GBGB director (owners) Paul Ephremsen

I have now been Owners Rep for a few months and I’ve now attended two board meetings. The most recent board meeting was an interesting one. I flagged up that there is currently one spare space on the Board for another Independent Director (as per the Articles) and it was acknowledged that this vacancy should be filled in time, with someone who can add value (most likely in marketing / promotion / commercial in my opinion). However, for now the board needs to focus on re-structuring first in light of the departures of both Tom Kelly and Barry Faulkner. I am not currently in a position to divulge the exact intentions in that regard, other than to say that in my opinion there may well be an opportunity for my Innovation Panel to have a bigger impact at board level than I had first imagined. There certainly seems to be a desire by board members to raise the game in terms of commercial and promotion of the sport in the future, and we may be an essential element.

Talking of the Innovation Panel, we had our first meeting this week at Towcester. 7 of us attended – myself, Dave Lawrence, Peter Harnden, Kevin Perisi, Paul Millward,  Floyd Amphlett and our host for the day, Kevin Ackerman  (Steve Fluin and Diane McLean were unfortunately unable to attend) We produced our recommendations based on our own views, as well as those collated from an owners survey (it was disappointing to only receive @ 50 responses, but thanks to everyone who did complete the survey) The headline recommendations we made are as follows:

  • We have established objectives for the Owners Rep role aimed at improving prize money, welfare, communications and how owners are treated. As well as growing owner numbers and ensuring all owners have a voice.
  • Kevin Perisi will spearhead a regional owners network and improved communications to and from owners
  • New investment aimed at covering all costs to owners associated with bad track injuries
  • Ramp up a professional PR plan relating to welfare issues and interest on re-homing
  • Absolute focus on track surface standards
  • Training scheme for trainers and new entrants into the sport
  • All tracks to agree to a template of on-site promotion of ownership
  • New Commercial & Marketing Department at GBGB
  • Test a centralised Syndicate Scheme with roll-out for 1000 new syndicates
  • Minimum levels of prize money levels for televised and streamed races
  • All tracks to adopt an Owner VIP scheme
  • Re-distribute the £2.1m currently given to prize money in a more impactful prize money solution

Clearly some of these initiatives will require more funding – so my next task is to make some cost estimates and also feed some of the ideas into the relevant GBGB committees before next years budgeting takes place in the autumn. The bigger issue that still remains is the uncertainty regarding any future increases in bookmaker contributions. I feel stuck in  position whereby the existing negotiations need to be completed (they are already in a process), but at the same time frustrated that I cannot influence the discussions and we haven’t got the opportunity to excite the bookmaking industry about what we could do with additional funding for the greater good and growth of the sport.

In other news I have been asked to be a board representative on the BGRF and I was appointed last week.

Right now the sport also seems to be in utter confusion with the complexities of the media rights situation. I have yet to meet anyone who seems to have an exact understanding on how this is all going to play out. Part of me says that competition can only be a good thing for owners and trainers due to obvious supply and demand, but at the same time uncertainty seems to have many negatives too. I do not sense that the board has a clear involvement in these discussions and it seems like it’s a case of wait and see for now.

I’m meeting Lisa from the GT next week and I’m looking forward to learning more about the challenges they face. I’m also traveling to Hove on 7th August when I’m attending the owners AGM, along with Bob Boswell.  I have been invited to appear on RPGTV again sometime in early September so I expect there will be some interesting questions being fired at me.

Finally, please remember we are now at stage 1 of what may be a very long process. We have some good ideas and now we need to try and turn them into action. Please be patient. There is a long road ahead.