Racecourses closed, demonstration in Paris, the “survival reaction” of the world of horse racing

A proposed increase in taxes on horse racing betting alarms breeders, trainers and jockeys who are demonstrating in Paris this Thursday, November 7. “We are a real agricultural sector, we are hardworking,” explains coach Thibault Lamare. “Taxing the PMU amounts to taking from our resources”.

Normally, when he heads to Paris, it is to go to a racetrack. Stéphane Meunier trains trotters near the Haras du Pin. He is also a driver. Exceptionally, this Thursday, November 7, the racecourses are closed. No races are organized in France. The fact is extremely rare: apart from the Covid period, the horse racing world has never stopped since the Second World War.

“We must not lose sight of it. We are an agricultural production which puts on a show 365 days a year”, recalls Stéphane Meunier who chairs the union of trotting trainers, drivers and jockeys. Once is not customary, he comes to Paris to express an anger that he shares with many trotting and galloping colleagues.

It all started with an amendment tabled in the National Assembly during the budget discussion. Parliamentarians are asked to show imagination to replenish state coffers. A text provided for increasing the tax from 6.9% to 7.5% on horse racing bets placed at racetracks and in PMUs and from 6.9% to 15% for online bets.

Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin expressed his opposition to this proposal and the amendment has since been rejected, but the damage is done. The racing world is on alert and fears that this increase in taxation will come back to the Senate or through a 49.3. “What we want is for Matignon to put in writing that there will be no increase,” explains Thibault Lamare, trainer at Haras de Querville in Calvados and spokesperson for the sector“Today, we are forced to go to Paris. It's a reaction of survival. Such a tax is extremely dangerous.”

“The PMU is our source of income”adds Stéphane Meunier. It is in fact the punters' money which finances the sector with a very regulated distribution. 80% of winnings on the racetrack go to the horse owner, 15% to the trainer and 5% to the jockey. The horse's breeder also receives a percentage of the winnings.

For around ten years, horse racing betting has been in decline. They are suffering from the development of online sports betting. The pie to share is getting smaller. In this context, the prospect of a possible increase in taxation had the effect of a cold shower. “The economy is already very complicated. We have the same problems as any business with rising energy costs,” explains Stéphane Meunier. “We are in competition. The best earn a good living. The soft stomach has difficulty getting by.”

“It’s difficult right now,” confirms a trotter breeder based in Orne. “We saw this again recently at sales. Buyers are very cautious. Racing and breeding are a chain. If the racing company distributes less money, we're going to hit the wall.” In Normandy, the world of racing represents 18,000 direct and indirect jobs.

“Every morning, from 7 a.m., we are with the horses, we work more than 12 hours a day”explains Thibault Lamare. “We don't stop. And our daily life goes even further than work. We love our job, we love our animals. We don't count our time spent alongside them“. Stéphane Meunier adds: “When we go to the races, there is also the travel time. On night days, we return at 3 a.m. We wanted it. We don't complain about it, but we are not well off “We work hard to earn little.”