Boyd Martin, a two-time Olympic eventer, will host retraining racehorse clinics in Japan in December in association with the National Riding Club Association of Japan, the Japan Racing Association and Godolphin. The events will promote the versatility of racehorses and their ability to adapt to alternative careers after racing.
“In my opinion, the off-the-track Thoroughbred is the ultimate event horse,” said Martin. “Not every OTTB is destined for greatness, but I would take a nice-moving, quiet-thinking, bold, brave, good-jumping Thoroughbred over any other horse breed in the world. There's no better breed to be a four-star event horse.”
Takahiro Nishio, Equestrian Affairs Section Councillor at the JRA, said, “The Japan Racing Association is committed to helping owners and industry members move retiring racehorses into successful second careers. The JRA delegation which attended the IFAR conference in Washington this year found Boyd Martin's presentation extremely impressive and informative, and we were therefore eager to help bring Boyd to Japan to lend his expertise to these clinics. We hope this event will not only increase the knowledge and skills of horse people in retraining racehorses, but also build awareness within the general public of the suitability of Thoroughbreds as riding horses.”
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