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ANNUAL MEETINGS

A core objective of the EPRA is 

'To improve members’ knowledge of Pony Racing in other EMHF countries'.

To that end, our aim is to hold our Annual Meetings in a different country each year, on a date which allows delegates to experience a Pony Racing Meeting in the host country.

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INAUGURAL ANNUAL MEETING:

HUNGARY 2022

For our first Annual Meeting, it was decided to take up Hungary's kind offer to host us, at the country's sole racecourse, Kincsem Park in Budapest.

 

Delegates from Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia and Sweden travelled to Hungary. The day prior to the EPRA meeting, they witnessed three pony races which kick-started the quality thoroughbred card. There was universal praise, both for the professionalism of the pony racing and the warmth of the welcome. The Hungarian racing authority, Kincesm Nemzeti Kft., through its CEO, Istvan Pecsi, extended generous hospitality to the EPRA party throughout the afternoon, and later at an exclusive dinner at the track.

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 Kincsem Park CEO Istvan Pecsi, with his family in the 

 paddock.

 

Kincsem Park has made great strides in recent years. It is a very different racecourse from the one which hosted an early EMHF meeting in 2013 and as striking an example of efficient and diverse use of limited space as one can find.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                      

                        Beautiful Kincsem Park Grandstands

 

 

Today, every square metre of the track’s footprint is put to productive use. In addition to the flagship Thoroughbred racing, there is greyhound racing, trotting, a training centre, show jumping, Four-in-hand driving and more. There is even a rugby pitch inside the greyhound track!

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         Statue of the great Kincsem, undefeated in her 54 starts

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Increased internationalisation of Pony Racing, with the best young riders having the opportunity to experience race-riding in other countries, is an aim of the EPRA and it was pleasing to witness history being made. Czech youngster Sophy Bodlakova became the first foreign-based winner of a Hungarian Pony Race when she scored on her pony Saman!

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   Czech Republic's Sophie Bodlakova rides first foreign-           trained Pony Race winner in Hungary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prize presentation

 

At the EPRA meeting, delegates gave their impressions of what they had seen the previous day, and how it compared and contrasted with Pony Racing in their own countries. For several, it was the first experience of Pony Racing outside their own countries. Updates were given on Pony Racing in each country represented.

A minute’s silence was also observed in honour of Jack de Bromhead, who tragically lost his life in a pony racing incident in Ireland.

While for some EPRA member countries, such as France, Sweden and Britain, Pony Racing is a well-established pursuit, for others it is a very new endeavour, and for others yet, it is something to be established in the near future. The imparting of knowledge, and identification of best practice will therefore be central to the fledgling association.

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        Preparing for the Inaugural Annual Meeting of the EPRA

 

Slovakia’s experience bears witness to the fact that countries need not wait for long, after setting up a Pony Racing structure, to see the benefits begin to flow, in the shape of new jockeys. It was only last year that the first Pony Races took place at Bratislava racetrack, but from the alumni of that first cohort, there are this year no fewer than four Amateur Riders licence-holders. For those many countries experiencing difficulties in sourcing competent race-riders, a Pony Racing structure is a must-have.

Botond Kovacs, head of Pony Racing in this year’s host country, commented: “We have been thrilled to host the first European Pony Racing Association meeting. The rise in profile of Pony Racing is very refreshing to see. The European Pony Racing community is taking shape and it feels like we’ve been put on the map - a map that the world of racing has a keen eye on.

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  Hungary's Pony Racing supremo, Botond Kovacs (second-     right), with Istvan Pecsi at EMHF General Assembly, Ireland,   May 2022

 

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SECOND ANNUAL MEETING

CHANTILLY, FRANCE, 2023

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The Great Stables and Chateau de Chantilly provided the incomparable backdrop for the pony racing that accompanied the EPRA’s Second Annual Meeting on June 30th, 2023.

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Jad Hondier (France) clear in the Chantilly leg of the FEGENTRI Junior Series

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This was organised as a hybrid event and attended by representatives of Belgium, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Slovakia and Sweden.

Our host was the tireless Cecile Madamet, driving force behind the highly successful Pony Racing set-up in France, and the event was kindly supported by France Galop, who provided an excellent al fresco dinner in the town on the eve of the races.

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Before the Official Dinner: Christophe Bohne (France Galop), Cecile Madamet (Poneys au Galop and EPRA) and Ellie Hennau (FEGENTRI); the young riders on the eve of the race.

 

 

Raceday began with a visit to the gallops, a moment in the weekend when the heavens decided to open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Cheerful in the rain: Clarissa Daly (Great Britain) & Cecilia Graberg (Sweden)

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The date was chosen in large part in order to coincide with the French leg of the FEGENTRI Junior Championship, and it was great to see both that organisation’s President, Ellie Hennau and Secretary-General, Charlotte Rinckenbach, over the weekend. Cecile Madamet, in addition to being President of Poneys au Galop (the French Pony Racing Association), is President of the FEGENTRI Junior Series.

Three Pony Races preceded the mainstream card, which featured two Listed races.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Busy in the park before the races

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The Pony Races, which were scheduled at swift, 20 minute intervals, ranged widely in distance – from 800 to 1,600 metres – and all involved negotiating Chantilly’s final bend into the stretch. Fields were of a good size of between 6 and 10 runners.

Participating in the FEGENTRI race was Lavinia Picchi, daughter of Italian EPRA representative Andrea, who had finished first and second in the earlier two races in the series, in Florence and Bro Park. On this occasion, it was Jad Hondier, aboard Barkan de la Malys, who triumphed. Jad had won the Bro Park leg, but this time he was not France’s nominated rider and so he failed to earn any further series points for his efforts. Jad, (seasoned winner of no fewer than 54 races in his young life), and Lavinia now sit atop the table as the championship moves on to its concluding two legs.

