Breeders’ Prizes Scheme in Britain
In 1993, the Horserace Betting Levy Board introduced the Breeders’ Prizes Scheme to the horse racing industry in Great Britain. It was put forward as an incentive to breed quality horses in Britain and to improve the breeding stock of the country. Breeders are therefore compensated each time one of their horses wins a race that is eligible under the Breeders’ Prizes Scheme guidelines. This year, the Horserace Betting Levy Board has set aside £1,920,000 for the Breeders’ Prizes Scheme.
There are a certain criteria for horses to fulfill in order to be considered for the Breeder’s Prize Scheme, in both flat racing and national hunt racing. Firstly, when looking at horses that were foaled from 1 January 2000 onwards, foals must be sired by a stallion that is based in Great Britain. A horse must have been foaled in Great Britain and had to have remained in the country until the month of July the year after its birth. If a foal’s dam is scheduled to be covered in another country, the foal is allowed to go with its mother, on condition that it is returned to Great Britain before the month of October. If a horse is foaled outside Great Britain, it must be brought back to the country before the October in its birth year and not leave before July in the next year. If a horse is sold as a yearling at an auction by the following public auction houses: Doncaster Bloodstock Sales Ltd, Brightwells or Tattersalls Ltd in Great Britain, within its year of birth and transported to a different country, the horse will still be eligible for the Breeder’s Prize Scheme.
In flat horse racing, the Breeders’ Prizes Scheme is available to all classes. In classes one to four in Steeple Chase horse racing, prizes are awarded, except in the case of class four horse racing events the prizes are only available in the Novice Weight-for-Ages and Maiden races. Prizes are also restricted to the Novice and Maiden races in the class four National Hunt racing events.
The Breeders’ Prize Scheme does not only encourage British breeders to upgrade the quality of their breeding procedures and horses, but slowly causes the British horse racing industry to be built up by horses with quality breeding. The project is an asset to breeders, buyers and the entire racing community.
