ted talks
TED TALKS...
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DISRUPTION
We need to channel our inner Mike Repole, writes Ted Voute
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who exist to continue airing their forthright views . As Ed Harper said in his interview in the TDN – we need to take a look at ourselves and take a view as to how we do things: prepare foals, at our animal husbandry, and our horse management. We need to bring ourselves into the modern era and keep reviewing whether we are doing things right. Harper is a mini disrupter – from time to time so is David Redvers, while Eddie O’Leary and Roger O’Callaghan will stir things up in Ireland. I think it’s a good thing – all you need to do is listen to Jamie Railton’s podcast interview with O’Callaghan to realise that all these guys want a better industry. We have been playing the long game, waiting for the unifying industry bodies and learning not
www.internationalthoroughbred.net
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We can all make changes in each sector to ensure this industry is more successful and appealing to the outside world
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N RECENT podcasts and TDN interviews I have heard many heart-felt and self-effacing comments from participants wishing to improve our industry, in particular an interview by Nick Luck with Mike Repole. It made me look at the British racing industry and ask, where is our own Mike Repole? Love him or hate him he is a disrupter. Are we too “British” to have a disrupter around us? Or are we too scared to upset the apple cart? Certainly, my days with the TBA taught me to join forces in opinion, and that racing as a whole is stronger fighting together rather than singularly. But I’d like to stimulate some disruption and nominate the people
to speak out as we play the game of dominoes hoping that we don’t knock each other down. But, in reality, all we are doing is smoothing over the big problems that need sorting out. Self governance is where it starts. We can all do better and we need more interviews with industry people who are passionate and young, and we need to learn from their criticisms. I don’t agree with everything everyone says, but discussion stimulates thought and ultimately action. I am all for the Thoroughbred Group representing the many stakeholders – as long as it has some teeth and is not frightened to stamp its feet a little instead of trying to pacify everyone. Through the TBA, I learnt that Julian Richmond Watson CBE was a good chairman – he let everyone
