Matters To Consider When Buying The Perfect Stirrups

May 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

At present there are several stirrups that are generously in the market however, you need to make sure that you have the perfect one to successfully have a memorable horse riding encounter.

Generally, safety is the primary thing to be considered. If you have ever watched an oldtime Western Movie, you’ve probably seen a cowboy with his foot trapped in a saddle stirrup as his horse drags him off into the sunset. Happily, with the current technology, there are riding stirrups that are made to avoid that from taking place. Certain stirrups for saddles are designed to separate at the side others have a portion of the saddle stirrup that breaks away (breakaway stirrups) when the riders foot rotates too far forward or back. Additionally, there are riding stirrups which are created with a curve which makes it easier for your foot to slide out if you fall from your horse.

Be sure you wear a shoe or boot with a heel. This helps prevent your foot from sliding through the stirrup

One other way to avoid your foot from sliding through the riding stirrup is to add in a tapadero (a hood type enclosure that fits on the front of stirrups). They are generally made use of in parades because they can be quite pretty however they are also beneficial to safeguarding your feet from snow, cold and brush out on the path.

Another consideration is to opt for the correct stirrup width. If they’re too firm, your feet might stay in the stirrup. If ever the stirrups are too loosened, your feet may slip. As a guideline, the suitable stirrup width should be somewhere around 1″ wider than the bottom part of your boot or shoe. You may need one or more set of saddle stirrups unless you often use the same width footwear.

Stirrups with non-slip pads supply extra safety and comfort compared to a riding stirrup without. Stirrups that swivel minimize the strain on the rider’s knees for a more at ease ride.

Type of Activity

Additional factors to consider when selecting saddle stirrups are the types of activity you will be doing when riding. Listed below are some of those activities:

If you’re going to contend in barrel racing, you will need a very sturdy stirrup and may prefer a slightly more restrictive fit. Cutting riders typically like a tighter fitting riding stirrup with a narrower platform such as the Oxbow stirrup design provides. Roper riders favor a little more room in their stirrups. Endurance riders might also prefer extra space for their boot than the additional 1″ width defined above. Dressage riders demands a longer stirrup to improve their control over the horse. Jockeys need very short stirrups for saddles. If perhaps you often stand in the saddle or ride for long periods of time, a 2″ or 3″ Bell stirrup offers a comfortable platform.

KW Saddlery offers quality horse accessories and equipment. Check-out the various Polocrosse supplies and stirrups that are offered in this website.

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Horse racing system advice – 13 key elements

May 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

1 – Knowledge is king

Before anyone does anything successfully in life (excluding lottery winners etc) they must learn about their subject – this takes time but is absolutely vital. I strongly urge anyone who wants to make a success of following horse racing systems to first ensure they know the basics, not only about systems themselves but also about horse racing in general. You can read the information on our site or of course search on the web, read books etc. Whatever you do, make sure you dont start while you have any niggling questions in your head – there is no harm in asking or delaying slightly while you investigate further.

2 – Avoid lies

No great elaboration is required here, quite simply if there is a chance your efforts are going to be based on a lie or a myth, there is no point continuing. If you believe someone simply telling you to back something or to follow a system makes it worthwhile, I am sorry to say you will more than likely end up losing.

3 – Avoid hype

There are two forms of hype – namely the obvious and the more subtle. Lets say you stumble across a website with flashing pound signs and a testimonial explaining they have won their members ?20,000 in the last 8 days using an unbeatable system. The results are verified to a tipping league and they claim they just want to help you out, its a limited offer and if you dont sign up now you will apparently miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. You read the forum and see 8 or 9 messages stating all their dreams have come true. This is obvious hype – if you are taken in by this you need to seriously consider whether you should be betting at all!

When people overreact to a snippet of information without fully researching what they have been told, this is also falling victim to system hype. For example during the build-up to a big race the trainer is interviewed and announces he will retire following the race and he hopes to go out with a bang. Before too long someone mentions a different trainer who in the past retired and won a big race. People then back the horse based on this and in doing so fall victim to hype albeit of a slightly subtler nature.

