5 minute read
TED TALKS
Who should sit on breeders' committees? EVERYONE!
Ted Voute assesses the work that has been achieved by the TBA over the 12 years that he has been on its board, and he urges breeders to strongly consider putting themselves forward for board elections
MY 12 YEARS on the TBA board and four years on the board for the ROA will slowly disappear into the mist... so it got me thinking, have I personally done any good?
There have been many times that board members sit frustrated listening to “plans” to fix racing for its future.
Board members do an enormous amount of good bringing their individual strengths to the table and applying those skills to the peripheral subjects.
My particular interest lies in the veterinary panel, chaired mostly by Kirsten Rausing and now James Crowhurst. It is a watchdog for our industry and considers far-reaching subjects in order to prepare the industry against the threat of disease outbreak and to keep its stock healthy.
Ongoing research projects, which are fascinating, are financed by the TBA’s investment and made on behalf of its members.
None of this is exciting to anyone other than those on the diverse sub-committee and that includes stallion masters, vets and scientists.
So how do you make these various sub-committees on all breeding organisations, sexy and attractive so that industry members will sit on them and guide members and breeders through the maze of hurdles that raising thoroughbreds presents the small breeder?
It’s the responsibility of the larger-scale breeders to have the foresight to become involved, have a wish to help breeders avoid the numerous pit-falls that this industry can throw at all of us, let alone the newbies to the business.
But, perhaps also most importantly, those on the committees need to the invest the income of the TBA in those areas, which make a difference.
Most of these topics are quite dull and hard to promote to members and are represented on another committee working with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs keeping the voice of thoroughbreds equal, yet viewed differently, to sheep and cattle.
It’s hard to make the many administrative areas exciting and it takes a Stanstead House that is full of very bright people employed by the charity to organise the ideas of its non-paid board of directors.
At one point I had an idealistic view that industry bodies should be able to single-handedly increase prize-money. If I’ve learned anything at all it is all far more complex!
Each body has to work together to increase their influence on the Levy money and the new income stream of media rights. Within the past year the world pool has become a significant income for the racecourses.
It’s why the Horseman’s Group has evolved and why the Jockey Club created the BHB and this is evolved to become the BHA with the Jockey Club becoming a wealthy property company.
I’ve helped create a committee for small breeders and consignors that has become a conduit to the sales companies for subjects ranging from selling speeds and long sales days down to sales paperwork. Working together with companies such as Tattersalls and Goffs UK we are able to voice concerns, and thank them for improvements. Not everything gets done, but everything is considered.
Industry awards are important to our industry. The TBA has steadily improved this area to include an awards night and employee awards coupled with monthly awards for small breeders.
Last, but not least, the Great British Bonus Scheme (GBB) has been a highly successful self-help project that has been lovingly nurtured and promoted by the incoming TBA chairman Philip Newton.
Spurned on by its success, there are constant discussions on how to build on its popularity.
As yet nothing has been set in stone, but maybe an evolving process is the best way to progress.
THERE is much mORE to putting in place a scheme such as GBB, or indeed insured bonuses such as the Weatherbys Long Distance Bonus, won twice by Stradivarius, than you would imagine.
It can be an impossible task.
(As an aside, was Stradivarius better than those great stayers Yeats or Ardross, who didn’t have a bonus scheme to alter race plans for connections?)
So, in conclusion has the TBA improved things whilst I was on boards alongside chairs Nigel Elwes, Kirsten Rausing and Julian Richmond Watson, all who have had different chairmanship styles.
Hell, yes! For one thing, they have circumnavigated the considerable challenges of Brexit and Covid amongst other challenges.
They have increased prizemoney through GBB and managed the various veterinary challenges. Finally, they have been part of Bloodstock Industry Forum (BIF), which is changing the image of buying and selling horses, and helping promote a more transparent marketplace in which to trade horses with definite rules and a code of practice.
I hope breeders or industry professionals will be inspired and give some of their time and stand for election in the future in order to share their expertise with the industry, and to help make breeding horses easier and, above all, more fun.
