I rang Weatherbys last week to find out if they are extending the deadline for breeders registering foals this year, due to Covid-19.
The deadline was the end of July. I thought they would act in line with other businesses and extend that deadline [for registering foals] by at least three months – to help us out…as there is no money coming in.
Also Read: Letter to the editor: ‘I will pay no more towards the foal levy as we get nothing…’Sales have been cancelled and delayed. Yet; I was told by Weatherbys that – under no circumstances – would they extend the deadline for breeders seeking to register foals.
As it now stands, if I register my foals at the end of July it will cost me €150. If I can’t register until after the sales in December, by the time I get the money from the sales company, it would be January. It would then cost me €730 to register each foal.
In accordance with EU law, I reckon that I should have 12 months to register. However, in this monopoly-like situation I didn’t think we had any options.
‘Thanks to that letter…’
However, thanks to Gerry Callanan’s letter, I won’t be paying the foal levy when I register.
It appears that Weatherbys get a commission from Horse Racing Ireland for collecting the foal levy. Is this why many people simply assume that the foal levy has to be paid?
In any event, I can’t understand why Weatherbys can’t help out – by extending the deadline. Weatherbys is a long-established and – I believe – a wealthy entity. Perhaps they can afford to give a little back…to help the people that have made them so successful.
From Aine Kissane, Co. Meath