Tuesday, February 28, 2012

8 Wonderful Things About Owning a Racehorse

By Ruth Williams


Buying a racehorse is very exciting. In years previous, racehorse ownership was reserved for the wealthy and privileged. Having your own racehorse allows you to experience this rich tradition. The benefits for the owner are numerous. The enjoyment you get out of seeing your horse develop is a joy in itself. Many have always dreamed of owning a horse. Fulfilling their childhood fantasies provides them great satisfaction beyond what money can provide. Also, the excitement of seeing your horse come charging down the stretch is simply incomparable. Few other sports can compete with the adrenaline rush that horse racing brings to the owner.

It is easier than ever to be a racehorse owner due to the various ownership options which are now available No longer do you have to be sole owner Racehorse syndicates have made racehorse ownership available to more people.

Aside from the intangible benefits, there are various visible advantageous attached to racehorse ownership. If your horse is any good you could stand to win a fair amount of prize money. In some cases, prize money is awarded to the first six that cross the line. Others would reward the top three only. In 2008, the estimated amount of accumulated prize winnings of the horses reached a staggering 106 million. Owners also receive trophies if their horses win.

The second advantage is the race day perks. Race day perks include access to exclusive areas and facilities.

The third advantage is the appearance money. Some races provide appearance money for the horse. Appearance money totalled approximately 1.5 million in 2008.

Racehorse owners can enjoy the benefit of VAT reclamation on certain fees incurred through the upkeep of the horse.

Fifth, the ROA Badge or Racehorse Owners Association Owners Badge Scheme provides 2,500 racehorse owners free entry to 800 race fixtures every year.

The sixth advantage of racehorse ownership is sponsorship. You are allowed to seek sponsorship for your horse. You will receive money in exchange for promoting the sponsors business which might be in the racecards or on horse equipment.

Seventh, giving a name to your horse. Most weanlings, yearlings or two year olds in training are unnamed. So long as the horse is unraced, you will have the privilege of coming up with a name for it. The name has to be limited to 18 characters or less. The name must also be totally unique.

The final aspect of racehorse ownership is choosing your racing colours or 'silks'. Every horse must race carrying the distinctive colours of their owner. The colour you select must not be similar to other silks. Those people watching the race will need to be able to identify who's horses are running. The racehorse owner must register the colours with the British Horse Racing Authority.




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