TBA Stud Farming Course – 8th – 10th December 2009
This year’s TBA Stud Farming Course took place at the British Racing School in Newmarket during the second week of December, attracting 47 delegates from the UK, Ireland and Sweden. Running over three days, this annual residential course aims to educate and up-date stud owners, managers and staff on a range of topics essential to good stud management.
For the first time the course was jointly sponsored, by the Niniski Trust, Merial Equine Health and Saracen Horse Feeds, with each day broadly themed to reflect the interests of a sponsor. Day one, in association with the Niniski Trust, covered aspects of the management of the brood mare, in particular highlighting the importance of the HBLB Codes of Practice in ensuring disease prevention on studs in the UK. A visit to Rossdale & Partners Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Exning in the middle of the day gave delegates a break from the lecture theatre. This fascinating tour included presentations and demonstrations from veterinary experts on foal care, surgical procedures and laboratory services, together with the opportunity to view the newly opened Diagnostic Centre with its full range of state of the art diagnostic tools. The first day ended with the Course dinner held at the Bedford Lodge, which gave delegates the opportunity to meet informally with each other and the speakers.
Day two, sponsored by Saracen Horse Feeds, was broadly themed around nutrition, with guest speaker Joe Pagan, President of Kentucky Equine Research, making presentations on feeding the mare and breeding stallion, and on managing growth to produce a racehorse. In addition to extensive notes provided by Dr Pagan, delegates received a free memory stick containing an interactive slide presentation made by him entitled ‘Size matters for Racehorses’. This second day’s visit was to Lanwades Stud, where delegates were able to view resident stallions Hernando, Selkirk and With Approval together with the ‘new boy’ Archipenko. In the walk round the stud that followed, manager Alistair Watson gave an insight into managing a busy stallion stud, and most importantly offered some do’s and don’ts of walking mares into a stud, aimed at making life easier for everyone during the season. Back in the lecture theatre, afternoon sessions gave delegates the chance to pick the brains of industry experts including Jamie Railton on sales, Andrew Mead on mating plans and Julian Dollar on stallion management.
The final day of the course began with a voluntary early start for those delegates wishing to have a closer look at the British Racing School. Director Rory MacDonald led the tour which proved to be a revelation for many of the delegates, who were very impressed with what goes on behind the scenes at this world-class training establishment. Supported by Merial Equine Health, lectures focussed on foaling, care of the neonatal foal and the importance of the immune system. The highlight of the day for one lucky delegate was the prize draw, sponsored by Merial who had generously provided a ‘Tom Tom’ as first prize. which was won by Adam Stevenson of Juddmonte Farms. The course was rounded off with a session on management techniques for foals with congenital and acquired growth defects, and surgical/non-surgical approaches to limb correction, which generated a number of questions from delegates who were an excellent audience and fully engaged throughout the three days.
The TBA is extremely grateful to all speakers and visit hosts for their contribution to the success of the course, due mainly to the unrivalled access to a pool of expertise both within the Newmarket Community and at the Newmarket Equine Hospital and Rossdale & Partners. Thanks must also go to sponsors, Merial Equine Health, The Niniski Trust and Saracen Horse Feeds whose support was greatly appreciated.
The 2010 course takes place on 7th – 9th December. Please put a note in your diaries now, and seriously consider attending, either as a new delegate or to refresh and update your knowledge.