4 – Beware of randomness

From my viewpoint if there is no possible feasible reason to explain the profit/loss of a horse racing system then it is open to randomness. Its the name of the game that we all have different interpretations of what may or may not be valid, but if you cant write down in a couple of sentences what the rules are and make logical sense, then in my opinion its impossible to believe historic results can be trusted. This is a huge reason to always ask for system rules prior to parting with your cash on a supposed system selection. A ridiculous example (i havent checked this!) but if its profitable to back any horse with its 4th letter being G on a Monday after 4pm while its sunny then you can be pretty sure it is totally random!

5 – Ensure accurate data

Something I have suffered from and a key reason I built our site. Your results show you may have found something special, the reality is its very ordinary. Find a source you trust and spot-check a few selections and searches you carry out.

6 – Adequate testing period

Its vital to ensure the results set you have backtested against are sufficient. But its also vital to ensure once you start backing you give the system a fair chance to perform – many people give up after a few losers. The number required varies depending on the system but whatever your criteria you should initially create a bank with which to test your theory. There are many suggestions regarding the size of this bank but my own thought is to take the longest losing run and multiply by 3. If it does run out with this size of bank, its fair to assume you have given it a fair shot but its time to rethink or look elsewhere.

7 – Public awareness

What I refer to here is how long your system will remain profitable. Its important you do your bit to try and keep it this way. If you stumble across something and then post it in forums all over the web its likely others will follow suit and soon your system will have lost its edge. This is another reason to be weary of services selling you systems. How many people have they sold it to? When they compiled the results its likely nobody was following it!

8 – Betting Exchange Price Variance

This can work in a positive way for backing systems but in terms of laying systems you MUST be aware of the difference between exchange prices and SP. Its very hard to give a definitive percentage difference because it varies wildly, but if your system is throwing up lays at 50/1 i can assure you it will be almost impossible to lay at these prices on the exchanges. Depending on your system you will need to take this into account before attempting to start laying as a couple of losers and you could really get your hands burnt.

9 – Nothing lasts forever

Every system will have a lifetime and its important to regularly monitor for changes in the performance of the system or circumstances, which may affect it. As an example imagine you were backing a jockey who was consistently profitable. Eventually this will change and the sooner you catch on the better- it could be because the bookies catch on and the odds are affected, maybe he was an apprentice and loses his claim, perhaps he got a lot of rides from a certain owner and falls out of favour or it could just simply be he gets old and his ability begins to decline. Any system can be wiped out instantly and although we can not always control all of these things in advance we can watch for the change in performance.

10 – Dont be greedy

So you find something and get excited. It doesnt matter, this needs to be treated the same as any other system, compile a strategy in terms of how much you will wager on each selection and stick to it. The bookies are in dreamland as a result of over-eagerness to get one over on them. If you normally work on a basis of ?5 per point, stick to the same or if you must increase alter your bank and strategy accordingly. NEVER get so excited by the figures before you and lose control, if the system is as wonderful as it seems then in time you will make a profit by sticking to your plan.

11 – Be disciplined

Imagine you have found a system that involves backing second favourites in a certain type of race. You wake up and view your qualifiers only to discover one of them runs against a horse you like. If you are following the system rules and have a bank set aside accordingly, the horse you like is irrelevant – the bet should be placed. Otherwise you are allowing personal opinion to affect your system and the rules have changed. It is no longer a system with the rule “back second favs in race types xyz” and has became “back second favs in race types xyz when i feel like it”.

12 – Separate banking

If you dont have a separate bank and you are human its likely your money will get spent on something else. I also recommend having a separate account for each type of system, even if its only on an excel spreadsheet. Too many people have lost out and given up due to not having a tight grip on their staking bank.

