Thoroughbred Breeders' Association

Warwick Racecourse, in partnership with the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA), announced on Tuesday that the second day of its Winter Festival on Thursday, November 21 will this year become Breeders' Day, with both the race programme and supporting activity centering around breeders and the breeding sector. Prior to racing, the TBA will host an educational forum designed for TBA members, and non-member breeding enthusiasts, covering a range of topics with expert panels and Q&A sessions. Full details of the panels and speakers will be revealed in the coming weeks, with...

The British EBF is to refocus part of its National Hunt prize-money contribution to support the junior hurdle programme, it was announced on Thursday. Now in their fourth year, Junior National Hunt Hurdle races are designed to enhance the potential of young horses through earlier jumping education. Racing against their own age group, the development of the programme aims to mirror the early education options available to National Hunt trainers in Ireland and France. Open exclusively to three-year-olds from October to December and four-year-olds from January to April of the following...

Updated guidelines for the preparation and sale of thoroughbred breeding and young stock at public auction were published Wednesday by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA), Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA), Goffs, Tattersalls and the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, ahead of the forthcoming yearling sales season. Available digitally, the guidance aims to help new and existing participants navigate the sales preparation and selling processes for optimum equine health and welfare, whilst also providing transparency on thoroughbred care before, during and after the sale. "The British and Irish thoroughbred breeding industries remain...

The 107th annual general meeting of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA), held on Tuesday, Aug. 13, saw members and trustees gather at Newbury racecourse to discuss the ongoing challenges in British racing's future. Philip Newton, chairman of the association, reiterated that evidence-based strategy as well as incentives and intervention were working, and that the methods were the way forward for a sustainable future. Newton took time to highlight the positive impact of both the Elite Mares' Scheme as well as the Great British Bonus (GBB) Scheme. The latter has paid...

The challenges and opportunities for the future sustainability of the thoroughbred breeding and bloodstock industry were explored in-depth by speakers, panellists and delegates at the annual TBA Bloodstock Conference, held on Tuesday at Tattersalls. Two hundred breeders, owners, enthusiasts and industry professionals convened at Park Paddocks for the full-day event hosted by leading broadcaster and racing journalist, Lydia Hislop. The conference was opened by TBA chairman Philip Newton, who discussed the current challenges facing the thoroughbred breeding industry and the need for transformational change to alter racing's finances. Newton also...

Shortlisted nominees for five of the award categories at this year's TBA Flat Breeders' Awards Evening were announced on Thursday. Sponsored by Dullingham Park, the awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, July 10 at Chippenham Park, near Newmarket. All 13 awards--including the previously announced statistical awards for British-based stallions and breeders--will be presented to the winners on the night. Tickets for the TBA Flat Breeders' Awards Evening are £80 (inc. VAT) per person and admission includes a champagne reception, a two-course dinner and the awards ceremony. The awards and...

Sponsored by Goffs, the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) celebrated the tenth edition of its annual National Hunt Breeders' Awards in a ceremony held in front of 150 breeders, owners and trainers at the Hilton Garden Inn in Doncaster on Monday evening. Leading broadcaster and breeder Nick Luck, who hosted the evening, was the surprised recipient of the Queen Mother's Silver Salver (National Hunt Special Achievement Award), the highest honour bestowed by the TBA's NH Committee. The other award winners were as follows: Eric Gillie Ltd Trophy (Special Achievement Award): Kevin...

The 10th edition of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association National Hunt Breeders' Awards, sponsored by Goffs, will be held on Monday, May 20, the eve of the Goffs Doncaster Spring Store Sale. Doncaster's Hilton Garden Inn has been selected for the awards show, with Nick Luck signed on to host again. The event celebrates the achievements of British-based breeders and British-bred horses across the 2023-24 National Hunt season. During the event there is a champagne reception, and dinner is followed by the awards ceremony. A total of 14 awards will be...

Richard Phillips has been announced as the keynote speaker for the 2024 Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) Bloodstock Conference, which is set to take place at Tattersalls in Newmarket on Tuesday, June 25. Phillips, trainer and founder of National Racehorse Week, said, "I am delighted to be invited to speak at this year's Bloodstock Conference. I have a lifelong passion for the bloodstock world and look forward to sharing opinions, ideas and views with those attending." Staged for the first time in 2023, the event will feature talks and presentations with...

Over 250 people attended the first edition of the TBA ACCESS Foal Forum in the Tattersalls sales ring on Thursday night, the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) announced on Friday. The free-to-attend event welcomed both TBA members and non-members, and aimed to inform and educate attendees about the intricacies and challenges of breeding and pinhooking foals. The forum was led by Vanessa Ryle and featured insights into the first steps and considerations of breeding a foal, nurturing the growth of a young foal with the expertise of Kate Sigsworth of West...

The Business Essentials Programme, a new educational resource providing stud farm owners and managers with exclusive industry insights to support business understanding and provide the best welfare for horses, was launched by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) on TB-Ed on Wednesday. Focussing on the areas of employment, leadership, finance and marketing, the courses aim to support the building blocks of a successful business operation with advice from experts across the breeding industry. Each course features fully narrated video-based modules with a downloadable script, allowing users to work through at their...

Long-term Thoroughbred Breeders' Association chairman Julian Richmond Watson will step down following eight years at the helm. He announced the news during the TBA's Annual General Meeting at the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket on Friday. Philip Newton will become chairman of the TBA with immediate effect, while Kate Sigsworth will become deputy chairman. Newton has been on the board since 2012, while Sigsworth joined in 2020. James Crowhurst will continue as a co-opted trustee for a second term to support the TBA's work on equine health and welfare. In...