🌍 Racehorse Crisis in South Africa: What Opportunities for the Future for Mauritius 🇲🇺? 🐎
The COVID-19 pandemic has left a profound effect on the South African horse racing industry. A drastic decline in the number of yearlings produced, foals put on sale and retired at the end of production, which limits the birth of new yearlings, as well as a market dominated by foreign millionaires (Hong Kong, England, USA) who capture the best yearlings... The findings are alarming 🚨
📉 The numbers that are worrying
- Collapse of yearlings: Local 🇿🇦 breeders struggle to sustain their businesses, pushing some to sell their broods🐴 (breeding mothers) during the crisis.
- International competition: Top-quality horses are massively leaving abroad (America 🇺🇸 , Hong Kong 🇭🇰 ), leaving a poor market for local races.
- Impact on Mauritius 🇲🇺🏝️: South African trainers 🇿🇦 are "closing the tap de", offering the sister island less performing horses 📈 or at the end of their career.
💡 An opportunity to seize?
Facing this shortage, importing horses from Brazil, Australia or Japan could be a solution. These countries offer :
- Brazil 🇧🇷: An emerging market, with potentially lower acquisition costs.
- Australia 🇦🇺/Japan 🇯🇵: Bloodlines known for their endurance and speed, but at high prices.
🛑 The challenges to expect
- Logistics costs (transportation, quarantine).
- Adaptation of horses to climate conditions and Mauritian tracks.
- Massive investments needed to compete with international buyers.
❓ The Future in Questions
- Will unions and owners be ready to diversify their sources of supply?
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