A significant number of additional horses will become eligible under revised terms of BHB’s new Owners’ Premium Scheme, which commences on 1st January 2004.

British-bred foals purchased at a public auction in Britain for export will now qualify for payment when running in a race in Britain. Under the original terms of the Scheme, around 90 foals sold abroad each year by Doncaster Bloodstock Sales and Tattersalls would be ineligible.

BHB Industry Marketing Manager Paul Struthers said:

“The Board has moved to address the real concerns expressed by some British breeders and foal sellers that the attractiveness of these animals would be much reduced by their exclusion from the Scheme. They were anxious that Irish customers, in particular, would be less likely to buy these foals and take them abroad as this would make them ineligible. This would lead to an undesirable fall in both demand and prices for these horses.

“The Owners’ Premium Scheme is going to be a major boost for British Racing and Breeding and we are greatly looking forward to the start of its operation.”

TBA Chief Executive Louise Kemble commented:

“We are delighted that BHB has recognised the importance of this issue for many breeders and foal sellers. It is just what the industry needed and will really help the promotion of the Scheme.”

The key benefits of the Scheme as a whole, announced by BHB in July 2003, are:

• Puts British breeding on a more level playing field with Ireland and France.
• Helps British mare owners by encouraging owners to bid for British-breds because of the premiums.
• Helps British stallion owners by encouraging mare owners to send their mares to British stallions so that their progeny are qualified for the premiums and therefore enables British stallion owners to bid more competitively for stallions.
• Helps National Hunt Racing by:
  a) encouraging owners to send their horses jumping when they reach the age of 5, and
  b) encouraging owners to send fillies and mares jumping because of the 50% premiums

For further information, please contact BHB Industry Marketing Manager Paul Struthers on 020 7343 3321 or BHB Communications Manager Alan Delmonte on 020 7343 3318