Sonoma State University find a unique way to fund its sports programs.

Seawolf Stables Created to Bring Racehorses
to the Rescue of  College Athletic Scholarship Fund

Faced with the daunting task of raising athletic scholarship funds to a minimum of $250,000 by the 2005-06 school year, the Sonoma State University Athletics Department came up with a unique plan. Racehorses.

It was only last week that the idea to sell 100 shares at $1,000 in each of two colts, of which half of each  share would be used as a tax-deductible donation to the Sonoma State University Student-Athlete Scholarship Fund. The horses will be owned by a corporation that will be called Seawolf Stables.

Several days after an article was published in the local daily newspaper, reservations for shares in the two horses have already been sold out, leaving a waiting list of over 100 people and the department in the process of acquiring a third horse.

The two horses, Seawolf and Sonoma Slew, were selected by Tom Bachman, owner of Pegasus Ranch in Petaluma. Bachman will be responsible for the care and training of the colts. Seawolf, named for the school’s mascot, is the offspring of Swiss Yodeler and My Thellie. Sonoma Slew, is the ‘grandson’ of the great Seattle Slew and is the offspring of Slewledo and Distant Love.

The idea was formulated by Russ Gardiner, SSU’s volunteer assistant athletic director for marketing and development.