Significant growth in the total number of owners, record ownership retention and the knock-on effect of an increased number of horses-in-training point to Horse Racing Ireland emerging from the last two years with a lot in its favour.
The impact on the attendance at race meetings could not be avoided in the midst of lockdowns and had a knock-on impact on the slow recovery of commercial sponsorship. The 2021 figure did climb to €2.1 million from €1.9 million in 2020 but is still down 65 per cent from where it was in 2019.
Full-year statistics for 2021, released today by Horse Racing Ireland, show that the industry has bounced back from a difficult 2020, with most figures well ahead of both the previous 12 months and the pre-pandemic figures of 2019.
The total number of owners is up 20.1 per cent to 4,901 with owner retention running at 80.7 per cent. The number of new owners registered in 2021 is 1,062, a rise of 36.1 per cent on the previous year with the number of horses-in-training in Ireland up 14.4 per cent, rising for the fifth time in six years.
Sales
There is a telling increase in the overall figure for bloodstock sales at public auction at €182.8m, up 71.3 per cent on 2020 when a number of the major horse sales were severely disrupted, deferred or relocated.
A record number of fixtures and races were held in 2021, but, in line with Government guidelines at the time, there was no public attendance at any race meeting in the first six months of 2021.
Attendances were limited to 500 from July to early September while racecourses operated at 50 per cent capacity for the remainder of the year.
On-course betting bookmaker turnover of €12.9m showed an increase of 67.5 per cent on the previous year’s figure but unsurprisingly lags well behind the 2019 total.
Retail closures of licenced betting offices in Ireland and the UK negatively impacted on overall betting and Tote figures during the year.
Resilience
“So many of the figures announced today show remarkable resilience in the horse racing and breeding industries,” said Horse racing Ireland CEO Suzanne Eade.
“The figures for the numbers of horses-in-training have jumped by over 14 per cent year-on-year at a time when the attendance of owners at race meetings was severely curtailed.”
“That support from owners is vital, placing the industry on a secure footing and reflecting favourably on levels of employment across the industry and the wider economic activity that brings.”
“It is hugely encouraging that all categories of ownership have grown and a record owner retention rate is a terrific vote of confidence in the industry.”
“Irish Bloodstock sales were hit very badly in 2020 but last year’s figures for horses sold at public auction improved greatly with a succession of sales performing well. There was a vibrant trade at the Irish store sales and buyers from 22 countries invested at Irish yearling sales, with Irish-foaled horses sold to 31 countries in all.”
Sport for Business Perspective
Ireland is a global leader in the business of racing and breeding and the fundamental numbers bouncing back so well so quickly is a real positive. Attendance and commercial sponsorship will be the two more consumer led numbers that will be of greatest interest over the next twelve months.
