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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Feb 2010 : 9:37:36 PM
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| It'd be good if the 2010 race fixtures could be put up on the Events section here on AL. I'd love to go to watch Arab racing again. I went to Towcester some years ago (to write a story) and to Brighton and Warwick. It was great fun, and I picked a couple of good winners too! |
Roseanne |
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BabsR
Platinum Member
England
2790 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2010 : 10:21:16 PM
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Yes.......firstlady....same Phil Rondell I know......an amazing and dedicated guy who really loved his horses. Gosh how time flies!!
He trained and raced an Anglo Mare he bought from us when she was a five year old. She was Sunray Silhouette and he had a lot of fun and a few minor placings with her.
Phil then bred a colt from her (think it was Vronsky) and he had quite a bit of success with him. We placed Silhouette in her forever home for Phil, with a friend of ours, when she was a twelve year old and she is still going well and is thirty years old now. He also purchased Sunray Serenity from us and last I knew he still had her. Lost touch for some years now and dont know if Serenity is still alive but she would be an old girl now.
The above is Sunray Silhouette (El Ruedo GSB/ Sunray Scindiance AASB by Scindian Magic) when Phil Rondell owned her (Phil`s jockey on board) 1986
Babs
www.SunrayAngloArabianStud.co.uk |
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firstlady
Gold Member
Wales
767 Posts |
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alistair leslie
Gold Member
England
1036 Posts |
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CINDERS
Gold Member
England
750 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2010 : 10:18:42 AM
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Kimzi
Happy to hold your hand as regards a show as this is something HoCoN have anted to do for years.
There are issues though:
Cost of Great Leighs was prohibitive
Cost of vet was extortionate (vet has to be on site throughout the show)
Show uses around 100 stables so there may be an issue there
Great Leighs is outdoors leaving the show side vulnerable to th weather
Send me an e mail if interested in pursuing further , we'll need arace organiser on side as well
Yvonne |
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bxps
Silver Member
United Kingdom
403 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2010 : 12:48:18 AM
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I was introduced to arab racing in 2003 having started riding in 2000, which was after the split and subsequent sole organisation of our sport by ARO, so I can only comment on what I have experienced;
The opportunity for a Mr Average (with support and guidance from a former professional jockey) to be able to ride out and train his own horses and lead them up at the races and occasionally ride them in races (albeit overweight)at racecourses used by the professionals.
The thrill of : leading my horse into the winners enclosure for the first time (Notid at Fontwell), two wins in the first season (Notid at Huntingdon & Anganate Safinat at Wolverhampton), My first race ride on my 49th birthday on the July course at Newmarket (Skyboy Adam), my first place as a jockey (tb Kings Cavalier at Hereford), being presented with a trophy at Salisbury (Even Keener's 2009 12 length win), just taking part in the Jebel Ali Bronze Final 2009 at Warwick ( I couldn't do 9st 1 so put up overweight and finished 9th on Anganate Safinat).
It is a great sport which I have become very passionate about and don't miss an opportunity to talk it up and it is a shame that after thirty years it is still not as well known or covered by the media.
It has cost me a lot of money, perhaps because I now have nine horses, eight of whom have raced and some who will continue to do so. However the individual cost is no more than a friend of mine would spend on keeping one horse at livery and eventing occasionally. The money spent for the pleasure gained has been well worth it.
I would reccomend it to anyone.
Once a horse is handicapped then it need only race against other horses of its standard. Yes some prove that racing isn't for them, but until they are given the opportunity their owners will never know.
Equally whilst the sport has provided a training ground for young aspiring jockeys there are great opportunities to take part and win for owner riders of any age, for example Caroline de Wilde with Eygpt and Phillip (18 rides in 2009 including a win on La Perruche) Rondell.
There is a great camaraderie amongst the racing population - 18 of us from 5 yards jumped in my horsebox and went for a meal together after racing at Market Rasen, and we all meet up in the lorry park for drinks and nibbles at the end of the last race meeting at Warwick each year. Many of us will make the time to welcome newcomers to the sport and offer guidance on raceday proceedures.
