So my question is, what percentage of all eventers are professionals? It’s a small percentage. The majority of eventers are competing at lower levels and are amateurs.
Much of it is being funded by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.
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From the Maryland Shin Study:
The work began at the Richard S. Reynolds Jr. Comparative Orthopedic Research Laboratory in 1981 on the New Bolton Center campus. Grants from the United States Department of Agriculture, Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association– New York Division, National Institutes of Health (RO1), Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, James Foundation, Reynolds Foundation, The Beech Fund, Merck summer fellowships, and the General Assembly of the State of Pennsylvania have supported this ongoing research effort over the last 20 years. As with most large efforts, many people have been involved in these studies, and each has played a special part in the progression of our understanding of bucked shins. I thank William Moyer, John Fisher, Jonathan Black, Curt Cianci, Diane Butterweck, Mike Provost, Don Bartel, Ray Boston, and Aspen Hammond for their efforts in these studies.
Bottom line: funding comes from lots of places, including the Department of Agriculture, HBPAs, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, and other private and/or industry donors.
Many people play tennis, those at the top are professional, same for golf. What is your point?
Horses die while eventing, not always from fractures. But the relative numbers are very low. It is more likely that riders will die or have life changing injuries. I can think of three I know or knew personally.
I am not putting down racing, but I do think it is time that breeders and trainers must have a serious, educated look as to how they are feeding, supplementing, and training these youngsters.
This discussion has ended as far as I am concerned.
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Horse racing is a professional sport at all levels. You are right about most people competing in eventing, tennis and golf are doing so as amateurs.
A powerful post from “We Support Horse Racing” on Facebook:
We hear the number all the time: 37.
It seems to be all we hear.
But, we have a few other numbers for you.
374,225. The number of training sessions - either a work or a gallop - at Santa Anita Park from Dec. 26 - Nov 8, 2019.
77,000. The number of human lives that would be negatively impacted in California if racing ended.
$63 Billion. The total economic impact of the racing sector.
$27.5 Million. The money donated to the Grayson-Jockey Club for research that impacts all horses.
$4 Million. The amount of money that CARMA has granted to non-profit organizations that retire, retrain, and re-home Thoroughbreds who have raced in California since 2008. A portion of this comes automatically out of a deduction from purse money in California.
So when they come at you with 37, come back at them with these numbers. And remind them that our number one concern, is finding the answers that turn 37 into zero.
📸 Gary Tasich
Source: All of these numbers come directly from the respective organization’s websites.
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And here’s another…
https://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/donna-brothers-peta-is-a-bully/
Finally racing is finding it’s voice, although, as usual, it’s not our leaders making the case.
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I love Donna Barton Brothers. Good for her for speaking up.
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What I bolded is the whole freaking problem. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but it’s so frustrating. Plenty of voices in the industry do speak up. But the silence from the top is deafening. How hard is it to show some G.D. human emotion and actually speak out in support of the industry you manage?!?
I totally agree. There are so many horsemen in top positions.
Not sure which thread to post this on, but there was another fatal breakdown at Del Mar yesterday. It happened during training. It was a 3 year old gelding (named Koa) trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.
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