The CEO Column: Associate Membership launches

British racing’s future depends not only on attracting new owners and retention but on understanding them better, supporting them and creating clear pathways into deeper involvement in the sport. That is why the ROA’s new Associate membership is an important development and why it matters beyond the excellent benefits it offers. 

Associate membership is designed to engage a significant and often under-recognised part of the ownership landscape: individuals involved in racing clubs and syndicates who are passionate 
about ownership but may not be formally recognised by the sport. Alongside this, the ROA continues to recognise the vital role played by sole owners and syndicate managers, many of whom own multiple horses and are significant investors in British racing.

While all owners register centrally – from January 1 shared ownership entities have been required to provide details of members in syndicates and partnerships of up to 50 people – there remains a large cohort of people with a genuine ownership interest who sit outside this system. 

This means that potentially thousands of people who are financially and emotionally invested in racehorses, particularly members of racing clubs and syndicates, are effectively invisible at an industry level. That represents both a challenge and an opportunity. 

The ROA sees Associate membership as a key step towards better understanding this part of the ownership data picture. By recognising and engaging this audience, and through people choosing to sign up to this new membership tier, we can begin to build a clearer view of who they are, how they participate, and how their involvement might evolve over time. 

This sits alongside our ongoing work to better understand the needs and experiences of sole owners and syndicate managers, whose continued investment also underpins the sport. This insight is essential if we are serious about strengthening the ownership pipeline and improving long-term retention and recruitment. 

Working with the wider industry, our longer-term ambition is to develop a far more complete picture of ownership – closer to Australia, where ownership data is better understood, and where 
those insights strengthen and enhance the experience for all owners as a critical step to better recognition and reward. 

A more informed data landscape allows for better decision-making, more relevant support, and a stronger, more sustainable ownership model. 

Micro-share ownership, racing clubs and syndicates are an increasingly popular route into the sport, and Associate membership is designed to meet the needs of this audience. Benefits include up to seven free racedays per year alongside access to exclusive ROA events and hospitality, providing connection to the ROA, the ownership community and the sport itself.  

However, Associate membership is not only about benefits. It is about understanding. We need to better understand who our future owners are, what motivates them, and what might prevent them from taking the next step. We hope Associate members will provide invaluable insight into these questions, helping us move from assumption to evidence. 

If British racing is to thrive, we must protect and grow its ownership base. Owners are not peripheral to that mission; they are central to it. By listening and understanding the community of owners and learning from it, we are investing in the long-term health of the sport itself. 

If you have any questions about Associate membership, full membership or our work across the industry on behalf of owners, the ROA team would be very happy to help. Contact us on [email protected]