Whilst January 1st is now perhaps a distant memory, make it your new year resolution to become involved and experience some of the thrills we all do whether as a racegoer, owner, trainer or jockey.
David BXPS Racing
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alistair leslie
Gold Member
England
1036 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2010 : 10:17:18 AM
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From the posts so far it seems that their could be a new era of co-operation which would get rid of some of the ide of "them and us"
Only benefits as I have said .
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blue moon |
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kimzi
Gold Member
865 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2010 : 10:48:42 AM
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Hi Yvonne,i have changed my internet provider so havent got my old address book, could you pm me your email.
Cheers Kim  |
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Nicky
Junior Member
Wales
37 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2010 : 10:28:51 PM
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great to see a bit of racing banter at last....... I agree with Paul and first lady, it is possible to train yourselves, i rode and trained for 21 years until an accident made me stop..... I rode out at newmarket to pick up tips and grabbed any info i could get, read every book about fitness traning there was!
I think the problem with ARO is that the general public and racing supporters don't know it is out there, there is never enough marketing done before meetings, normally you have a small crowd existing of trainers and their friends, they need numbers through the gates to generate income, point to pointing gets them so why can't we??
I now do endurance but somehow I don't get the buzz I got from race training, I miss it alot, so if you have a chance get out there and do it, it is expensive, entries and travel but the way its going it may not last very long so do it while you can! |
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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2010 : 09:14:04 AM
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Nicky is the lack of promotion because the people are happy for it to be an insulated sport or would they want to have a big crowd?
I remember at Brighton (about ten years ago) there was a big crowd - and they weren't all Arab owners/lovers, they were people loving to go to the races for a day out. Same at Towcester a few years before that. I loved to see the people knowing that they were 'ordinary' rather than from professional racing yards.
And it was so fantastic seeing those banner tails as they raced up past the stand.
I MUST go again this year!! |
Roseanne |
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alethea
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1526 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2010 : 09:26:42 AM
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Would love to see more pics
Alethea
Aristotle Arabians |
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Tahir
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4572 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2010 : 09:33:52 AM
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Dubai day attracts a massive crowd - free entry with goodies but heavily sponsored by the Sheikh. It is a fantastic day out and a day to mark on your Calendar and a wonderful opportunity for Arabian Horse lovers to see these gorgeous horses competing in a different environment/discipline to showing. Makes you realise that they are willing, talented and very able riding horses.
There are many racecourses around the country where they stage Arab Racing, so please try and get to at least one raceday - you may enjoy and get bitten by the bug, and remember that Arabians were never meant to be 'just' show horses. |
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2010 : 09:52:09 AM
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Dubai day at Newbury is a great opportunity for a good day out for arab lovers. However when I went about 3 years ago I felt it was a missed opportunity not to get more of the horse world there because apart from a small number of arab racing enthusiasts, the majority of people there just seemed to be locals who were just there for the freebies, most weren't remotely interested in horse racing let alone arab racing. The event seems also to be about promoting Dubai as a tourist destination and a place with lots of business opportunities, again I felt wasted on most of the crowd that visited the exhibition hall, most were only interested in the freebies being handed out. It seems such a shame that the Arabs promoting it can't reach a more appropriate audience.
Having said that we had a lovely day out and as my step-son is MD at Newbury we had access to the owners/winners enclosure which was a real spectacle particularly to see those lovely horses at such close quarters was a real treat.
I would encourage anyone to try and visit.
Sue |
Welshpool
Welsh/Shrops border
   
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Tahir
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4572 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2010 : 12:25:01 PM
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| Sue, I totally agree and you can't blame the sponsors for taking the opportunity to promote their 'wares'. Maybe Dubai Day should be more widely advertised to the Arab owner population because I'm sure there are Arab enthusiasts out there who would love a day out and are genuinely interested in the 'horse' and their versatility. |
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bxps
Silver Member
United Kingdom
403 Posts |
Posted - 02 Mar 2010 : 6:55:27 PM
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When the season starts on May 1st at Wolverhampton I will happily meet up with any AL'ers and show them around at any of the meetings that I am at
David BXPS |
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paul_brown_arabs
Silver Member
252 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2010 : 5:01:42 PM
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The last couple of years have done nothing to encourage me that arab racing is booming - the introduction of low rated TB races has helped keep the sport alive and widened intrested beyong arab enthusiasts. Anglos's have all but disapeared - a real pity - my first racers were anglo's and had great fun.
