TBA Forum

The special section for TBA members

TBA board elections

Find out about the views and interests of the five candidates hoping to secure your vote and one of the two places that are available on the TBA board. The successful candidates will be announced at the TBA AGM on November 22.

David Brocklehurst Career/profession

After a lifelong career in the City as a chartered surveyor and insurer in regulated industries, I am experienced in navigating corporate conduct and regulatory requirements (ESG), which may prove relevant should breeders need to prepare for regulation.

Breeding/racing interests

I was brought up on a family farm in Cheshire breeding NH horses and have assisted my wife in running Charlock Stud in Northamptonshire for over 20 years. We breed our own stock, mainly for Flat racing, as well as having outside boarders and consign yearlings and foals at the sales.

Profile

My main aim in seeking election to the board is to try to improve the lot of smaller breeders. Initiatives would include: • Greater emphasis on horse and staff welfare including the retraining of racehorses; • Consideration of AI as an alternative option for covering to ensure the continuation of coverings should the movement of horses be restricted through the outbreak of horse and/or human diseases; • Making sure smaller breeders in the

UK are not further disadvantaged post Brexit compared with other jurisdictions; • Ensuring that breeders enjoy greater government support including a fair redistribution of profits made from gambling; • Action to ensure breeders are included within the ELM scheme given the ending of farm subsidies and payments from the RPA; • Resurrecting the Animal Health Trust

in some form; • Greater e-communication with and feedback from the TBA membership.

As breeders we are all well aware how difficult times are and it would be no exaggeration to say that we are facing something of a crisis – and crises require change. If elected I would try my best to bring about changes needed to restore the health of smaller breeders and so stand as a candidate for change.

Colin Bryce Career/profession

My business background is in oil and financial services, including 33 years with Morgan Stanley, where I was Head of Sales and Trading in EMEA, and Chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank International Limited. I am also a founding partner of the consultancy, Energex Partners.

Breeding/racing interests

We are small breeders attempting to be commercial and currently have seven Flat-bred mares. The best Laundry Cottage Stud Farm bred horse to date is Wootton Bassett, currently a successful stallion. In most years I have horses in training in different parts of the country.

I currently also run a charity syndicate (London Scots for Doddie) where we direct all prize-money won by our horse – trained by Lucinda Russell – to Doddie Weir’s Motor Neurone Disease charity.

Profile

My wife, Melba, and I own Laundry Cottage Stud Farm. My interests in standing for election to the board are in the areas of education (we take up to six students at LCSF on paid work experience each year), small breeder economics (animal husbandry is a labour of love but also needs to pay the bills) and regulation (given my experience in the City).

William Jackson-Stops Career/profession

I am a 31-yearold bloodstock consultant, racing manager, breeder and owner. I started my career as a stud hand at Hascombe and Valiant Studs in Newmarket. This was followed by multiple years as an assistant trainer, starting with Royal Ascot-winning trainer Olly Stevens, then multiple Classic-winning trainer Ralph Beckett, and finally Godolphin in Australia. On returning from Australia in 2017 I started my own bloodstock consultancy.

Breeding/racing interests

I own horses in training with Tom Clover, George Scott and David Menuisier. I also own mares, yearlings and foals, all for commercial purposes. I manage the breeding and racing interests of various international clients, as well as manage a stallion in Ireland called Kuroshio who has covered 250 mares in his first two seasons at stud.

Profile

I am fortunate enough to be able to see the coal face of the industry on a daily basis, from booking nominations, breeding and selling my own stock, to attending nearly every UK thoroughbred sale and buying various different horses from foals to stallions. I get to witness and take part in a large area of the industry. As a bloodstock consultant I travel annually to Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and other countries, which gives me a good insight on our industry from an outside perspective.

I’m passionate about our breeding and racing in the UK. I believe we have the best product in the world to

advertise. As an industry we’re fighting I was a racing secretary for

an uphill battle at the moment and whether it's prize-money or the whip debate, the news tends to be negative. There’s a lot that can be changed for the better in our industry and as a younger participant I am keen to get involved now and start to make a difference.

Stuart Matheson Career/profession

Ex-Army followed by a career as senior executive in airport operations and airline companies. I’m founder and CEO of an international, UK-based civil aviation operations and consultancy company and co-director and owner of I have run West Moor Stud full time for into the industry. I am a working stud

Abacus Bloodstock.

