news Experts join forces with RoR for online events in December

• A series of webinars providing expert advice in sourcing, retraining and competing on former racehorses
• Panellists from racing and equestrian sport, including Andrew Balding, Yogi Breisner, Richard Davison and Tina Cook
• The RoR Virtual Showcase, four sessions over three weeks, featuring demos and live Q&A’s

This year the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) annual Showcase is going online. The popular educational event will be staged across four evening sessions over the first three weeks of December and a stellar cast of experts from both racing and equestrian sport will feature among the panellists offering advice to viewers on caring for and retraining former racehorses.

The line-up of panellists includes leading racehorse trainer Andrew Balding, Olympic athletes Richard Davison and Tina Cook and former British Eventing Performance Manager, Yogi Breisner, who led the British team to four successive Olympic team medals. Joining them will be experienced competitors, vets, equine physios, retrainers and coaches with each session hosted by a professional broadcaster in Nick Luck and Mark Hayward.

The RoR Virtual Showcase, which is generously supported by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, launches on Wednesday 2^nd December with a session providing insight into the life and training regime of a racehorse before they start their second career. Nick Luck will host the webinar, introducing a panel comprising of trainer Andrew Balding, former jump jockey turned TV presenter Luke Harvey, Diana Cooper from Godolphin and Yogi Breisner.

Two sessions on successive nights in week two will focus on sourcing, assessment and the early retraining of former racehorses, as well as how to identify which discipline a racehorse is best suited to in their second career.

The concluding session in week three will build on the platform of the previous webinars with advice on developing a horse’s progression through the ranks of their chosen discipline. For this session, RoR Chief Executive, Di Arbuthnot, will be joined by Yogi Breisner, along with Olympic event rider Tina Cook and Olympic dressage rider Richard Davison.

Each session will feature exclusively produced video footage, along with the opportunity for viewers to ask questions of the panel. The RoR Virtual Showcase will be streamed live through Zoom and keep and eye on our social media platforms and website for details of how to register nearer the time. The sessions will also be live streamed on Facebook.

The full RoR Virtual Showcase schedule is as follows:.

Session 1: Wednesday 2^nd December, 7pm; ‘A Day in the life of a Racehorse’

Session 2: Tuesday 8^th December, 7pm; ‘Sourcing, Assessment and Early Retraining’

Session 3: Wednesday 9^th December, 7pm: ‘Versatility and Suitability’

Session 4: Wednesday 16^th December, 7pm: 'Retrained, Results and Rewards'

RoR Chief Executive, Di Arbuthnot, said: “Education forms such an integral part of the charity’s work and we are very grateful to the Levy Board for their support of the RoR Virtual Showcase, which has enabled us to take the event online to a wider audience.

“Through our education programmes on how to care for and retrain former racehorses, together with the opportunities provided by RoR’s series of classes and competitions, the charity has developed an infrastructure designed to ensure the maximum number of former racehorses in Britain get to enjoy a fulfilling second career.

“Our thanks to all the panellists who have kindly agreed to take part in the sessions. The aim for each of the webinars is to be entertaining and informative and for viewers tuning in to pose questions for our experts, the replies to which will be of help to all.”