The sport is run by the arab seheks for the sheiks - with money avaiable to put on additional races for the rest of us, which is fine, its their money, but it is a professional sport and small owner, bredders, trainers cant compete with those sort of resources.
i'm not convinced that prize money has kept pace with inflation though. the risk return equation compared to TB racing is nowhere near the same.NB point to point racing is finding the same problems.
i recall huge ahs race meeting crowds at towcester, kempton etc over 10 years ago - unfortunatly today - other than newbury - its a thin crowd. i dont see the numbers of trainers or horses coming through to replace those leaving the sport.
race numbers (pure breds) and registration numbers are consistently down year on year.
Niki's right enjoy while you can - i dont think the sport will ever be taken seriously by majority of the TB racing community here in the uk.
I ride out at a TB race yard and there is interest and lots of amusment but thats about all. I have many fiends in the betting industry who say why bother - without betting industry support or support of arab enthusiasts (ie ahs) there is little no long term future.
the sheiks will withdraw financial support - already this year the main prize money jebel ali races have been pulled.
i'll carry on as long as i have funds to do so - i love it - but that wont last either.
had the wide support base that ahs racing had, carried on with aro. who knows what might have been - but not the ahs's fault - its hands were tied by the charity commission.
looking forward to a new season - but the -4/-5 degrees c, while riding out in the mornings is taking its toll - roll on spring - please. |
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Chris James
Silver Member
United Kingdom
497 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2010 : 7:44:40 PM
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This is such a shame - I don't know what the answer is.
It's twenty years since I had an Arab race horse - but we had such fun even though his best result was 4th!! Then the AHS gave every member a free ticket for one race meeting and there were always good crowds of spectators, but there were more race meetings- we went for many years to the Uttoxeter Arab meeting, and whilst I was chairman of the North Staffs AHS group we supported it locally, but sadly that too went with the demise of AHS racing.
Endurance riding seems to be left to stand alone as well, despite amazing sucess from Arab horses, I suppose it's not seen as a commercial venture/too long term for breeders?? |
Chris James
http://home2.btconnect.com/cjames-arabians |
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Lin123
Gold Member
England
1360 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2010 : 11:13:20 PM
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Well, I've taken the Sheikhs on and beaten them. Granted it wasn't a Group race but it was a Premier Handicap on Dubai Day and it was done with a little Arab that had been almost written off with leg problems that I picked up for a song at Ascot Sales, so it can be done.
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Sundance
Racing Moderator
England
932 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2010 : 10:52:59 PM
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I think that we wouldn't be having this conversation if HH Shiekh Hamdan and HH Shiekh Ahmed hadn't been so generously supporting the sport for as long as they have, so we should be grateful for all they ve done and not be-grudge their financial support. If the sport hadn't trasnferred to ARO when it did then it would probably have ended a fair few years back, it is professionally run and the prize money is significantly better than it was 10 years ago and the handicap system makes it competitive for everyone on every level. There are several owners and trainers coming back to this sport this year as they are dissillusioned with endurance and interestingly showing. At the end of the day with racing they get a rating and they race off it, the best horse wins, its not down to a judge being objective/subjective on their confirmation and they re not eliminated by a vet after the race! (Not my words I should add!!!).
I haven't had a winner since 1999 but I am still here and fighting (well my homebred fillies are), and I get a huge amount of satisfaction last year when Sky came 2nd in a competitive handicap at Salisbury beating decent handicappers all French bred, and when she came 2nd on her debut in maiden beating several Shiekhs and better bred horses. In spite of all the years I have been involved I am still very much an amateur and many years and at least a generation away from being able to possibly have a Group class horse, but it is a such a great and fun sport and there is nothing like watching your horses race with your own colours.