Breeding/racing interests

I own a band of five broodmares at our stud in Staffordshire, and have occasional horses in training. We have bred a number of winners and stakes horses since beginning independently in 2008. I am the TBA regional representative for Wales & West Midlands.

Profile

I am married with three grown-up children. I have experience of working in a board environment to deliver results. which surpasses all of my other interests. Breeders are amongst the most passionate and friendly people in the industry, but are arguably the most at risk in the challenging times ahead. The reductions in prize-money and owner engagement, together with the loss of key support partners like the Animal Health Trust, has added to the risks to racing and to the breed – we must all work together to overcome these challenges and plan a sustainable future. Smaller breeders, who make up the majority of TBA members, need the TBA to be a strong and knowledgeable voice for them.

Kate Sigsworth Career/profession

I have ridden out in Flat and National Hunt yards and worked in nomination sales for Darley. several years for the late David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls and David O’Meara, where I assisted with yearling selection and represented at the races both internationally and domestically. I continued to be actively involved in the stud during this time while also working as a spotter for various agents (Gill Richardson, James Delahooke, Joss Collins etc) attending all types of sales in Great Britain, Ireland, France and America.

Breeding/racing interests

nearly ten years and currently have ten mares, including some boarders for clients. I offer yearlings and foals every year at the major UK sales as well as having at least one horse in training most years. I also pinhook for clients and the stud. During this time I have expanded the stud and the client base, which has given me a greater insight I have a passion for the thoroughbred,

owner and manager, sitting up and foaling mares, prepping yearlings and foals while also dealing with all admin and accounts.

Profile

I grew up on my parents’ West Moor Stud in North Yorkshire, which they established in 1980, so from a young age I worked around horses and rode, which led to a spell eventing, competing at Advanced and CCI*** level before turning my full attention to breeding and racing. I have a particular interest in small breeders and owner-breeders as I know some of the struggles we endure. Retention of staff is an interest too – I have seen some top-class care of horses and attention to detail by staff over the years and these staff need more recognition and encouragement from the whole industry with a realistic chance to progress.

Full details of the election process, including the voting forms, were mailed out to members in the middle of October. Completed voting papers need to be returned to the election scrutineers: Price Bailey, c/o Mr M Clapson, 5 Duchess Drive, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8AG or emailed to tba-agmvote@pricebailey.co.uk, by 9.30am on Friday, November 13.

Registering change of ownership essential

TBA members are reminded that it is a legal requirement that all horse owners register their ownership within 30 days of purchase with their passportissuing organisation. Weatherbys is the body that issues all passports for thoroughbreds registered with the General Stud Book.

This legislation applies to all equines and so TBA members are reminded to ensure that any other horses in their ownership are also up to date with these requirements.

Since becoming a legal requirement in 2018 and enforceable by Trading Standards, legislation also requires a horse’s passport is returned to Weatherbys to be updated with the new ownership details.

Racing ownerships have been granted an exemption; however, when a horse comes out of training this exemption no longer exists. An owner of a horse in training should have previously registered their ownership with Weatherbys before the horse went into training unless they are the breeder, in which case the ownership is already correct.

When a horse comes out of training and the racing ownership is terminated, the Weatherbys ownership (i.e. the ownership registered with Weatherbys before the horse entered training and was registered in the BHA database for racing purposes) becomes the valid ownership recognised by DEFRA and the Central Equine Database.

Even if a racing owner retains ownership of a horse after it finishes racing they will be required to register their continued ownership with Weatherbys – if they had not already done so prior to the horse going into training (unless they bred the horse).

Foret three-peat for One Master

The first weekend in October witnessed the true meaning of internationalism within racing as British-breds won four Group/Grade 1s on three continents. Whist Enable may not have been able to land a third Arc, One Master made history in taking a third win in the Prix de la Foret for owner breeders Roy and Gretchen Jackson. A day earlier at Newmarket, Nazeef, already successful in the Falmouth Stakes on the July course, took the Sun Chariot Stakes on the Rowley Mile.

Away from Europe and the Juddmonte-bred Mirage Dancer (Frankel) landed a first top-level win in the Metropolitan Handicap at Royal Randwick, while Uni landed back-toback wins in the First Lady Stakes at Keeneland. A couple of weekends previously, also in America, and Magic Attitude made her Stateside debut a winning one in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes.

Whitsbury Manor Stud was on the mark with a pair of stakes-winning juveniles by resident stallion Showcasing. Alkumait readily took the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes, while Sweet Gardenia was a Listed scorer at Tipperary.

