Racing Victoria (RV) has today announced its commitment to Jump Off, a new reality television series coming to the Seven Network in Spring 2018 that showcases horse racing and show jumping and celebrates the versatility of thoroughbred horses. The program will also be rebroadcast on Racing.com.
The series is being produced by Showmakers, and RV’s Off The Track program is a major sponsor.
It features leading Victorian racehorse trainers David Hayes of the Lindsay Park powerhouse, Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Darren Weir, multiple Group 1-winning trainer Mick Price, the brother-sister duo of Patrick and Michelle Payne, along with Godolphin Australia’s head trainer James Cummings.
Each team will work in tandem with some of the country’s best show jumping riders in Dave Cameron, Russell Johnstone, Vicki Roycroft, Jamie Kermond and Peter McMahon, to re-train former racehorses and transform them into jumping champions. The five teams will jump off for a $100,000 prize pool, Australia’s richest show jumping purse, in front of a live audience in the grand finale at Boneo Park Equestrian Centre on Saturday, 2 June 2018.
“Equine welfare is at the heart of this show and the horses are the heroes of Jump Off, which is why we have decided to support it,” RV’s Chief Executive, Giles Thompson, said. “Horses are the centrepiece of our industry, and Racing Victoria is dedicated to ensuring they’re afforded appropriate care and attention before, during and after their racing careers. Our vision is to be a leader in equine welfare and build a culture in which the safety and welfare of the horse is paramount.”
RV’s Off The Track program aims to facilitate the placement of retired thoroughbred racehorses in secondary careers.
“Our philosophy is that there is a home for every healthy thoroughbred after racing, and we are working with both the racing and equestrian industries to use every avenue to rehome retiring racehorses in Victoria,” Thompson added.
Off The Track drives demand for the thoroughbred as performance and pleasure horses, as well as providing education on the various post-racing options, versatility, and appropriate care and retraining of the breed.
“Through our Off The Track program, Racing Victoria has sponsored more than 500 equestrian events in which over 11,000 retired racehorses have competed,” Thompson said. “We see this as an effective way to drive the demand for Off The Track thoroughbreds in a secondary career.”
Olympic showjumper and Jump Off rider, Russell Johnstone, stated that the series is an exciting new format which promotes a life after racing for retired racehorses.
“With the continued popularity of show jumping in both Europe and the United States, and the participation of more Australian riders overseas, the interest in Australian show jumping is on the rise,” Johnstone said. “The Jump Off series featuring Australia’s best racehorse trainers and Olympic show jumpers opens the sport to a whole new audience of racing enthusiasts, the equestrian world and the broader Australian public.”
For more information on Off The Track, click https://rv.racing.com/the-horse/off-the-track; or to register interest in attending the Jump Off final at Boneo Park, visit www.facebook.com/jumpoffaus
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