Local breeding industry shines

The breeding of thorough-bred horses is the yardstick by which the quality of our racing industry is measured. The decline in the quality of our local racing is directly related to the decline in the number of persons interested in participating in this once-noble sport of kings. A number of reasons have been put forward to try to explain our current dilemma.

There is no doubt that at the centre of the industry's problems is the iniquitous claiming system - a system that was introduced to improve handicapping and competitive racing. On the contrary, this system has had the most disastrous effect on the breeding industry.

Instead of a handicapping system, we have developed a 'supermarket' for the transfer of horses from trainer to trainer, with the poor owner left out in the cold. Trainers are now no longer able to programme their horses with any level of assurance that they will see the fruits of their labour. I cannot understand how the trainers have kept quiet about a system that threatens their own viability - how can you be viable if you can't plan?

Some of the major players in the industry have left because of the fact that they are unable to enjoy seeing their horses perform in the lower classes, since they stand the risk of having them claimed. We need an urgent independent review of this system to see how it can be better adapted to our peculiar conditions, i.e., one track, one set of horses, etc.

Long history

Our breeding industry for thoroughbreds started from the very earliest period after the English colonised the island. An early entry in the English Stud Book showed that in 1777 a mare called Temperance raced in Jamaica. This is an indication of the existence of the sport at that time. There must have been importation of bloodstock to ensure the development of the sport in these early days.

Apart from the racing, breeding of horses also flourished during those times and a stud farm at Pepper in St Elizabeth was world renowned. How many of us recall that the stud farm at Pepper was at one time the largest in the world, standing seven stallions with more than 100 broodmares? At this farm they produced many English Classic winners.

Our breeding industry has come a long way since then. It has become a much more commercialised operation than hitherto, and this has had both a positive and negative influence on the development of our industry. The small 'hobby' breeder has left the operation because of escalating costs and the lack of agricultural incentives. The larger commercial breeders have contracted because of declining demand. This racing business is a vicious cycle. It is difficult for those who are not involved in it to understand or influence its development.

It was Dr Gerald Omar Rushie-Grey who sought to have some structured representation of the various breeding operations. He formed the Thoroughbred Breeders Association of Jamaica in 1952 and became its first president. The name was changed to the Thorough-bred Owners and Breeders Association of Jamaica in 1990. The association seeks to bring all persons interested in the survival of the thoroughbred horses and the welfare of racing into an association that would assist in improving the breed, production, and marketing of thoroughbreds.

The association remains viable and conducts an annual auction of horses in November. We have seen an improvement in the quality of horses produced in recent times, and this has attracted buyers from the eastern Caribbean, where our horses have been performing at the highest level.

The sale held this year surpassed all others in both quality and quantity:

No. catalogued 255

No. passing through the ring 205 value $119.30m

Number not receiving reserve 14 value $ 7.60

Thirty-one horses sold for over $1 million and the sale topper was a chestnut filly by Royal Minister out of Miss Chestnut (a sister to MARK MY WORD, the triple crown and Superstakes winner) which went for $3 million - the highest price ever paid for a yearling.

Outstanding crop

Overseas purchasers bought 26 horses with a value of $26.90 million. Considering the success of Jamaican-bred horses overseas, we were expecting a much larger level for participation. Overall, the breeders can feel proud of themselves. They produced an outstanding crop of yearlings and received top dollar for quality. The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association must be congratulated for putting on an excellent show. The auction went smoothly and all in all it was a good day.

It is regrettable that none of the directors of the promoting company saw it fit to be present and offer their support for an event directed at providing animals for their business. The time is fast approaching when stakeholders will be calling for another change.

Congratulations to the breeders - they continue to make an out-standing contribution to the industry.

Howard L. Hamilton, CD, JP, is a former chairman of Caymanas Track Limited. He is the president of Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. He can be contacted at howham@cwjamaica.com.