Also in double form was Al Asayl Bloodstock. The Revenant (Dubawi), absent for nearly a year, enjoyed the hock-deep conditions on offer at Longchamp over Arc weekend to win the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein for a second successive year, while a day later at Dusseldorf, Cloud Surfing (Oasis Dream) took Listed honours.

Whilst Juddmonte no longer own Mirage Dancer, there were a pair of Stateside Grade 3 victories for homebred fillies in the shape of Viadera (Bated Breath) in the Noble Damsel Stakes at Belmont Park and Juliet Foxtrot (Dansili) in the Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico, on the Preakness Stakes undercard.

Also hitting the stakes mark in the US was She’s Got You, a daughter of Kingman, who won the Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Another British-bred stud doubly represented was Cheveley Park Stud, both winners sired by Dutch Art. Their homebred Exceptional took the Listed Arran Scottish Spring EBF Fillies’ Stakes at Ayr, while Bowerman won the Group 3 Diamond Stakes on the allweather at Dundalk.

The Litex Commerce-bred Tabera was a Listed scorer earlier in the campaign and on September 20 at Hannover defied a penalty to add another Listed win to her record – Leopoldina, bred by Petches Farm, was also a Listed scorer on the card. Two weeks later and in the Group 3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit at BerlinHoppegarten, Tabera gained a first Pattern win.

Elarqam, the Floors Farming-bred son of Frankel, landed his third Group contest in the Group 3 Legacy Cup, while there were a couple of Listed wins for the Banstead Manor Stud resident in the shape of Majestic Noor in the John Musker Fillies’ Stakes at Yarmouth and Marine One in the Prelude Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen.

The Crossfields Bloodstock Ltdbred Ventura Rebel (Pastoral Pursuits) broke through at Pattern level to take the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes at

the Curragh. As a yearling he was sold through Bearstone Stud and the Shropshire outfit bred Lullaby Moon, who took the Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar. On the same card, the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid homebred Ostilio (New Approach) captured the Listed Guisborough Stakes.

Others to win in Listed company included the W R Barnett-bred Kingman filly Posted in the Fortune Stakes at Sandown Park, the Normandie Stud-bred Glorious Journey (Dubawi) in the Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes, Aria Importante (Twilight Son) in the Premio Eupili, the Stowell Hill Stud-bred Anna Nerium (Dubawi) in the Foundation Stakes, the Dunaden gelding Ranch Hand, bred by Kingsclere Stud, in the Jockey Club Bowl Stakes and the Godolphin homebred Walton Street in the Godolphin Stakes.

Meanwhile in Scandinavia, the gift that keeps on giving, Kick On, the Shutford Stud-bred son of Charm Spirit, won his fourth stakes race of the year in the Listed Arnfinn Lunds Minnelop at Ovrevoll.

Over obstacles in Ireland, Buildmeupbuttercup (Sixties Icon) won back-to-back Listed mares’ hurdles, while Cabaret Queen, bred by Jackie and Robert Chugg & Mill House Stud, was victorious in the Kerry National at Listowel.

Results included up to October 4. Produced in association with GBRI.

One Master: three wins in the Prix de la Foret

Weatherbys set to introduce an E-Passport

Weatherbys has announced that an E-Passport, which it has been working on for the past two years, will be available for use in 2021. Elements of the passport have been accessible to breeders, such as the Digital Equine Movement System (DEMS) facility, while the vaccination and movement functionality was utilised by the BHA and HRI with their ‘Return to Racing’ protocols.

Claire Sheppard, TBA CEO, said: “We are working very closely with Weatherbys on a larger number of projects – and the Weatherbys E-Passport is central to many of these through the part it can play in identification, traceability, The E-Passport will go live in 2021 With the UK having left the European Union and the period of transition currently ongoing whilst the terms of its future relationship with the EU are being negotiated, the TBA has introduced on its website a UK transition hub. The page, which will be regularly updated and reviewed, will provide the British thoroughbred breeding industry with links to UK government information and industry specific guidance. On November 4 at 10:30am, health and welfare benefits for the thoroughbred. Indeed the equine movement element of this technology was vital at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic as it was used to track the movement of thoroughbreds during the breeding season.”