13 – Common sense

Probably the most important thing in any walk of life, common sense can get you very far. In your approach it is absolutely imperative you apply common sense – this can summarise every other point i have made. This means knowing your limitations, being aware of the basics in whatever you are doing, taking sufficient steps to accurately analyse the past and keeping a close eye on progress. But above all common sense will stop you from falling victim to losing money as a result of stupidity, being mis-led, indiscipline, lack of awareness or downright greed.

Conclusions

Following horse racing systems can be either a very profitable practice or a complete disaster, how things turn out is reliant on your approach. At HorseRaceBase we can help you with everything systems related, including an astonishingly powerful system builder. Try a free trial.

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bagnallc has 1 articles online

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Effective Betting Plan By Way Of Horse Racing Betting Systems

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The finest way to capitalize on from the favorite bet on horse race is betting and this could be the very good reason that strategies like horse racing betting systems will probably be in demand at the moment. Betting definitely doubles the fun since you also have something to seem forward to since the game comes to a conclusion. It becomes rewarding each time you win and collect your payout. It is undoubtedly the obvious way to spend quality the best time to relieve tension and forget information on your worries should you is aware of the limits of experiencing enjoyable.

Horse racing is most likely 1 of many oldest sports which involve betting and numerous consumers are hooked with it as seen from your growing demands for horse racing betting systems. Risk takers ought to look at each of the basics in betting so as to increase the likelihood of winning while reducing the risks. Keep in mind that betting is both an activity too as a severe thing mainly simply because it may involve challenging earned money that may perhaps be lost in an instant. On the other hand, with sufficient luck, it is a smart investment as it cans two or 3 times you’re challenging earned dollars immediately. In any event, yet another thing is sure, you’re going to get each one of the excitement and enjoyment that you just deserve and that’s what matters in relation to gambling.

For beginning, you need to have enough understanding around the varieties of horse racing betting systems. Additionally you need to identify the kinds that yield much better result normally. It is true you can’t be considered a hundred percent certain despite the fact that start making use of these proven strategies but it is far better to possess a betting plan than counting on your luck. After taking into consideration the sort of betting system you’ll follow, your next logical step is often to identify how realistic your betting plan’s. You’ll need to examine the records, shape and performance in the horse you’re picking. Also, make certain that you have carefully evaluated the jockey who’ll ride the horse. The skill of the jockey and the capacity to the horse greatly figure out their performance. 

Betting is not as easy as laying the total you could bet and depending upon your luck and instinct. It has to involve a good betting plan where horse racing betting systems plays crucial roles.

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Randy Fortney has 11 articles online

Horse Racing Betting Systems are the most popular way to earn quick money all over the world. But getting this easy money is not as easy as it sounds, any person needs a lot of research and decision making before he or she can start betting.

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A Complete Set Of Tack For The Amateur

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Are you a life long lover of horses? What about considering purchasing a horse of your own? Should you be contemplating being a new horse keeper, there are several items you first should know. Definitely you ought to know of the type of tack you need to use and what would perform the best for you.

To start with, here are the necessities. You will need a saddle, a bridle, and a halter, especially if perhaps you are a first-time rider. Saddles could be purchased in two styles: English and Western. While you are just trying to learn how to ride a horse, Western saddle is perfect. There are various factors behind this. To begin with, Western tack type saddles are created with a horn, a square seat, and a vertical back. These saddles can be kind of quite large. I’ve used Western saddles which weigh near forty-five pounds. This is sometimes a problem for younger riders aiming to tack up their horse.

It’s not always that English saddles don’t have their very own benefits though. Additionally it is stress-free to make use of these types of saddles because they seat you a a bit more naturally than Western saddles and present better contact with the horse. Nonetheless, the principal reason why English saddles is encouraged because quite simply, they are more leisurely. Not to mention, the fact that they have easily-removed stirrups which is definitely a fine safety function should your foot slips too far into the stirrup or if you happen to fall off the horse, the stirrup will come off, avoiding you from being pulled.

