Of aristocrats and business tycoons, Horse Racing has for too long been seen as an old boys club with selective and restricted access. However, there is a slow burn for change sparked by S’manga Khumalo winning the Vodacom Durban July, which has shed a new light on racing.
People are really taking notice of the lifestyle and networking opportunities that Horse Racing in South Africa offers and realizing that it is not that cliquey or complex to own your own race horse. You don’t have to have the background or family connections either.
In the run up to the Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile on the first Saturday in November and the Sansui Summer Cup on the last, Imagine Racing would like to underscore the opportunities to be more closely involved as an owner, rather than just simply being a guest at the races.
While it is viewed as a luxury pursuit, this lifestyle experience is not only limited to the very wealthy. Sharing in a syndicate with a group of friends has many benefits and is not as complex as it sounds. To demystify the concept, here are a few pointers:
1. A syndicate is a group of people who share in the ownership of a horse or horses.
a. Syndicates can be made up of 5 – 20 people.
2. In order to race a horse, each individual or the syndicate needs to be registered with The National Horse Racing Authority of South Africa (Jockey Club). As a registered syndicate the NHRA grants the privilege of colours (an annually renewable registration), which allows you to race the horses that you own.
a. Owners must also register an authority to act, which allows the trainer to act on behalf of the owners, in all training decisions for the horse.
3. The benefits of shared ownership mean that you enjoy all the thrill of ownership at a fraction of the cost:
a. The initial purchase price of the horse and the monthly training fees are shared between the members.
4. The members decide on their level of outlay and each syndicate is structured to suit the individuals.
5. Owners share in the prize money and the excitement of leading in your winner! Any winnings are split according to the shares owned by each member.
6. Enjoy your race days with a group of friends and make it a regular social event and a great excuse to dress in your most elegant outfits and have an entertaining day out.
7. As with any sport, being involved as a group provides a great sense of camaraderie and being a racehorse owner does offer a certain sense of empowerment.
8. If you enjoy early mornings, there is nothing to beat watching your horse work in the misty sunshine and enjoying breakfast afterwards.
9. A syndicate can also be used as a great networking opportunity with business associates or to use as a team building incentive for a business.
10. If you don’t know where to start, syndicate managers can assist you and guide you with all aspects of your racing experience, from selecting and buying your horses, assisting with all registrations to managing your trainer accounts and race day hospitality.
Imagine Racing’s Lifestyle Experience aims to refresh the face of racing by demystifying the sport and simplifying the access to new owners, even down to enjoying an “owner for the day” experience to get a taste of what it is all about.
For more information contact Catherine Hartley: 083 640 1155
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Twitter: @imagineracing
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Author: Catherine Hartley from imagineracing.co.za. Originally distributed by MyPR.co.za.
