We had a great morning filming with the Politic’s Show in Newmarket today to highlight India’s unfair export ban of horse sales from the UK.
Robert Sturdy believes India is the only country in the world to impose this ban and is doing his utmost to have it lifted. He has raised the issue with the WTO and is urging those in the equine industry to lobby the Indian Government. He also plans to invite an Indian trade minister to the Newmarket sales at Tattersalls to bend his ear and see for himself what he is missing.
We quite by chance met up with an Indian bloodstock agent who wished Robert luck with his campaign and said it didn’t make sense for him to buy from Ireland when there were so many wonderful racehorses on sale in Newmarket.
Robert believes the real reason for the ban is the UK’s refusal to import India’s horses because they have not passed the necessary standards, it’s tit-for-tat. Our horses are amongst the best in the world and India is not trading fairly.
Thanks to Jimmy from Tattersalls and Louise from the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association for making us so welcome today, it was a great day for filming as a sale was taking place and made a wonderful backdrop, other local photographers turned up too.I look forward to seeing Robert, Jimmy and Louse on the local BBC news tonight, as well as Sunday’s Politic’s Show.
I could have been tempted to buy one of those lovely fillies btw, but wisely left my credit cards at home!
There’s always a hidden reason, like the one you mentions why certain things are done.
Hopefully, pressure will make India change its mind and restore trading links with our superb horses.
Well I dont know much about this, but on the face of it, it seems we are missing on UK’ best horses.
May be you are right that India is refusing to import horses from UK because of UK’s refusal to import Indian horses. Infact that is how markets are opened in sectors like Aviation, Banking and many others.
But globalisation also means exporting our best products and importing the best products of other countries. So I see no reason why India should not import from UK, if they have the best horses.
Raj, Thank you for your comment. We spoke to an Indian bloodstock agent who is very frustrated that he cannot buy from the UK. I hope we can persuade an Indian trade minister to visit the Newmarket sales and see for himself what he is missing, he can speak to the experts too for reassurances about the animal’s veterinary checks carried out before being exported.
[…] I can quite understand why the Crown Prince of Dubai wants to challenge Roman Abramovich, a little bird told me during a recent visit to Newmarket’s horse sales that the Russian billionaire had two buyers there on the lookout for top racehorses for Abramovich. I cannot imagine the Sheikh was too pleased about that. […]
Well, its already made it to wiki. Hussein was a creature of power. And a real tyrant. Glad he is gone however I think we need to get out!