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Horse Owners Association makes use of grant

Members of the BVI Horse Owners Association show Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn around the Ellis Thomas Downs on May 22. (Photo Credit: GIS/Ms. Colene Penn)
One group of horse owners, The Boys Stables, has already benefitted from the grant with assistance towards the purchase of a new horse (Leave It To Bern) in the sum of $5000. Photo: VINO
One group of horse owners, The Boys Stables, has already benefitted from the grant with assistance towards the purchase of a new horse (Leave It To Bern) in the sum of $5000. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – President of the VI Horse Owners Association, Mrs Karen Smith-Aaron has disclosed that persons have taken advantage of the remaining $5000 left of a grant handed to the association to develop the sport of horse racing locally.

One group of horse owners, The Boys Stables, has already benefitted from the grant with assistance towards the purchase of a new horse (Leave It To Bern) in the sum of $5000.

Education Minister Hon. Myron V. Walwyn had made the donation to the Association in May 2013 following their successful application for the grant which was expected to increase participation in the sport.

Hon. Walwyn had also met with the President previously and committed an annual subvention in the region of $25,000 from government to the sport of horse racing.

According to the President, negotiations had been set in motion in Puerto Rico for the purchase of a second horse on behalf of the Horse Owners Association in keeping with the grant secured for the purchase of horses..

“We don’t choose [the beneficiaries of the grant], it’s whoever presents themselves and says that they are interested,” Mrs Smith-Aaron revealed of the selection process in acquiring the grant.

She indicated that persons acquiring a grant from the association are required to repay on a percentage basis based on winnings accrued from races.

The President cautioned though, that the process may not be as simple as it appears as once a horse is purchased, the owner has to be fully prepared to care and feed the horse. “That’s why we don’t take the full purse, we only take a percentage of the purse after the race,” she stated.

She explained that there were many things involved in having a horse such as the purchase of hay, feed, and payments towards the exercise jockey that will be assigned to the horse among other things. “Even if we are assisting you in purchasing it, you will still have to actually have to be able to train and feed it,” Mrs Smith-Aaron noted.

The grant had previously been met with some amount of resistance from teachers once it had been announced with some claiming that more funds and attention should be focused in the area of education and the acquisition of teaching materials at schools instead of a contribution to the VI Horse Owners Association.

7 Responses to “Horse Owners Association makes use of grant”

  • apple pie (29/08/2013, 09:58) Like (6) Dislike (18) Reply
    in deeds hard time when there is not even chairs to sit in some schools he there giving away tax payers money for horse and dinners...how long? NOT LONG?
  • ccc (29/08/2013, 10:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    when is the next horse race???hope the 10G can buy another horse...lol
  • BVI resident (29/08/2013, 11:19) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yea buying horse to go run St. Thomas and not in Tola..struppsss
  • xxxxxxxx (29/08/2013, 13:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    politicians are there mashing up the country with bad policies.
  • bvi (29/08/2013, 15:08) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    All ungrateful peeps needs too hush your political A..Hole
  • vincent frett (30/08/2013, 08:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Listen, i put my name up there for all to see. The drag racing community did not asked government to build anything for us, not a dime, just the ok and the land for a certain amount of year, and when that time is up and u need ur land, u can have it back.
  • keep it real (01/09/2013, 16:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is pure non-sense. Last I check these people already privileged, you check. And then the bald man give them $10k? Where does Youth and Eduation fit in with professional horse racing? These grown ass people. Some millionaires or so they claim. Then I see he pledge $25k more of WE money to his horse betting friends.

    Meanwhile, schools still moldy and in terrible shape. Teachers poorly paid, you want to show real appreciation baldy? Pay them more. Ever hear saying "you get what you for?" Youth activities haven't seen a penny. Sports activities for youthsn nothing.

    Please let this two years go by fast so we can get baldy and the rest of the bandits out of office.


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