Designed to ensure the efficient cross-border movement of sport, racing and breeding horses from 2021, the E-Passport will go live to the UK and Irish thoroughbred market in 2021 when it will include stallion, mare and foal registration, pre and post racing vaccinations and medications along with ownership

UK transition – hub & webinar

updates and full identification. there will be a free UK government webinar titled 'Exporting equines from GB to the EU.' The online event will cover the necessary steps businesses need to follow to export equines from January 1, 2021 as well as information on guidance documents, and where to find appropriate support and advice on this subject. If you would like to register for the webinar visit the 'Events' page of the TBA website to find further details of the event.

WEATHERBYS James Frank: Employee of the Year in 2020

Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards. The prestigious awards, where over £128,000 in prize-money is offered, celebrate and reward the commitment and contribution of stud and stable staff from across the country.

At the 2020 awards, held in February, James Frank of Hascombe and Valiant Studs was crowned Employee of the Year, having also won the Stud Staff Award. Nominations for the 2021 awards can be made online at studandstablestaffawards.co.uk and must be made by November 10.

David Nicholson Newcomer Award

Stud and stable staff who have been employed in the industry for less than three years as of February 22, 2021

Leadership Award

All stud and racing stable staff employees carrying out a leadership or supervisory role, managing two or more staff

Rider/Racing Groom Award

All stable and stud staff employees

Stud Staff Award

All stud staff employees

Dedication Award

All stud and stable staff employees who have worked in the industry for more than 15 years

Community Award (in recognition of Rory MacDonald)

Any individual who makes a positive difference to the lives of people or racehorses within the industry

Employee of the Year Award

The winner of this award will be announced on the night

Earlier in the year, the TBA produced guidance documents to help ensure that the 2020 covering season could continue whilst ensuring the health and safety of breeders, staff and horses.

The importance of the protocols was not lost on Shade Oak Stud’s Peter Hockenhull, who said: “When in late March the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons instructed vets that they could only deal with emergency cases at studs, the breeding industry in this country was facing near disaster. "Routine scans before and after covering were not considered emergencies, but they are essential to the effective running of a stallion stud these days. Without these we were facing the virtual loss of the most significant part of the covering season.

“The action that the TBA took to lobby DEFRA and the RCVS to change this stance and instead to utilise the Covid protocols it had drawn up saved the day. The TBA's guidance documents proved vital to breeders

Looking ahead to the 2021 covering season

during lockdown

“Every stallion stud in the country, and every breeder whose mare is in foal to the coverings that were possible only because of this action, owes an immense debut of gratitude to the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association for its swift and effective intervention.”

Having conducted a representative survey of members and following advice, it has been accepted that this guidance and most importantly the protocol document will need to be followed for the 2021 covering season. At present there is a review of protocols, guidance documents and processes and these shall be re-issued by December 1. This is to ensure that all industry participants are up to date and ready for the next covering season.

The protocol has been taken on board by key industry groups, including the NSFA.

For all the latest information relating to Covid-19, visit the TBA website and its Covid-19 hub.

Updated Broodmare Ownership Guide

The latest updated version of the TBA Broodmare Ownership Guide is now available to view as an e-book on the TBA website. The guide highlights the essential information you need to consider when getting involved in thoroughbred breeding, including the options you may have when setting up, purchasing breeding stock, the key points of stallion selection, providing care for the mare and her progeny, and horse welfare considerations. The guide has been developed for those new to the industry to ensure they have all the information prior to starting a breeding enterprise.

Post-mortem subsidy

TBA members are reminded that the TBA offers a subsidy of £200 towards fees incurred when investigating an abortion or neonatal foal death.

The main purpose of this is to identify where cases of EHV have occurred and to encourage reporting of EHV to help with better disease surveillance and control.

Members are asked to notify Stanstead House if they wish to take advantage of this subsidy, which will be paid at the TBA's discretion. The main conditions are listed here and further information is available from the TBA website: 1. The TBA should be notified by telephone within three days of the abortion/neonatal foal death; 2. The TBA should be notified of the outcome of the post-mortem within three days of it being determined; 3. A copy of the laboratory report should be sent to the TBA within 14 days of the report date; 4. The foetus/dead foal must be from a thoroughbred mare residing in the United Kingdom and be owned by a TBA member.

BREEDER IN FOCUS – Karina Casini

Coals to Newcastle and back again: that’s the unlikely story of De Rasher Counter, who at the end of this month, all being well, will bid to become the first back-to-back winner of the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury since the mighty Arkle in 1964-65.

