Yearling bonus

I need to reinvestigate the terms - I'll be back.
(Sounds like a good idea though)

good idea but really it shouldnt be there at all -bit of a joke they should rise the prize money -ie france ,hk,aus etc etc

Interesting timing on this as there was a big half page in the RP today on it.  Obviously it wouldn't be the most objective but the general thought is that they should roll it into the European Breeders Fund and other incentives to make bigger payouts.  This is it's 3rd or 4th year and i think this may be its last, at least in its current form.

They said Cheveley Park don't bother with it and many of the others who operate at the higher end don't either, the thinking being those paying that sort of cash are not bothered by an extra £10K in prize money.

I'm not really convinced in it myself.  There don't seem to be that many races where you can win one (although apparently there are 190 between GB and Ireland this year).  I'd be more inclined to reduce the payouts and increase the number of races it covers. 

There is also a heavy bias towards 2yo races with 130 going to GB 2yo maidens.  Do we really need the market to be even more tilted towards precocious 2yo's?  It's the late developing 3yo fillies that need the help IMO.  And why only maidens, what's wrong with handing a few out to the odd handicap at Southwell with it only eligable for those who hadn't won one yet?

I get the feeling those who did sign their horses up maybe got railroaded into it.  Well if everyone else is going it then I better too.

Another reason for it is that it is supposed to encourage owners to come back to the sales ring.  I'm unconvinced,.... "so Sir why are you at the sales?"  "Well my last horse won an RP bonus so I thought I'd come back and get another horse and try again" - total piffle.  It's just a way of breeders subsidising the poor prize money.  Like they havn't got enough problems.

To answer your actual question PD, yes I do think vendors should get a little kick back.  I'd imagine more vendors would sign up if they did but it would be one of a few things I'd change.

I'd be interested if anyone has signed their's up, whether anyone has bred a winner of a bonus race and whether they think they got a better result at the sales than they thought they would by making their's eligable? 

Also from the other side, has anyone bought one horse over another because one was RP eligable and the other not?  Did it work out for you?

PD - Would receiving a £1,000 back,make a real difference to your business ?I fully appreciate the sentiment behind your comment though.Everybody is struggling apart from the top 5%  in the industry (eg.jockeys,trainers,agents and tracks).In my opinion,racing in the uk,is now a minority sport.The golden age,when the country stopped for the Derby or National have long gone.If we want to stay in the business we have to pay the price - only the really wealthy breeders/owners can stay in it knowing they are running at a loss.Why do we stay in it ?Because we enjoy it - even if we have to bring finances in from other sources.

Some fair points raised above. Dominion, in reality no, £1000 is not going to make a big difference to my business or any other business operating in this industry, but it can help ease the perceived sense of chucking money down a black hole. Esp at the lower end of the market. The upper end, as PP rightly says operate on differing market forces but at the lower and lowest end of the market the bonus payments can be a big chunk of final sale price. If there was the chance of a return from the payments perhaps it may cushion the blow? Selling a horse for 1,500 (and that happens to us all, despite the greatest of intentions)and then having £400 to pay in bonus contributions on top of commission and entry fees you are really being kicked in wallet before starting on any prep or transport costs.Even more so if the new owner does not pay the final instalment to qualify. If you have a chance of getting your payment back,plus some interest, would that help? As said above £1k is not a deal breaker at any level so I don't think that the 'kickback' would cause any un-wanted side effects in terms of over production of cheap horses. Esp as they have to win to get anything.

I would be interested to see any proof of the bonus bringing in new owners, or owners spending more because of it.I have always thought that perhaps the bonus should be in 2 parts, one half as cash and the other as 'redeemable against next yearling purchase'. But I can see that keeping it simple and advertising as paying half of your annual training fee is attractive and easy to understand.

I would also be interested in hearing how the bonus affects the pinhook market. Does the fact that each horse needs a £400 premium added to the ring price on top of production costs alter the numbers purchased? Are there less people that will take a chance on a nice cheap one to have a go on due to this extra payment? Again all these effects would be felt most keenly at the low end of the market. Where the most people are struggling.

Overall I do think that any enterprise that attracts owners and buyers deserves support. However this was introduced as a short-term measure and I can't help but feel that perhaps it has gone on a year too long with this year. Certainly without serious examination and reconsidering the structure.

I realise that I am not particularly representative of this business as I am on a constant shoestring and life has never really been much different. Obviously I don't struggle in a third world sense, but I would be very much a bottom feeder as regards this industry.

I have always welcomed a breeders prize with open arms, and in all honesty there have been times when they have seemed like a real life saver. The 1500 quid yearling is all too common and whilst it is more of a blow to a small breeder like myself perhaps, at least I have the comfort of knowing that I have got the horse to the sales considerably cheaper than the smarter operation with their larger overheads. A few years ago I received exactly 1500 for a yearling - that was considerably less than the stud fee, let alone any other expenses - and the 2800 that it won me in breeders prizes was a considerable shot in the arm I can tell you.
Like Prima says, anything to ease the futility that can sometimes be the lot of the breeder is not to be sneered at.

I think that from the other side of the fence there is many an owner in the game who shouldn't be. Constantly wondering how to find next months training fees, but hopelessly hooked like the rest of us! I am quite sure that for them, an extra 10k does make a real difference. I also know that the seriously wealthy in the game are partly made up of inherited wealth (often notoriously tight!) and those who have made it the hard way who also have a very real knowledge of watching the pennies. I am not certain that I would downplay the filip of that 10k to them also.