Along with saddles, you’ll also need bridles, bits and reins as a method of managing the horse. Again there are differences between the English and the Western styles. English-style bridles include extra straps, along with a noseband and a brow-band. Some western bridles use these features yet others don’t. English and western riding bits are usually snaffle bits. You will at times see western style bits with an additional bar, or curb, on the outside of the horse’s mouth.

You are likely to need a halter. They are absolutely essential for every rider, irrespective of how skilled of a rider you are. Riders use halters to lead their horse and as a means to restrict the horse. The sole difference between different styles of halters is mostly ornamental.

An additional yet non-compulsory bit of tack you can use is a blanket. These are generally used with horses that are secured outdoors or in an unheated stall. Blankets include a waterproof exterior and a warm inside.

KW Saddlery offers top quality equestrian clothing and horse riding equipment. Find-out the suitable accesory to experience a wonderful horse riding encounter.

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A Much Better Understanding Of Horse Saddles

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The framework that you place on an animal’s back to secure the rider or any other types of weight is known as saddle. Whenever one speaks of saddles, it’s often related to horses. Horse saddles are important piece of gear for any person considering horse training.

There are two main types of saddles – the English saddle and Western saddle. These are the basic two types of saddle generally used in the equestrian world, although there are many types of horse saddles utilized worldwide. In several other nations, saddles of various styles are available. Saddles range significantly between numerous ethnic groups and nationalities. It could be exciting to discover how each one is implemented.

Typically, choosing what saddle to apply should be determined by the kind of riding you plan to do with your horse. And possibly narrowing it down to English or Western riding, saddles can still be broken up in lots of types such as for dressage and show, endurance, pleasure or general purpose. Several typical horse saddle terms you should learn are pommel, cantle, horn and cinch.

The English Horse Saddle

In Olympic horseback riding events, the English saddle is the primary type of saddle used. As the title suggests, this is the preferred type among the majority of English riders. But, the English saddle can still be categorized into several more distinct styles based on the kind of function that is required. Whether it’s for show jumping, hunter jumper, eventing, dressage, horse racing, saddle seat, or polo, a proper type of saddle is consequently utilized.

The Western Horse Saddle

The Stock saddle or Western saddle is regarded as the widely used variety in the United States. This is the type of saddle you will observe used by cowboys on cattle ranches. Presently, it is used in many different western riding activities. Specifically, western saddles don’t have as much padding underneath and should be utilized with saddle blankets or pads in order to be comfy for the horse. They actually do offer much more support for the rider.

Western saddles have stirrups that are stronger and can make use of numerous cinches based upon on what they are being used for. The horn found on the front is a main factor that differentiates this type of saddle from its English counterpart. The horn is primarily used to tie a lariat when roping cattle.

Getting the saddle that suits may require more work than it may seem. An ill-fitting saddle can result in traumas to both the horse and rider. Bruising and sores may result on your horse’s back muscles if you do not choose a saddle that fits appropriately. You should have a trial period prior to actually buying your saddle. Consider it as a piece of sports equipment for a human, it differs a lot from each individual horse. Be sure to always maintain your tack clean and well oiled in order to avoid breakage or pointless discomfort to your horse.

KW Saddlery offers top quality accessories. Check-out the various equine saddlecloths that are offered in our website.

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Mastering The Sitting Trot

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Join the club, if you find you are having difficulty with sitting when your horse is on the trot. All too many riders who are getting trained in the sitting trot face problems maintaining their seat. Lots of these riders have learned the hard way that their seat bones often fail to be where they should be: on the saddle. In actual fact you can start to learn to sit the trot amazingly if you try out some simple tricks. The results are likely to be fast.

To start with, let’s redefine the word ‘sit’ in the context of the trot. Many riders presume this word indicates passivity. They’re wrong. You are not meant to sit like a brass Laughing Buddha while on the sitting trot. You can enhance your position a heap if you change your idea of the sitting trot: think of it as a process that actively involves you, too.

