Bhb Loses Marketing Chief Amid Budget Cuts

The British Horseracing Board has been rocked by the departure of its marketing
director Chris John as the governing body looks to significantly reduce its
marketing budget for next year.

The departure of John, who has been BHB marketing director since 2002, has
prompted a structural review of the central marketing function will take place
over the coming months, including a significantly reduced budget for 2007.

The budget cuts have been prompted as a result of a revamp of how the
responsibilities for the sport are split up following the creation of the new
British Horseracing Authority which will now regulate the sport. The BHA
appointed former FA man Nic Coward as its inaugural chief executive earlier this
month.

Following John, who will leave the BHB in the New Year, out of the door are
marketing manager Ed Coke and ownership and bloodstock marketing executive
Harriet Rochester are also to move on at the end of the year.

Rochester, who has recently developed welcometoracehorseownership.co.uk, an
online digital brochure targeted at anyone interested in ownership in Britain,
plans to set up on her own as a racing and sports marketing consultant, while
Coke is to pursue other career interests.

Speaking today of his departure, Chris John said: ‘I have reached this
decision after much careful consideration – it is based primarily on the reduced
resources available in the future for central marketing.

‘BHB’s marketing spend has been reduced by more than £2m since its peak of
over £3m in 2003 and 2004 – years in which the sport set records for racecourse
attendances, ownership, the number of horses in training and other key
indicators.

‘Core areas of current activity such as the Order of Merit,
britishhorseracing.com, the British Bloodstock Marketing Group and the consumer
PR and communications functions will continue under BHA, but the BHB Board and
BHA Member organisations have agreed that other areas should be devolved
principally to the appropriate industry associations. It is imperative that
these activities are carried out and that commitments are honoured in this
area.’