a working farm since the late 1800s. The University purchased the property from Elizabeth Arden in 1967 as an expansion opportunity for agriculture research and programs. The farm has been home to Kentucky Derby winners Aristides and Jet Pilot.

Although run as a commercial operation, Maine Chance’s breeding program is designed to provide an opportunity for students to learn the day-to-day operations of a large breeding farm. In addition to maintenance tasks such as mucking and mowing, students have the opportunity to be involved with the horses from birth to the sales ring.

"On commercial farms, interns do a lot of ‘grunt work.’ They don’t get the hands-on experiences they get here," farm manager Brittney Gamler said. "They get to help with foaling, taking mares to the breeding shed; they get more out of it if it’s more hands-on