Poor sitting trots feed on themselves and degenerate further with time. The whole problem starts with the down movement. The ride fails to stay in rhythm with the horse; he begins to drop into the saddle as the saddle starts its journey back up. The result is a clashing reunion of rider seat and saddle. A pony subject to that sort of impact has a tendency to stiffen up. He will collapse his back, and when a pony does this, the trot becomes a gait that’s impossible to sit.

You can properly sit the trot just when you learn how to closely follow your saddle’s up and back down movements. This task is all the more challenging because you want to learn how to do it on your seat bones.

The positive side of the entire thing is that you don’t need to put your horse to any trouble while you get yourself tuned into sitting trots. Take it out on a tough chair of wood instead. Sit on the chair with your face to its back, and ensure that the chair is in contact with both of your seat bones. Tighten and loosen each of the seat bones alternatively, so that one seat bone is up when the other is down. If you find you’re not able to do this, you most likely have puny muscles in your butt; though it is also possible that your hips and your back could be too tight. You can bring this area of your anatomy to full strength and suppleness with some stretching, yoga or pilates.

Once you are finished with the chair, it is back to your pony. Sit straight, your back should be straight up over your hips and your seat. Follow your horse’s movement with one seat bone at a time. Don’t curve your back, and keep your hips soft and flexible to enable you to follow your horse’s movement closely. If you have correctly aligned your body, your legs should be well relaxed with the impact being cushioned by your in time motion.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about western apparel

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Why Is The Melbourne Cup 'The Race That Stops A Nation'?

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

From Melbourne to Maroochydore, Kalgoorlie to Kangaroo Island and everywhere in between, the Melbourne Cup is the horse race that truly captivates all of Australia, the race that stops a nation. Year after year on the first Tuesday of November, Flemington Racecourse comes alive with glamour, glory and of course, the GGs. And the 2012 Melbourne Cup, the 152nd to be held, is sure to be no different.

The week long Melbourne Cup Carnival is part of the greater Spring Racing Carnival, but Australia stops particularly on that first November Tuesday at 3pm AEDST for the 3+ minute, 3200 metre horse race whether they are at work, at home or out shopping.  Whatever your reasons for getting into the spirit of the Melbourne Cup Carnival – be it the fashions, the races or anything in between – once the horses leave their barrier everyone’s eyes are glued to the nearest TV screen, their ears listening intently to the nearest radio. 

You can bet on an amazing day with the Melbourne Cup

 

Bookmakers and betting agencies typically experience their busiest day of the year on Melbourne Cup day. In 2010 Australians nationwide gambled over $140 million on the race. Even the most inexperienced of gamblers will usually put a bet on for the race or at the very least will enter a sweepstake with workmates or family members.

We can’t forget the fashions that have become synonymous with the Melbourne Cup, not just in Melbourne alone but across the country at the many Melbourne Cup luncheons. From the Fashions In The Field on display amongst the women and men at Flemington to similar events nationwide, the fashions have become almost as big a highlight to many as the race itself. 

But ultimately the Melbourne Cup is considered ‘the race that stops a nation’ because it’s a cultural and sporting event that transcends borders. With national media coverage and millions of dollars at stake it truly becomes an event that people across the country still talk about hours and days after the winner has been crowned. Bring on the 2012 Melbourne Cup!

 

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Christine Molloy has 2 articles online

 

Christine Molloy has been watching the Melbourne Cup ever since her grandfather took her to Flemington Racecourse when she was four years old. She lives and breathes the Spring Racing Carnival, and claims to be already planning her outfit for the 2012 Melbourne Cup. Christine keeps a keen eye on the Melbourne Cup field each year by reading Racenet, Australia’s trusted resource for horse racing. 

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Secret Horse Racing Betting Strategies – The Overhyped Horse

May 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Often one of the best betting opportunities is to avoid betting on an over-hyped horse. Examples would be Zenyatta in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup and Smarty Jones in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. Both were formidable rivals and yet most veteran handicappers agree they were overbet. Yet passing over an overbet horse certainly gives the bettor an advantage, but it still doesn’t pick the winner.

