We might be in the depths of winter battling relentless mud and limited daylight, but for owners and riders of off the track thoroughbreds there is light at the end of the tunnel with Racing NSW announcing their program for this year’s Equimillion (October 4 – 7) presenting an opportunity for the racing and breeding world to offer their support.
Equimillion covers show horse, dressage, eventing and showjumping with different levels geared to cover a wide range of competitors and their horses, some of them recently retired and others are the valued school masters that make the breed so popular in the equestrian world.
For off the track owners the entry fee into Equimillion of $1000 is a sticking point and particularly so if you have more than one horse to compete as does top junior rider Makaylah Fenwick, who is a regular at jumping shows in NSW with her team of thoroughbreds, most of them sourced from the Paul Perry stable at Newcastle.
At age 17, Makaylah has Olympic aspirations for the future and has seven horses in work, five of them she would like to take to Equimillion - The Garret (11g Manhattan Rain), Let It Be (8g Redoute’s Choice), Grace and Glory (7m Olympic Glory (IRE), Rainbow Man (7g Animal Kingdom (USA) and Jutland (5g Dundeel).
Makaylah is one of many young riders that would love sponsorship into Equimillion and while race clubs in NSW were supportive last year, it would be great to see more trainers, syndicators, studs and bloodstock agents coming on board to help out.
We all see the feel good social media splashed about from racing participants highlighting the after life of their former racehorses and now is the chance to make a meaningful gesture to assist these horses and riders to compete at Equimillion.
Of course, not all off the track owners are of a competitive mindset and that’s fine, plenty of horses aren’t either and enjoy perfectly happy lives as pleasure and paddock horses, but for those who would like the opportunity, do reach out and test the waters, you might be making someone’s dream come true.
Click here for details on how to Sponsor a Rider for Equimillion.
Email us at media@breednet.com.au if you are a rider seeking sponsorship or an interested party looking for a rider to sponsor.
Breednet is sponsoring four riders for this event, our same team we fielded at TSHA Stonewall National Titles in May – Tara Madgwick, Alyssa Cochrane,Vicki Cowdroy and Frida Contur.
