ENGLISH TEXTS tions in Le Lion-d’ Angers. € 730,000 was granted to the National Federation of Horse Councils, which represents all components of the equine industry to regional authorities. Nationally, in the 2022 fiscal year, € 767,000 went to the French Working Equid Society( SFET) and the French Horse Society( SHF) for various initiatives. The SHF, which manages competition circuits for 4- to 6-yearold sport horses, could not maintain operations without the Fonds Eperon. Since 2011, the fund has covered nearly 90 % of competition prize money!“ Previously, we only contributed € 500,000 and the Ministry of Agriculture paid the rest. But a European regulation now forbids it from funding competitions,” notes Jean de Chevigny. At one time, the racing organizations stepped in, each contributing € 1.5 million to the SHF via the Fonds Eperon. But declining betting revenues forced France Galop and Le Trot to abandon this support. Since 2017, the Éperon Fund has been the primary funder, dedicating € 3.7 million annually- over a third of its total budget. At a time when racing’ s parent companies face severe financial hardship, scraping for funds- France Galop is reducing prize money and eliminating breeder bonuses for international races- the Fonds Eperon’ s financing is under scrutiny. Especially since it holds significant re- serves. As the state and local governments adopt austerity policies, more projects are delayed or abandoned. When a supported project is not completed, the unused funds are placed in reserves until reallocated. France Galop, citing the fund’ s multi-million-euro reserves, proposed a temporary reduction in the fund’ s annual budget. But, as mentioned earlier, the Fonds Eperon’ s budget is not taken from PMU money paid to racing bodies but from the state’ s share. France Galop has no authority over it.
Toward more cross-sectoral projects? There is growing momentum for racing to benefit from the Fonds Eperon through broader initiatives- such as making racecourses or training centers eligible for support for targeted, contemporary issues. Some actions already benefit the entire industry, such as research.“ We support the scientific council of the French Institute for the Horse and Riding in the projects it validates,” explains Jean de Chevigny.“ Work on mare gestation, rhodococcosis, and equine viral arteritis affects all equines.” In 2024, € 150,000 was allocated to reinforce the missions of the Equine Pathology Epidemiological Surveillance Network( RE- SPE), a key resource for the racing sector.“ Since the fund’ s creation in 2005, the industry has evolved,” says Hélène Dal Corso.“ So it’ s only natural that we evolve with it. We’ re currently considering cross-sectoral projects of general interest for the industry.” Topics under consideration include water, climate adaptation, transport, animal welfare, and health.
The temptation to turn inward In today’ s economic climate, there’ s a strong temptation for the racing sector to withdraw its support from the broader equine family. Why continue to show solidarity?“ Charity begins at home,” as the saying goes. But when the state considered increasing its cut of PMU betting revenues, the fact that racing supports and finances the broader equine sector was used to oppose the proposal. Yes, the subsidies granted to the national school for draught donkeys in Villeneuve-sur-Lot may raise a smile. But that initiative helps preserve France’ s seven donkey breeds, an important part of equine heritage. It’ s also a powerful argument for maintaining the horse’ s status as an agricultural species— many, particularly among animal rights advocates, want it reclassified as a companion animal, which would threaten its professional use. Subsidies for draught horses and working equines more broadly serve the same purpose: promoting the rural horse, which gives breeders
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