Retraining of Racehorses

After five days of competition, Rich Man Poor Man (Ire) (Robin Des Champs {Fr}) was crowned the 2022 Supreme Champion at The Jockey Club RoR National Championships at the Aintree International Equestrian Centre on Saturday, Aug. 27. Ridden by Kristine Douglas, the former Philip Kirby trainee has blossomed since leaving the racecourse. Runner-up and Reserve Champion was last year's winner, Minella Rebellion (Ire) (King's Theatre {Ire}), with Katie Dashwood aboard. A total of 280 former racehorses were entered to compete at Aintree over the five days in classes for dressage,...

HEROS has become the new primary partner for British horseracing's official welfare charity, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR). The aftercare and retraining specialist centre in Oxfordshire will provide specialist care and support for horses at their first step out of racing beginning in August. The appointment marks an important milestone in the collective establishment of racing's responsibility, and an expansion of the industry's safety net, which has been led by The Horse Welfare Board and RoR. Established and led by Grace Muir, the HEROS charity has rehomed more than 700 ex-racehorses...

There will be a special interactive display on The Hill at Epsom Downs in recognition of The Queen's passion for the Thoroughbred during the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations on Cazoo Oaks and Cazoo Derby Days, June 3-4. Billed the Racing Showcase, the display will highlight the care that is shown for racehorses throughout their lives, how the racing industry is engaging and inspiring young people to look at racing as a career, the provisions the industry makes for its people and how racing is looking to reach out to communities...

A quintet of Her Majesty The Queen's former racehorses-Barbers Shop (GB) (Saddlers' Hall {Ire}), First Receiver (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), Quadrille (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Prince's Trust (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and Forth Bridge (GB) (Bernardini)--will parade at Epsom Downs Racecourse on Cazoo Derby Day, June 4. The parade, which is part of a tribute to The Queen's contribution to the horseracing and breeding industry, was organized by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) and The Jockey Club. The monarch will be in attendance for the G1 Cazoo Derby, which is part...

Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Purple Moon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who were both placed in the G1 Melbourne Cup, will parade with seven other retired racehorses during the Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket's Rowley Mile on Oct. 9. Beginning at 12:15 p.m., the parade aims to showcase the versatility of the thoroughbred together with the range of activities now open to horses when they finish their racing careers, thanks to the work of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR). Five of the nine former runners were raced by Godolphin,...

There will be seven lots, including a share in a racehorse and nominations to stallions Nathaniel (Ire) and Time Test (GB), on offer during the charity auction portion of the Racing to Cricket Day, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) announced on Tuesday. Other lots include two tickets on Centre Court at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships and accompanying hospitality; four seats for a production of "The Nutcracker" at the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden with dinner at the Balconies restaurant; the use of a fully catered private box for 14 people...

After a year's hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Jockey Club Retraining of Racehorses National Championships will return to the Aintree International Equestrian Centre. The four-day event will take place from Aug. 26 through Aug. 29, and 2021 is the first year with The Jockey Club as the title sponsor. Events including dressage, jumping and showing, with the RoR Northern Dressage Championships on Thursday, while there is a Saturday evening gala performance of showing classes culminating with the crowning of The Jockey Club Supreme Champion. Currently there are 276...

For many people, the recent Panorama documentary which focused on the desperate plight of a handful of former racehorses ending up at an abattoir was distressing viewing. For many of us who work with racehorses, it also brought about a feeling of utter frustration. Frustration that a 30-minute programme which showed just one side of a story could potentially undo so much of the good work that has been done in aftercare for ex-racehorses for years. Frustration that some people who do very well out of owning and training racehorses...

The Retraining of Racehorses National Championships will return in 2021 with The Jockey Club as a new three-year sponsor. The Jockey Club ROR National Championships will be held from Aug. 26 to 29 at Aintree Equestrian Centre featuring classes for showing, dressage and jumping, with The Jockey Club Supreme Champion to be crowned on the Saturday evening. Entries for the Championships are open and will remain so until Aug. 1. The last staging of the event in 2019 drew a total of 940 entries from over 326 individual retrained racehorses....

Britain's Horse Welfare Board, established to produce a strategy that unites the whole industry and drives continuous improvement in the realm of racehorse aftercare, on Thursday released its Aftercare Funding Review. The report's recommendations touch on funding, focus and integration, traceability and data, accreditation, community, education and communication and are designed to cover any horse bred for racing. The report makes recommendations that will reform the structure of aftercare provision and build trust in racing's equine welfare processes, including having Retraining of Racehorses take on a significant role as the...

Owner/breeder Philip Freedman has been named the new Chairman of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) charity, the British Horseracing Authority and RoR announced on Tuesday. Freedman, part of the sport's tripartite Member's Committee as the Chair of the Horsemen's Group, succeeds Paul Roy. His term will begin on Jan. 1, 2021. "I am delighted to be taking over as Chair of Retraining of Racehorses," said Freedman. "As someone who has spent much of their life working with horses and within the racing and breeding industries, I recognise the importance of ensuring...