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TBA FORUM
New board members set to take up posts from the AGM Two successful nominees, Philip Newton and Sam Hoskins, will join the TBA board with effect from the 2012 AGM. Philip Mitchell will also join the board, as a co-opted member, with effect from the same date. At 26, Next Generation Committee member Sam Hoskins becomes the youngest member of the TBA board. Commenting on the appointments, new TBA Chairman Richard Lancaster said: “We look forward to Philip Newton and Sam Hoskins joining the board. Their knowledge, together with that of Philip Mitchell, will continue to strengthen and broaden the experience of the existing board members.” The new members have kindly outlined their backgounds and current involvement with racing and breeding below.
Philip Newton I am principally a businessman with over 30 years’ experience working and leading as CEO a successful PLC involved in the retail sector. Having been for a similar time, with some ups and plenty of downs, an owner-breeder, I currently have seven mares and eight horses in training. I now want to try to put something back by offering the experiences gained from my commercial and thoroughbred breeding occupations at the disposal of TBA members. The industry faces many challenges, not least of which the self interest that is deeply ingrained across all sectors of racing, and whilst change needs to happen this must be with clear structure and strategy that works for all. Important and long-reaching reform is increasingly taking place in both finance and fixtures. It is essential that a racing programme is maintained and developed that supports and enhances the thoroughbred racehorse. That doesn’t mean all change should be resisted but considered, and that the TBA must be in the vanguard of these discussions. Similarly there needs to be a breeding industry that is ‘fit for purpose’, to provide and deliver the raw material necessary, in which both commercial and private breeding operations can be given an opportunity to be both profitable and
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sustainable. Shaping this is clearly the responsibility of the TBA.
Sam Hoskins I am absolutely thrilled to become a member of the TBA board and I hope I can do my best to bring new ideas and the perspective of the next generation of breeders to the table. At 26 years old, I will be the youngest member of the board and although I am still very much on the learning curve myself, hopefully I can grasp my responsibilities quickly and become a valuable asset. I am passionate about all codes of racing and bloodstock and wish to do all I can to maintain Britain’s position as the finest racing nation in the world. It is important to safeguard the reputation of our breeding industry for producing the best horses in the world, alongside Ireland and France, whom we should work with when tackling exciting new markets such as China. The desperate level of prize-money at present in this country needs to be tackled and forcing offshore bookmakers to pay levy on all bets taken on UK racing is of paramount importance. It is something that we, the breeding industry, must support so that the downward trend in prize-money can be bucked and purses can start going up again. This would help by creating stability in the market place for breeders and pinhookers, thereby making Britain a better place for our owners and breeders, who support the sport so strongly.
Philip Mitchell I was delighted to be co-opted onto the board and look forward to contributing towards an industry in which I have been involved for over 45 years. During this time I have had the good fortune to have managed Ashley Heath and
Diary dates JULY 3-4 Open Regional Day Two-day visit to Deauville, Normandy, France, to include racing at Clairefontaine and Deauville, Arqana sales, a tour of Haras de Quesnay and the chance to meet local trainer Eric Danel.
JULY 21 TBA NH mares only race Cartmel racecourse.
JULY 23-26 International Breeders’ Meeting To be held in Newmarket. The TBA is looking forward to welcoming 60 representatives of the world’s bloodstock industry to Newmarket in July. Through the meeting, and a week of visits to local studs, veterinary practices and training yards, delegates will be able to exchange information and ideas and debate and discuss matters of mutual interest and concern, forming greater ties amongst the decision-makers of the industry worldwide. See www.internationalbreedersgroup.com
NOVEMBER 16 TBA National Hunt Stallion Parade The perfect opportunity to witness some of the best jump sires in Britain in the parade ring before racing at Cheltenham.
TBA NEW MEMBERS D J Bourne Esq, Cambridgeshire; Mrs K Gredley, Suffolk; Ms J Henly, Somerset; Santus Ltd, North Yorkshire; C H Stephenson Esq, Yorkshire; Mr & Mrs W A Vines, Worcestershire; Miss T K Walters, Kent. OVERSEAS: J I Olave Esq, Spain; H J Strecker Esq, Denmark. 18-35 MEMBERS: Ian Cameron, Suffolk.
Warren Hill Studs for Captain Marcos Lemos; Side Hill Stud for the Duke of Devonshire (formerly Marquess of Hartington); and for the past 24 years I have been General Manager of Juddmonte Farms. It is too easily forgotten that without the breeder there would be no racing. The TBA is therefore at the forefront of our industry, but in order to maintain and strengthen this position other related bodies should come together under the one banner and a rebranded TBA would, as a result, have a much louder and stronger position and voice within the bloodstock industry. I believe our industry is becoming too segmented and that we have to look at such strategies to take us forward. THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER