RoR competition membership fee increase – a message from David Catlow, Managing Director
As Managing Director of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), I would like to explain the reasons behind the upcoming increase in our competition membership fees, effective from 3 March 2025. This decision, made at Board level, was not taken lightly, but it is essential to ensure the continued success of our competition series and support the long-term sustainability of RoR.
Since the introduction of the competition membership six years ago, the fee has only increased by £5, despite the rising operational costs. While we remain committed to delivering high-quality events that showcase the versatility of former racehorses, the £15 annual fee no longer covers a meaningful portion of the costs associated with running these events, such as staffing, insurance, venue hire, and logistics.
RoR is, first and foremost, an animal welfare charity, and our mission remains to safeguard the wellbeing of all former racehorses. To continue offering our important competition series, we must ensure that we have a sustainable funding model in place for it. The new fee of £25 per annum – which works out to just over £2 per month – is an essential step in supporting this effort.
Our December 2023 member survey indicated support for a fee increase, as long as it was transparent and linked to improving both the competition series and the wider work of RoR. This feedback has been invaluable in shaping this change.
We are deeply committed to our mission, and this fee adjustment will help deliver our three-year strategy. We greatly appreciate your continued support as we move forward.