( l - r ) Pancho, Edwards, Heffes

Racehorse grooms at Caymanas Park have received a $750 increase per horse effective November 1, following an agreement with the Jamaica Racehorse Owners' Association (JROA) and the newly formed United Racehorse Trainers' Association of Jamaica (URTA).

The meeting was held in the boardroom at Caymanas Park on Thursday, October 15. Present were JROA president, Laurence Heffes; Paul Pancho, president of the Grooms' Association of Jamaica; Richard Todd, newly elected URTA president; Albert Anderson, secretary of the Grooms' Associa-tion; along with Ryan White, newly appointed general manager of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) and Chris Armond, a director of CTL and chairman of racing's Advisory Council.

Facilitators

According to Armond, the CTL representatives were present as facilitators.

It is understood that JRTA president, Vin Edwards, was invited to the meeting but failed to attend.

When contacted Edwards, who now represents one set of trainers at Caymanas Park with the recent formation of the breakaway group, the URTA, denied that he was invited and questioned the procedure and the figures as, according to him, the previous rate per horse was $1,800 and not $2,000, even though some trainers were paying $2,000.

"I think the procedure was wrong. CTL and the owners have no authority to negotiate on behalf of members of the JRTA.

"With this in mind, we are calling a meeting on Thursday, October 29, with the trainers I represent to discuss what we announced with regard to the recent increase," said the outspoken president, who is a former member of parliament.

"The problem is that the grooms work with the trainers ... not the owners and not CTL," Edwards was quick to add.

Reasonable increase

Heffes felt that given the tough economic climate it was reasonable to give the grooms a $750 increase, as this is what is affordable to the owners at present. This represents a 37.5 per cent increase and the agreement is for one year.

After the meeting, Pancho addressed members of the Grooms' Association in the grandstand at Caymanas Park and the terms were unanimously accepted by the membership of 427 registered grooms.

In an interview with The Gleaner, Pancho had this to say: "The increase is overdue and welcomed by us. It is still under what we expected, but we looked at what the industry can afford and we took what was offered to us although we wanted more.

"We have to act responsibly, even though the grooms were getting restive. We are looking forward to a good working relationship with other stake-holders for the good of the industry," he said.