There is no question that Zenyatta was one of truly great mares of all time, and comparisons to Ruffian, Winning Colors, Personal Ensign, Go for Wand, and Bayakoa are not without merit. However, such was the degree to which her reputation preceded her going into the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic that any reasonable handicapper would say that no matter what her chances, she would be taking more money than was justified. Certainly a great deal of casual money was bet by spectators that were just looking for some fun, and in the absence of any real handicapping, casual bettors tend to go with name brand value – that is they tend to go with whichever horse gets the most media coverage.

Any reasonable assessment of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic field would suggest that the eventual winner Blame, ought to have been a bit shorter price than the 5-1 odds he went off at. Zenyatta went off at even money come post time. This means that about three times the betting money wagered on Blame was placed on Zenyatta, suggesting that she had about three times the likelihood of winning. Blame was a multiple Grade 1 winner and had and had even won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster and the Grade 2 Clark Handicap the previous fall, both of which were run at Churchill Downs, which would seem to give him a horse for course advantage.

The ultimate result as history has shown, was that Zenyatta came up a head short to Blame at the wire. It is easy to say after the fact, but Blame really was a logical value bet at 5-1 that day. Basically, if you can isolate that race where a horse that is given excessive media attention is running (a Kentucky Derby winner, for example), and you can find a reasonable alternative to that hyped horse, that is a formula for success.

Once the general public and the media get involved in the world of horse racing, the betting opportunities really do open up, as it did in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. By any reasonable measure, Smarty Jones was the best of a mediocre group, and didn’t stack up with the great horses of history. And yet the media built him up as the next superhorse – one that was invincible. Any reasonable analysis should indicate that at best he should have been even money, which indicates a 50% chance to win. He actually went off at odds of 1-5, which means that five of every six dollars bet were placed on Smarty Jones. In other words, the betting public felt there was an 83 percent chance that Smarty Jones would win. The smart bet in this race would have been to bet all the other horses in the race, or perhaps pick four or five other logical alternatives to Smarty Jones and bet them.

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Lee Lane-Edgar has 234 articles online

Lee Lane-Edgar

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Ideal Nutrition For Your Barrel Pony

May 29, 2012 By 2 Comments

Because Barrel horses are athletes and put in lots of hard work at training and participation in events, their nutritional needs alter considerably from those of horses that lead less laborious lives, like horses living in pastures and getting ridden a couple of times every month. Here are some guidelines.

Hay: Regardless of breed or use, horses require fibre in their feed, whether hay or grass. Fibre should comprise a substantial portion of equine diet. Feed takes second pace, and serves to bring balance to the diet. A method to continually monitor your horse’s nutritive needs is to have your vet conduct blood tests yearly to test for nutritional inadequacies. Feed your pony hay which has been evaluated for nutrient content so that you know what you are feeding your horse. Rural extension offices will generally test your hay without cost. These tests offer a clear picture of the nutritive value of your hay. Together with the result of your veterinaria’s blood tests, these tests will give you an exact idea of what nutritional supplements your horse may require.

The best form of hay for your horse is top class grass hay. You can feed alfalfa to your horse in small quantities, as it is protein rich and in contrast to grass hay, isn’t suitable for feeding in enormous quantity. You should limit daily feeding of alfalfa to one or two flakes, compared with three or four flakes for grass hay. If you mix in alfalfa hay with grass hay, your grain needs will go down. Alfalfa can also be used to maintain the balance if your feed to your barrel pony has a lower nourishment share of say 10%.

Feed: Together with top class hay, feed forms another essential part of a barrel horse’s regular diet. A barrel pony is subjected to heavy work in training and in events, and desires extra staying power and energy to cope. Feeds comprising 10 to 12 percent of protein are acceptable for mature barrel horses. Younger barrel horses will require higher protein part, say 14 to 16 %. This is not to say that you want to get different feeds for different barrel horses; you just need to supplement them differently. I have recommendations on the best feeding formulae below; you would do well to stick to them. Always feed your horses by weight. The feed need for each pony depends on its weight and levels of work load.