I  think though that I do have to acknowledge a mind somewhat more savvy than my own and suggest that whilst I am not sure dumping the whole shebang is a good idea the balance of contributor/benefactor might be ready for a tweak?

BREEDERS' PREMIUMSin france - as u can see they look after breeders as well-wouldnt it be nice to own a horse like cirrus des angles -a gelding that keeps on winning and paying out to his BREEDER.he was sold for a cheap price but has repaid his breeder very well as he is sucessful.the top 50 breeders earned over 50k euro each on horse thyey had breed.if the french can support there breeders with massive amounts what are we doing in ireland and uk paying for the pleasure to sell our horses who if they become very successfull we get nothing basically.

Aiming at encouraging and sustaining the French racing industry, France Galop is in charge of the redistribution of 8.5% of the betting turnover in the industry. These premiums benefit owners, breeders as well as investors

Breeders’ premium: more than €20 million distributed per year!
The French racing industry is also committed to the sustaining and the development of its breeders. The breeders’ premium system is different whether the horse races on the flat or over jumps. However, in both cases a minimum of 14% premiums is distributed to French-bred or assimilated French-bred horses’ breeders.These premiums are calculated on the basis of the prize-money plus the owners’ premium!

  On the Flat
+14% in open races where owners’ premiums apply
+19% in races restricted to French-bred horses
+21% in races restricted to French-bred AQPS & Anglo-Arabs

Overseas races:
From the 2008 generation, only horses out of a mare bred with a stallion in France are eligible. This 10% premium is only applicable to wins (and Gr.1 2nds) in races in which the purse is at least of €4,600 with an annual limit of €15,000 per horse.

  Over jumps
+15% in all French races

Overseas races : +15%
On all performances with an annual limit of €46,000 per horse provided that the minimum purse is €4,600.

BREEDERS' PREMIUMSin france - as u can see they look after breeders as well-wouldnt it be nice to own a horse like cirrus des angles -a gelding that keeps on winning and paying out to his BREEDER.he was sold for a cheap price but has repaid his breeder very well as he is sucessful.the top 50 breeders earned over 50k euro each on horse thyey had breed.if the french can support there breeders with massive amounts what are we doing in ireland and uk paying for the pleasure to sell our horses who if they become very successfull we get nothing basically.

Aiming at encouraging and sustaining the French racing industry, France Galop is in charge of the redistribution of 8.5% of the betting turnover in the industry. These premiums benefit owners, breeders as well as investors

Breeders’ premium: more than €20 million distributed per year!
The French racing industry is also committed to the sustaining and the development of its breeders. The breeders’ premium system is different whether the horse races on the flat or over jumps. However, in both cases a minimum of 14% premiums is distributed to French-bred or assimilated French-bred horses’ breeders.These premiums are calculated on the basis of the prize-money plus the owners’ premium!

  On the Flat
+14% in open races where owners’ premiums apply
+19% in races restricted to French-bred horses
+21% in races restricted to French-bred AQPS & Anglo-Arabs

Overseas races:
From the 2008 generation, only horses out of a mare bred with a stallion in France are eligible. This 10% premium is only applicable to wins (and Gr.1 2nds) in races in which the purse is at least of €4,600 with an annual limit of €15,000 per horse.

  Over jumps
+15% in all French races

Overseas races : +15%
On all performances with an annual limit of €46,000 per horse provided that the minimum purse is €4,600.

a couple of years ago I almost leased a filly for free instead of selling as I thought she may be decent and would have got her back to sell at a HIT sales. The deal was that I would receive 1/2 the yearling bonus if she won one. I sold her for 3k and she won a yealing bonus, i was gutted.

I agree with PotM, at my level I would welcome any bonus, it may contribute  me to the cost of a better stallion a better stallion.

Prima - I dont think we are a million miles apart.The scheme was introduced with good intentions,and yes maybe some tweaking here and there maybe a good idea.But I stand by my major point,which is that the sport is severly underfunded,because a)less people go racing (unless Tom Jones has been dusted off for the evening) and b)bookmaker contributions are falling because people would rather bet on football or slot machines.Times change.Remember when Top Of The Pops was the number one show on tv ?Who would have thought then it would vanish completely ?Oh,I forgot there is a c)The complete ineptitude of the plethora of governing bodies that currently exist.What have any of them achieved ?Its embarrassing.

Copy and pasted from the RP.  What a fantastic gesture from Moyglare.  As I mentioned earlier I think the RP bonus should be more along these lines.

Moyglare 50 bonus is reaching right breeders

Moyglare Stud has sponsored a series of races "to support breeders and to offer both recognition and acknowledgement of their success and the challenges they face".

Called 'The Moyglare 50', it  features 50 non-stakes races on the Flat for fillies and mares. It will take place at 20 racecourses up until November.

The winning breeder, as nominated by Weatherby's Ireland, receives a €1,000 cheque directly from Moyglare Stud.

So far 16 cheques have been signed, along with a personal letter of thanks from Eva-Maria Bucher Haefner, daughter of Moyglare founder Walter Haefner.

Scheme organiser Fiona Craig said: "Things are going well and we have got the money into the hands of some smaller breeders to whom it was really aimed.

"With our main aim of helping smaller breeders, we chose the 'lesser' race such as handicaps, older filly maidens, and not necessarily the 'hot' two-year-old or three-year-old maiden. We are running at least one race at every Irish racecourse that runs a non stakes race for fillies. The races are chosen to give everyone a chance to win."