FIndings from the Field - May
Since my last update, I’ve continued travelling across Britain, visiting not only racecourses but also training yards, and meeting a wide range of owners and ROA members along the way. It’s been a brilliant month of listening, learning, and hearing first-hand about your experiences, challenges and ideas for the future of our sport.
As I mentioned in my last blog, each of these updates will follow a theme. In April, it was presence. This month, the focus is support: not just the support the ROA provides directly, but the broader, vital idea of backing each other in a sport that thrives on passion, patience, and partnership.
At the ROA, support takes many shapes. Some you’ll feel on the racecourse, others behind the scenes, like representing your interests around the industry tables. From peace of mind through third-party liability insurance, to the racecourse badge scheme at thousands of fixtures, these are just a few of the ways we try to make ownership smoother, safer, and more rewarding for you.
But our support doesn’t stop there. We’re here to listen to your feedback, champion change across British racing, and offer guidance whenever and wherever it’s needed. Whether you’re a first-time owner or a long-standing member, our role is to stand beside you throughout your ownership journey and help make it as rewarding and enjoyable as it should be.
Over the past month, I’ve had some great conversations with members on course. Many have shared how small things, like easier access to information, or simply seeing someone from the ROA on-site, can make a big difference to their day. Others have highlighted the impact of our VAT solution service, or, raised ideas for improving the member benefits programme. These conversations matter. They tell us what’s working and where we can do more.
Looking ahead, we’ll be focusing even more on ensuring every member knows where to turn for advice, support, or simply a friendly face. If you’re unsure what’s available to you, please get in touch. If something could be better, we want to hear about it. This is your association and the more we can use your insights to shape what we do, the better we can support your ownership experience.
As ever, I’ll be out and about again this month. You can find out where I’ll be on the member landing page, or feel free to book a time to say hello - thank you to all who’ve done that already.
Whether it’s a question, a concern, or just a good idea, I’d love to hear it, and I’m looking forward to meeting more of you in the weeks and months ahead.
Best of luck to everyone with runners coming up, whether you’re heading to the flat festivals or embracing the summer jumps season.