I've done numerous interviews this year about the short falls our industry still faces and how I believe we can change our course and build something great.
I'm not a marketing expert, nor do I have a Harvard degree but I have done one thing few people in this industry have done. I've stood on the door steps of thousands of everyday peoples houses and engaged then about what horse racing means to them. Why they aren't involved, and most importantly, how they could or would become involved.
The answers were always the same, and from those conversations thestable.ca was born. Affordable ownership and flat-rate billing.
You would think it was simple enough, but horse racing has never offered those two things together, and if it did, it was never marketed that way.
Our client list has almost tripled in the last month since the Lexington and Harrisburg yearling sales and for the first time in my life I feel gratified. Not because my wife and I built a stable of 62 horses from scratch when our province and industry was quietly crumbling around us. Not because we now have an active email list of 288 people worldwide. But because we are on the cusp of changing the business habits that has crippled this industry for decades.
Thestable.ca is not just about buying and selling fractions of yearlings. It's about bringing a voice to voiceless trainers and elevating the customer service that is hard to find in an industry that it shouldn't be.
We are always trying to bring attention to not just what we are doing, but how, and why we are doing it. We are not just trying to promote thestable.ca, but reintroduce horse racing to a group that forgot it existed; the general public.
By changing the dynamic of investment in horse racing from people 45-70 years old with disposable income to every human being that ever liked horses, we will open a floodgate of interest and investment the vast majority of our industry has never seen.
With time and support, what we have started will bolster investment infinitely, energize our dwindling fan base and cultivate new customers for our race tracks and in turn casino partners.
I write this as I wait on the tarmac about to fly to Ohio for the last yearling sale of the year. I'm asking for input, support and advertising in something I believe will be helpful to many trainers, and a unique opportunity for our industry to engage the general public.
On December 10, starting at 11:00 am thestable.ca will hold the first ever open to the public (and industry) fractional ownership sale.
We invite all trainers to bring their yearlings to Tomiko Training Centre and showcase them along side myself, my wife Amy, all our staff, and our yearlings under a drone streamed live for the world to see.
We would like to advertise the event in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph, as a unique opportunity to become a horse owner less than a 30 minute drive from where they live.
The proximity to Christmas I believe actually helps considering the inexpensive nature of horse ownership done in those manner. Our location is ideal to bring out the general public, the media and allow our industries trainers to mingle with potential investors.
Thestable.ca has yearlings priced as low as $96 and as high as $792 for a 1% share and over 40 yearlings with various price points in between. Combine that with likely interested trainers this could be an exciting morning and afternoon for not just fractional ownership but our entire industry.
We are approaching $1 million of investment in thestable.ca this year. We now have hired 14 employees in what has been a shrinking market. Take into consideration the economy, the cloudiness in horse racing's future and consumer interest, I think it's fair to say we are onto something.
I've spoken in Columbus, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and I am scheduled to speak in Illinois and also at Michigan State University next month. It's safe to say I don't mind talking to one person or a room full people about an industry I owe everything to. But for any measurable good to come from this event on December 10 I need help marketing it.
This industry should be in agreement of one thing for certain, Fans and investors are needed and we have an extremely inclusive way to provide both. Make no mistake, fractional ownership done in this manner will change the face of horse racing forever.
I know this was a novel to read, but it took a while to write also.
Thank you for your time,
Anthony MacDonald
The views presented in Trot Blogs are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Standardbred Canada.
I have had some interesting
I have had some interesting conversations with Anthony, and I can say without a doubt that he is an outstanding young man. He has answered every question I had and as busy as he is, always in a timely manner. His passion along with Amy is unheralded in this business and his vision may be the blood line to saving this industry. I've watched the yearlings jogging by drone {who would have thought}and because I live in Windsor I don't have to travel 3-4 hours down the 401 to watch the ones I might be interested in buying some shares in. Anthony's comments on you tube about the yearlings are informative and interesting. I commend you and Amy for your dedication, honesty, and drive to throw this industry a lifeline. I encourage anyone that has even the tiniest interest in this industry to check out the website. You will be floored and impressed beyond any words that I could ever say. My thanks and admiration to Anthony and Amy.
So, a trainer is willing to
So, a trainer is willing to open up his stable to an open house, sell fractions of horses, invites others to bring their stock over to show to prospective buyers and at no cost to the other trainers? What a great idea. I really hope it's well attended and that other trainers also bring their prospects (or maybe even racehorses).
i know in the past some horsemen thought it was more work than it is worth to have multiple owners on a horse, and that the idea of 1% to 5% of a horse owned by a person bothered them. I bought my first horse with 3 partners out of a $2,500 claimer to get my feet wet (many years ago) and now have invested considerably more into the game. We have to get these new participants into the game.
I've visited the website Anthony, and I see other trainers listed, some who show their shares available and you have a drone. The drone is fantastic and the quality of the film is too.
Like the commercial on TV when the father says "that's not the way the world works", and the son says"WELL THE WORLD IS CHANGING". The industry has to evolve and grab these 1%, 2% whatever % owners.
All the best to you and whoever else participates - see you on the 10th and I will mention it to others.
I have been in and out of
I have been in and out of horse racing ownership since the early 80s. I absolutely love the business. But i left because I could no longer afford the bills and nobody seemed to care. In December 2015 I read about the stable.ca and went over to talk to Anthony. I left that day after he explained to me that I could sit down figure out how much I could afford to spend and go from there. I am now involved in pieces of 3 different horses. What I didnt expect is the number of new friends I have met enthusiastic excited people who meet every Saturday to watch their horse jog or train plus the time we can spend with Anthony and Amy discussing our horses progress. I have seen what the hard work of these 2 has produced and I think other people in the industry should sit up and take notice. hope to see you December 10.
Anthony, Tom and I were at
Anthony,
Tom and I were at the meeting in London and in all of the attendees there were maybe 4 or 5 people under the age of 50. The industry needs continued efforts such as yours to inform and entice people to get involved and learn to love the animals and the sport that we so enjoy.
Kudos to you for working so hard and bringing something positive to the table! All the best to you and yours, and we will do our part to steer interested people to you.
Very exciting, I think I will
Very exciting, I think I will certainly get in on it, it'd be fun to have a horse to follow along and root for!
Anthony, I think you and
Anthony,
I think you and your wife should be applauded for your efforts with thestable.ca. Very few people who are involved in the industry and can afford to grow the business have stepped up to build the customer base that will keep the industry going for years to come. Part of the discussion papers I wrote and submitted to the Province during their consultations years ago mentioned private sector investment to drive fractional ownership for university aged students interested in a career with race horses. So that once they finished their post secondary studies they had an investment to work with and an industry role to grow from. The ideas are endless and there is no end to the work that could be done to build a sustainable industry. The biggest hurdle is finding people willing to step up to help make that happen. I will certainly spread the word through my networks and contacts to help.