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Jad Hondier 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lavinia Picchi

 

 

The series next returns to Italy, this time to Livorno, and reaches its climax at the site of the EPRA’s first annual meeting, Hungary’s Kincsem Park.

While the timing of the races, and the fact that the ponies were prepared well away from the paddock and the stands, meant that the impact on the sizeable crowd was limited, the presentations were held later, at the heart of the day’s racing. No less than Henri Pouret, France Galop’s Racing Director and EMHF Executive Council member, was present to give out the prizes.

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Henri Pouret (France Galop and EMHF) presents to Louise Dehez Devaux

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One important action agreed at the meeting was to pull together examples of the many successful jockeys and others who started their careers in Pony Racing. These will be collated and presented to Racing Authorities by way of evidence of the value of Pony Racing for the development of the sport and industry as a whole.

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THIRD ANNUAL MEETING

ASCOT, UK, 2024

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After Hungary and France, the EPRA's Third Annual Meeting was held in Ascot, on July 12th, hosted by Britain's Pony Racing Authority.

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The meeting was attended by delegates from France, Great Britain, Hungary Norway and Sweden. In addition, for the first time the EPRA welcomed an Observer nation - Tracy O'Hara represented Australia.​

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A session at this year's General Assembly of the EPRA's parent body, the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF), had been set aside for discussion of the EPRA. Paull Khan, EPRA Chair and EMHF Secretary-General, had presented to that meeting in Copenhagen Denmark on May 7th, at which the delegates were senior administrators from racing governing bodies across the region

His presentation had covered a number of areas:

 

  • the aims and constitution of the EPRA

  • its activities over the first three years of its life 

  • a demonstration of the effectiveness of Pony Racing as a breeding ground of future talent. As agreed at our meeting in Chantilly, members had submitted details of famous graduates of Pony Racing in their respective countries - and an impressive roll-call it made. In addition, an impressive video, recently produced by the PRA was played.

  • a wish list from the Pony Racing community - in other words, what do pony racing organisers look to thoroughbred racing administrators for, in order that pony racing can best provide the stars of tomorrow?

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At the EPRA Meeting, Paull ran through his presentation, which will shortly be available on this site.​​​​​​​​

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It was fascinating to be given an Australian perspective and members were impressed at the fact that Pony Races are often run in between mainstream races, even when the latter are only 30 minutes apart!

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The meeting agreed to collate the Rules under which Pony Racing is conducted in member countries, in order to compare and contrast, give clues as to best practice, and guidance to those setting out on the Pony Racing road. It is intended to place these on this website in the months ahead, and we are grateful to Marta Seres, wife of Hungary's Botond Kovacs, for the suggestion and for her future assistance in this task.

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The Berystede Hotel was the venue both for the meeting itself and the excellent drinks reception and dinner that followed, most generously provided by Richard and Dawn Prince, stalwart supporters of the British Pony Racing scene. 

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Dinner at the Berystede Hotel

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The following day saw two Pony Races open Ascot's Summer Mile Family Raceday, both sponsored by Dragon TV and Film Studios. The first was a 6f/1200m race for ponies of 138cm or under, contested by 9 ponies whose riders ranged in age from 11 to 15. The second race attracted a full field of 12, with three reserves. Over a full mile/1600m, for ponies of 148cms or less, its riders were 12 to 16 years old. 

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The children were treated to the full racecourse experience. They walked the course, guided by jockey coach, Grand National-winning jockey Carl Llewellyn, their ponies were tacked up by the pre-parade ring; then they cantered the paddock in proper jockey's silks before taking their mounts down to the start. The crowd was given full commentary on the race, and could identify their selections through the colour graphics of their silks in the racecard. They could even have a bet on the outcome with some of the bookies on-course. After the race the winners and placed ponies entered the famed winner's enclosure, looked down upon by the crowds in Ascot's magnificent grandstand, and the successful rider's interview was filmed and projected round the track. A totally unforgettable experience. It was a measure of the all-round education and grounding that the children receive through the Pony Racing system that both winners spoke with an assurance and poise well beyond their tender years.

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istvan_family_epra.JPG
Grandstands at Kincsem Park.jpg
Statue of Kincsem.jpg
Presentation Clarissa.JPG
EPRA Meeting 2_edited.jpg
Botond Kovacs by Alex Cairns.jpg
Christophe Bohne, Cecile, Ellie pre-dinner.JPG
FEGENTRI Pony riders ahead of the Official Dinner.JPG
Preparing for the Pony Races.jpg
Clarissa Daly (GB) & Cecilia Graberg (Swe) shelter from the rain.JPG
Jad Hondier on Barkan de la Malys.jpg
Lavinia Picci on Bronheulog Acorn.jpg
HP presenting Louise Dehez Devaux.jpg

Harriet Scriven, 13, being interviewed after her stylish win on 9yo Pony Stretcholt Carousel

Following the Pony Races, delegates were treated by Ascot Partners Howden Insurance to a stunning lunch and hospitality in the sponsor's box 

PRA Chair, Simon Claisse front of shot as EPRA delegates line up on the balcony of the Howden Insurance Box

All in all, a wonderful two days, enjoyed by every delegate and our thanks go to former PRA Chief Executive, Clarissa Daly for the splendid organisation. 

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The meeting's final decision was to make Clarissa an Honorary Member of the EPRA - meaning that we will have the pleasure of seeing her at future annual meetings.

Racing ponies kincsem_edited.jpg

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Zsombor Cziraki of Hungary on Jubilee des Vallons.jpg
Zsombor Cziraki of Hungary on Jubilee des Vallons.jpg
Zsombor Cziraki of Hungary on Jubilee des Vallons.jpg

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