We cannot blame Jean-Pierre Barjon for not moving the lines.
Since his arrival in December 2019 at the management of the company LeTrot, the President has made the racer and the owner the two main axes of his strategy.
“Compared to the past, it is new to be interested in our customers,” he says.
And this day of September 29, called the “Owners' Club”, which will take place on the Vincennes racecourse from 2:30 pm to 10:30 pm, confirms its determination a little more.
An unprecedented event for which Jean-Pierre Barjon does not hesitate to don the VRP costume to promote, encourage and facilitate the purchase of horses.
Equestrianism is a sport, a game but also a business, as the one who is in charge of the trotting races does not hide.
“This is what Jean-Pierre Dubois (driver, trainer, owner and breeder of trotters) has been doing for thirty years: trade.
"The Temple of Trotting will therefore take on the appearance of" the salon of entrepreneurs during this day, "to use the President's comparison.
Jean-Pierre Barjon explains the organization and the objectives targeted during this forum, which will end with an auction of around fifty trotters in partnership with Arqana, a specialist in the field.
How will this day unfold?
What does it bring more than Arqana sales, Osarus sales or America's Price sales?
JEAN-PIERRE BARJON
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It's not just an auction.
In the first part, mini-conferences will be held on the various subjects that owners need to know to embark on the adventure.
Our coaches will invite their future and current clients to approach our world.
These training specialists will play the role of public relations men, in particular during the complete visit of the infrastructures of the Vincennes racecourse.
Then, and what is the great novelty, it is the setting up of several official races, support of bets, of which all the entered horses will be for sale on the spot and on Internet.
And the advantage is that these 2 to 4 year old trotters will be ready to run from the 2020/2021 winter meeting, which is a key period of the year when trotting.
At the same time, we are going to create, always with the objective of promoting access to “ownership”, a database for trainers, listing all the horses for sale to clarify the market.
Because only 600 horses go through sales out of a total of 1,800 trotters sold each year.
A figure to which are added the 650 acquisitions made during races to claim.
And in this desire to boost the sales sector, on Tuesday we will be announcing the appearance on the racing programs of an acronym making it possible to highlight the horses for sale in all races.
The same will apply to the qualification programs.
"Simplify procedures and transactions"
What is the objective of this meeting?
Respond to the supply and demand that exist and facilitate the path, still perceived as complex in the eyes of many people mainly through ignorance, to become an owner.
The coaches who are the basis of our sport are first and foremost men on the ground rather than traders.
As for brokers in the middle of the trotting, they do not turn out to be very active.
This forum is therefore there to simplify the procedures and purchase transactions.
And offer those who wish, the opportunity to become an actor of their passion.
On the other hand, of the 10,000 French owners, on average each of them has 2.8 horses.
Our second objective is to increase this number.
This international open day will also be an opportunity to attract buyers beyond our borders, because the potential is there with 25,000 foreign owners.
In summary, the goal is to create a bridge between trainers, their horses and owners.
What target are you targeting, large portfolios or a larger clientele?
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First of all, the new buyers whom we are going to welcome by providing them with all the necessary information during our conferences and by answering all their questions, especially during races dedicated to the horses put up for sale.
But also the big players who want to take the plunge without forgetting the most modest purses.
These are enthusiasts likely to buy part of a trotter through the group stables, which I hope will be well represented on Tuesday.
"It is planned that three forums of this type will be organized each year"
Have the procedures to become owners (three months of examination of the file - financial conditions justifying € 20,000 of annual income) become more flexible?
In terms of procedure, we have no means of action.
However, we are working on a legislative kit to simplify the legal part.
That is, the moment a horse is entered into a race, it would automatically trigger a standard contract that would legally protect the owner.
Is the Swedish model an example in your opinion?
Sweden has a big activity in equestrian sport.
The number of horses owned by owner is higher than in France.
In this Scandinavian country, companies have the right to buy a racehorse, which is very complicated in France.
And although the number of owners is lower than that of France, due to the fact that the population is less important there, and despite their less attractive allocations than in France, the fervor that the Swedes maintain with the races is a signal interesting to us.
Will this meeting be followed by other dates?
It is according to the success that it will meet on Tuesday but it is planned that three forums of this type, with auction, are organized each year.
