BLB slash breeding incentives

THE Betting Levy Board have taken a big chunk out of incentive subsidies to breeders. This is all because there have been no increase in revenue from taxes. With the steady rise in upkeep of  horses, the BLB first focused on purses. And earlier this month they beefed up stakes, increasing their handout to the Arima Race Club from $136,000 to $165,000. This increase was evident in the events carrying the smallest purses on the Day 22 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, July 19. But  mare and foal subsidies, breeders and sires premiums, and owners incentives for importing horses were not so fortunate and were trimmed. The BLB slashed mare and foal subsidies by $500, so a payment of $2,5000 will now be made to the owner of every mare registered for stud duty and meeting the requirements of being covered by a stallion resident at home during the 2003 season. But this covering must also be certified by a veterinarian between September 1-30, 2003 as being in foal. Subsidy for foals fell from $2,00 to $1,500 and in order to enjoy this subsidy foals must be registered with the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority. (TTRA ) and DNA by November 15 this year.

Importers of weanlings, yearlings, stallions for stud duty,  mares in foal and other racing stock, with the exception of two-year-old fillies will now enjoy a subsidy payment of $15,000. Juvenile fillies in training for racing, imported for the first time from outside the Caribbean will be subsidised to the sum of $20,000, while any of the same stock brought in from within the Caribbean will be paid $5,000. But there is a condition attached to these categories which is they must be registered with the TTRA and remain in Trinidad and Tobago for a period of not less than one year. Should the owner of any horse in this category wish to export the horse before the expiration of one year, he will be required to refund the subsidy previously granted. Meanwhile, jockeys will continue to receive incentives of $60, $40, $20 for second, third and fourth placed finishers in races where advertised stakes is less than $25,000.