De Rasher Counter has taken an unusual route for a British-bred jumper, being sold to Ireland before landing back in England. What’s more, soon after winning a maiden point-to-point and a bumper, he changed hands for £50,000 at the Goffs Aintree Sale in April 2017 and went into training with Emma Lavelle, just five miles away from his breeder Karina Casini’s Greenlands Farm Stud at Lockeridge, near Marlborough.

Casini recalls: “It was my first experience of selling at Goffs; in fact, it was right at the start of my venture into National Hunt breeding. Yeats was always an absolute superstar for me. There are some horses who just take your heart, you can’t really explain why, and Yeats was definitely one of them.

“When he went to stud, I thought, ‘Right, I’ve one broodmare, Dedrunknmunky, and I’ll use him.’ Her first cover was by Kayf Tara, which produced Katarrhini, whom we raced and still have on the stud. Her second foal was Lady Garvagh, by Lucarno, whom we sold for £800 and she won a hurdle race. Then came De Rasher Counter.

“I remember being at Doncaster with De Rasher Counter as a three-year-old. Many people came to see him, probably because I’d gone to Yeats in his second year at stud and he was one of the first of his offspring to come to market. He was 16.1hh at the time and some people probably thought he wasn’t big enough to make a jumper, but Tom Keating took a liking to him.

“At the time I didn’t realise quite who Tom was, but after he’d bought him for £10,500, he told me he’d produced Dedrunknmunky and she was the best mare he’d had racing for him, although she wasn’t straightforward. Dedrunknmunky was definitely first time lucky for me.”

Casini’s broodmare band is now up to five but Dedrunknmunky remains the cornerstone.

Keating bought her four-year-old Fame And Glory filly for €10,000 at Goffs in June last year and named Cute

Karina Casini with Dedrunknmunky, dam of Ladbrokes Trophy winner De Rasher Counter

Cherry, she is ready for Irish point-topoints. Her Scorpion two-year-old colt will go to Doncaster next year; she has a full brother to De Rasher Counter at foot and is in foal to Dartmouth.

Casini reflects: “Dedrunknmunky has the ability to throw them in all shapes and sizes; they don’t come in one size fits all. I find it fascinating how produce from the same mare, for example, can be totally different characters.

“De Rasher Counter was always playful from the minute he was born. He would have been the bright kid in the classroom who annoys the teacher to death because he’s always being mischievous and seeking attention. Emma Lavelle says he’s a real character, and he’s been like that from day one.

“Katarrhini is a different sort. She was a very bright mare but had a bad injury in the paddock as a two-year-old. I rode her myself for a year and had a lovely time doing show jumping, dressage and cross-country training at the time my children were doing eventing.

“Her first run was a promising fourth but sadly she failed to go on. She had a couple of mishaps and very quickly seemed to understand that she didn’t really need to exert herself, going up and down the gallops and quietly getting behind the others.

“We decided to give her a bit of time with Mark Bradstock, but that was when Coneygree was at his best, and I think poor Katarrhini became a training partner to the Gold Cup winner! We’ll never know about her racing ability, but as a broodmare she’s got the right size and the right sire.

“She has a filly foal by Blue Bresil, whom we’ll keep and put in training, and is in foal to Jack Hobbs. She’s a powerful mare, and although she was only placed once on the racecourse, I still believe she had some ability that we never saw."

Sales remain critical for a commercial operation, and like many others Casini has had her plans disrupted this year. She took one horse to public auction, a three-year-old Blue Bresil gelding bought by Graeme McPherson, and sold a Kapgarde gelding out of Royal Auclair’s half-sister Ile De See privately.

“The Kapgarde gelding was entered for the Land Rover sale and it came to the point where I needed to keep the cash flow going,” Casini explains.

“Emma Lavelle took one look and found owners for him straight away. I would love to have gone to a sale with him, but given the year we’re in, it was best to sell privately, because he’s going to an outstanding trainer and we’ve got the mare at the stud.

“In fairness to Goffs and Tattersalls, the way they came together to provide people like us with an option to sell was amazing. I take my hat off to them, and to everyone who has been involved, and that definitely includes the TBA.

“At the time we were in serious lockdown, isolated in our farm bubble, the TBA was absolutely amazing in what it achieved. It kept us informed week in week out about what was changing, what was needed to be done taking a mare to a stud. It gave us a support line that we could hang on to, with access to knowledge straight away. It was an incredible source of information.”