Feed is available as grains or pellets. Define the composition before deciding on feeds for barrel horses. Most makers these days have a variety of feeds available as grain mix or as pellets. A barrel horse’s wants cannot be met adequately with plain oats, which will not offer him the level of nutrition required. You must go in for easily digested grains or pellets that have high protein content. Till some time ago, horses found it more complicated to digest pellets, but this difficulty has been resolved now. Pellets are made so they’re more easily broken down in the digestive process, reducing possibility of colic or other digestive conditions. Plenty of horses have a leaning for the taste of sweet grain mixes, but you can slowly bring them over to pellets if you find pellets work better.

Supplements: Supplements are used extensively with barrel horses. It is possible to get a supplement for nearly any specific requirement: hooves, coats, energy, weight building, you mention it. The right supplements can play an exceedingly important role in keeping your horse’s daily diet ideal.

You shouldn’t decide on supplements without consulting your vet. Don’t simply go blindly for the latest trend on the market just because some huge name racer endorsed it. While surplus supplements may not affect your horse’s health, they’ll definitely impact your financial health negatively. Almost invariably, claims that so and so supplement can boost your horse’s performance and win percentage are falsely made. You also have to give seriousness to the indisputable fact that supplements impact different horses in different ways.

A perfect balanced diet is the first step to making your horse the best barrel racer. Correct nutrition gives him just the edge he needs to raise his performance to maximum.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about simco saddles

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Kegasus: The Preakness Stakes Betting Infield Event Mascot

May 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It’s surprising that absolutely no one expected that Kegasus, the tweeting centaur, would return as the official mascot of the Preakness Infield party for this year’s Preakness Stakes Betting event when the Maryland Jockey Club made the announcement.

This decision was predicted as early as February when various media watchers noticed a new anonymous advertising campaign as the Jockey Club made a transparent bid to inject an element of mystery in the event.

Back in February, the signaling horn for the kickoff part for the Preakness Stakes betting event started with an anonymous ad campaign that premises on the idea that the fictional character known as Kegasus had vanished, and two new characters—the Easter Bunny and the Leprechaun—have taken its place as the event’s mascot.

The ad campaign consisted of billboards and a social media drive with impressive videos. It also had a professional imprimatur that seemed like a teaser for Kegasus’ inevitable return.

However, both the Maryland Jockey Club and Elevation, Ltd., the company that handles all the marketing for the Preakness Stakes betting event, denied the idea for the ad campaign came from them. This happened despite the messy screw up in one Facebook profile that linked to Elevation’s official website.

And just like clockwork, the last chapter of the story that no one was particularly interested in was unveiled: Kegasus has returned. The filthy centaur has made his grand appearance last March 30 at the Pimlico Race Track and then later on at the Orioles’ Opening Day on April 6.

But this time, he has a sidekick: a half-man, half-unicorn creature named Uni-Carl.

Without making any reference to the anonymous ad campaign, both the Maryland Jockey Club and Elevation are proud of what it sees as avant-garde marketing.

Bringing Kegasus back was a logical move. It gives the principals a good strategy that has already been proven to work. Tom Chuckas, president of the Jockey Club gives credit to Kegasus with boosting ticket sales last year.

But if the objective of the stealth ad campaign was to stir excitement for the unveiling of this year’s mascot, it failed miserably. It only succeeded in bringing in a measly 191 likes on the Facebook fan page of one of the new characters.

Launching a stealth campaign fits Elevation’s unorthodox marketing strategies, but it also has risks involved: While you might think you are pulling one over everybody, there is great risk that it’ll backfire and do damage, and people will revel in the thought of exposing you.

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Steven Hendricks has 130 articles online

Are you looking for the best place to bet on the Preakness Stakes Betting this year? Come to Sportsbook.ag and do your Preakness Stakes Betting here. Sportsbook.ag is the #1 choice of millions of online bettors around the world.

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