RoR Showcase at Aintree Equestrian Centre hailed a success with three hundred prospective owners

On Saturday 3^rd November 2018, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) held the first RoR Showcase at the Aintree Equestrian Centre. The event, supported by The Racing Foundation, was attended by three hundred owners and prospective owners of former racehorses and received overwhelming positive feedback. The Main Arena at the Aintree Equestrian Centre provided a fantastic venue to host a total of eleven demonstrations and clinics from top trainers and experts from around the equine world. The day started with an informative demonstration from racehorse trainer Bryan Smart and vet Jenny Hall talking through and showing the racehorse as an athlete and then its transition to a new career, using real racehorses.

Olympic Silver medallist Jeanette Brakewell provided a day with brilliant instruction in both her demos, first covering schooling former racehorses over poles and then later in the day the progression to eventing. Horses and riders taking part included Pineau de Re with Lizzie Doolittle, Master Wickham with rider Claire Lewis, and Moment To Dream with rider Emma Lebutt. Top show producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable gave insight into the world of showing in her demos, sharing her experience and expertise using both a novice horse and covered some finer points with an established open horse. RoR Elite Champion Wild West and rider Lizzie Harris took part along with former Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase Winner Annacotty with his rider Hannah Bishop. British Dressage Training Director Paul Hayler was also much enjoyed by visitors with his dressage demonstration covering the issues faced when going back to basic flatwork leading to establishing a correct way of going.

Through the day Equine anatomist and sports therapist Gillian Higgins painted the musculoskeletal system on former racehorse, Word of Warning and gave two highly informed demos which highlighted the physical changes in the transition from racehorse to riding horse. The RoR Showcase also gave many visitors the chance to get one-to-one advice from trainers during the day in the Ask The Expert Lounge. Plus, there was the opportunity to see some close up demos in the second Arena covering many aspects of retraining in various disciplines.

The RoR Showcase concluded in a Grand Finale featuring all of the participating horses and riders, as well as former racehorse Carhue, who is now with the Mounted Special Police ridden by Giles George, and the RoR Team Dressage 2018 winners.

Di Arbuthnot said; “The RoR Showcase was a fantastic day, with a variety of expertise on offer and a non-stop schedule. It gave us all a forum to share ideas with one another, trainers, experts and owners.  I hope everyone came away with something to inspire them.”