Sky goes into training next week, and I have just backed my 5 yr old homebred filly Sammy and she will go into training in April and I can't wait to see them race. It can be expensive but look around, speak to trainers, work out your budget, you don't have to race every week. When I trained myself I only went to one meeting a month as that's all I could afford. If you have nice well bred horses and you think they might have a race in them then you should give it a go, you've got nothing to lose and it'll be a fun journey finding out.
As Lin says she has had considerable success in racing as a own, her horse Almost All won the opening handicap on Dubai day several years ago, last year it was won by long time UK race owner and breeder James Kippen with his homebred filly Balladore. Who knows maybe this year it may be your horses galloping down the centre of the track on Dubai Day. However, on Dubai Day this year it will be Sky winning the opener she's promised me(she led till 1 furlong out last year and finished 7th of 21)!!!!!
Or maybe it will be Jo Clay with Gazal, her only horse in training last year and he won twice inc. a Premier handicap where again he beat the big guns.
Lets not be negative about this beautiful sport, give it a go otherwise you'll never know.
Paul |
Paul
www.zayinarabianstud.co.uk |
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Lin123
Gold Member
England
1360 Posts |
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Lin123
Gold Member
England
1360 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2010 : 11:05:35 PM
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| Paul, have e-mailed you. |
Edited by - Lin123 on 07 Mar 2010 11:13:18 PM |
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paul_brown_arabs
Silver Member
252 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2010 : 4:43:53 PM
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lol  - yep beating the big guns is fun - as we can testify having been an owner trainer rider combo winner on dubai day - great fun, just need to add the breeder bit now. it certainly gives you an additional perspective, and leaves you wanting more - as it should. but it doesnt really answer alistair's original issue as to why aro have not been able to continue convert and garner the support that the ahs once had - its not really negative of him or the other forum participants, but a valid question - everyone currently involved with racing wants it to get back to where it once was in terms of numbers of owners, trainers and horses - i dont have the magic answer - but examining past mistakes is surely a start in the process of learning and taking things forward successfully. its the endurance and showing enthusiasts, as paul says, that need to return in substancial numbers to make the sport able to stand alone without generous hand outs. i came to the conclusion long ago that the commercial world and general public have little or no appetite for another form of racing on top of P2P and proffesional TB's - although harness racing is challenging that assumption - if you can call it racing as such - from a commercial / general public point of view it is now more popular than arab racing, which was inconcievable 10/15 years ago. but in my view gives a valuable lesson on what people want - a differentiator - they dont want TB racing reproduced with smaller slower horses, which seems to be where were going. as i say i dont have the answer, but just keep plugging away. |
Paul |
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littlearabians
Gold Member
1323 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2010 : 5:28:23 PM
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If any of you should want to meet up at a meeting I would LOVE to.
I've just got all my information from ARO, but my stallion will need a year before he is ready for training... however I would love to get to know you all... and I also need to find someone to ride him in races when time comes ... I'm not going to be able to do about 9 stone ever again (10.2 now ). |
www.littlearabians.com
Classic Polish Arabians
Worcester based
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paul_brown_arabs
Silver Member
252 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2010 : 09:59:22 AM
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| excellent jane - dont be put off by the weights - these are minimum weights to carry not the maximum - the closer you can get the better chance of wining thats all - your boy would need to carry 10.4 in any case not 9 stone - so give it a go - the gradual lowering of weights by ARO is exactly one of the many reasons people sight to me they gave up or wont have a go - dont let them stop you enjoying yourself. |
Paul |
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bxps
Silver Member
United Kingdom
403 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 9:40:39 PM
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On the subject of weights - if you want to ride your own horse in a race - Do it. Ours is an amateur sport and it gives you the opportunity to compete. 2 seasons ago I rode my Tb Kings Cavalier at Exeter 32 lbs over, only because I wanted to ride him and the particular handicap race had him down to carry 9st. Last race of the season just gone I wanted to have a race ride on one of my horses and chose Anganate Safinat, again because of his mark and the race conditions I put up 32lbs over. So what - I thoroughly enjoyed both of those rides, and so should any owner rider
David BXPS
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Racing --- Was it the wrong decision?
