£2,500 prize for former racers on the hunt field
A new Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) racing to hunting challenge is worth £2,500 to the winner, with £1,000 going to the pack he or she hunts with.
RoR is inviting nominations for the initiative, aimed at “showcasing the thoroughbred’s versatility”, and in recognition of the number of former racers who take to the hunting field.
Hunts are asked to nominate one horse each and the first 30 who fit the criteria – to be RoR-registered and have raced under Rules in Britain – will be considered.
A judging panel including Mike Tucker, Joey Newton, The Hon Hopper Cavendish, Sir Jonathan Clark and Marcus Armytage will review the nominations.
“It’s all-round aspects they’ll be looking for, not just speed and jumping prowess,” an RoR spokesman told H&H, adding that the panel will review evidence supplied by the horses’ riders and the masters of their hunts.
Once the entries have been narrowed down somewhat, the judges will ask for more information, and may view video footage of or visit the horses concerned.
The winner will be given £2,500, with another £1,000 to the hunt concerned, as well as a trophy and a Rye-Dri jacket. All the 30 considered will also win an RoR jacket.
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”We think it’s a nice incentive,” said the spokesman. “The panel will be looking for horses who really make a contribution to a day’s hunting beyond jumping big hedges; one who is well-mannered enough to be on gate duty, for example.”
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Nominations must be received by 31 March and the final judging will be carried out in the early part of next season, with the winner revealed at the RoR awards next December.
For more information, and the nomination form, visit the RoR’s website.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.