On Monday 19th December I announced that I was ending my riding career to begin working for the PJA, the Professional Jockeys Association. Hanging up my boots is something I’ve considered for a while now and believe me, it wasn’t a...
All attention turns stateside this weekend for The Breeders Cup, arguably the biggest international meeting of the year. There are no fewer then nine grade ones on Saturday, each one containing obscene amounts of equine and human talent. The European...
We are heading in to the twilight of the 2022 flat season, and most of the major racing festivals have come and gone. The UK has treated us to some outstanding individuals again this year, both equine and human, but it’s across the channel where our...
My favourite festival of the year has always been, and likely will always be, the Ebor Festival at York. It was the first proper racecourse I visited at the age of sixteen. I’d been to plenty of point to points before then, and I was starting to fall...
There’s some fantastic racing to look forward to this weekend, and the Oaks and Derby look to be incredibly open and intriguing contests. You could make a case for seven or eight of the fillies in the Oaks. Emily Upjohn hails from the Gosden team and...
I’m looking forward to Wolverhampton on Saturday where I have a busy evening with five rides, and a couple with good chances. I’d be hopeful I can come away with a winner or two on the night. Scarlet Ruby is first up for John O’Shea. This...
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the inside of a winners enclosure, but I was finally back there last weekend courtesy of Mountbatten. This big son of Dabirism is a horse that Archie Watson has taken his time with. He’s never...
This week I finally got my long awaited return to the saddle. Since dislocating my shoulder in June I’ve undergone repair surgery and months of long and hard rehab to get back to racing. It’s been a difficult few months and I couldn’t...
The Ayr Western meeting is a festival that never disappoints and Scotland’s flagship meeting came up with the goods yet again last week. The Ayr Gold Cup winner Bielsa was impressive in his own right, and a lot of credit has to go to Kevin Stott...
Inheritance Tax (IHT) is primarily a charge on your assets on death, including your share of assets jointly held with another person. However, lifetime gifts made within seven years prior to your death can also be brought back into charge. IHT is also...
Ebor week is my favourite week of the racing calendar. It was the first proper race meeting I went to at the age of sixteen and it’s the reason I fell in love with racing. For me there’s no better sight then the cavalry charge up the Knavesmire,...
We’ve been treated to some top class racing over the past few weeks and that looks set to continue this weekend. The King George VI is going to be a proper Group One and it’s a race I’m really looking forward to watching. Love was...
I’m delighted to be teaming up with Harrowells for the upcoming year, and I’ll be writing some blogs during the season to offer up some insights into racing life. Harrowells offers specialist legal support to trainers, breeders,...
Does your business rely upon staff who you deem to be freelance or self-employed? If so, you would be well-advised to take a moment to review those relationships in light of the recent decision in Uber BV & othrs v Aslam & othr s. If, as in the...
Our Agricultural, Commercial and Private Client Teams have been successful in winning new instructions in the Ryedale area in recent months. As a result, we have opened a base in Malton so that we can more easily look after our clients and contacts in the...
Legal 500 undertake an independent assessment of the reputation and quality of service of leading UK law firms. Their latest report, published in September 2020, recognises the quality of our service across seven practice areas, as defined by their research...
The British farming industry has proven its clout during the Covid-19 pandemic, not only as a producer of quality food, but also as a resilient, forward thinking sector which contributes significantly to the British economy. As farmers, in these...
All our offices are open for pre-arranged appointments as well as for telephone or video meetings. Contact us as normal by phone or email and we will happily arrange a scheduled meeting to discuss your matter. Please bear in mind that, with...
Whether you engage in business-to-consumer or business-to-business transactions, a contract that is subsequently found to be legally invalid can be a financial disaster for your business. This poses the question: what makes a contract valid? In simple...
Behind the public spectacle of race meetings lies a very complex and inter-connected industry. We highlight some of the immediate challenges facing horse racing in our region and explain how timely legal advice may help ease a path back to more normal times....
The Covid-19 lockdown has seen many small businesses rapidly adapt their business models to distance selling in order to continue to trade, adopting either a model of pre-ordering with collection or full delivery services. Orders can be provided...
If you run a business, you will be having to respond on many different fronts to the challenges of the lockdown. But how do we respond to bad debt? The answer is be proactive, review your debtors, maintain your cash flow and, in doing so, give your...
One of Yorkshire’s best-known agricultural solicitors has joined Harrowells Solicitors. Jenni Bartram, a long-standing member of the Agricultural Law Association and former president of the Yorkshire Law Society, joined Harrowells in February...
Apprentice jockeys are licenced riders aged between 16 and 25, working their way up to professional jockey status by riding with and competing against professional jockeys. They are employed by UK racehorse trainers throughout their apprenticeship. ...
We are specialists in horse racing law , offering advice to owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and to racecourses – in Yorkshire and other centres of horse racing across the country. Over the past four years we have run an innovative programme...
So, equine flu has reared its ugly head once more. You may be wondering, however, what it is and why it called a halt to horseracing in the UK for 6 days and why a total of 174 racing stables have been in lockdown. Equine flu is much like human flu and it...
Despite, or should I say in spite, of the Brexit issues that have been dominating the media the draft Common Agricultural Policy (Direct Payments to Farmers) and (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 was laid in draft for sifting on 29th November 2018 and...
Horses need to be moved internationally to further their racing or breeding career. Without the ability to transport horses and their handlers between major racing countries with ease, the future is uncertain. Meanwhile, the clock ticks on towards Brexit Day...
Nothing beats a hack in the countryside but it’s easy for the fun to be spoiled by an angry landowner complaining that they have horse riders disturbing their livestock and damaging their land. In this part of Yorkshire we are lucky enough to have...
People go into business together to create something positive, not to fall out. Nevertheless, misunderstandings and differences of views can and do arise as businesses evolve. If you are a shareholder in a company, a shareholders’ agreement will help...
We are all aware that the process of ‘Brexit’ is likely to involve considerable change whatever the short term and longer term outcomes. The challenge for business owners and senior managers is deciding how to prioritise and plan. Trying to...
We all tend to think of ‘regulated industries’ as those where safety or financial stability is critical – for example airlines and banks. The reality is that all businesses are exposed to regulation, ‘red tape’, bureaucracy,...
As part of their commitment to supporting young talent in horse racing, Yorkshire-based solicitors Harrowells are delighted to announce that they are sponsoring leading apprentice jockey Georgia Cox ahead of the 2018 Flat season. Cox, who has ridden over 50...
If you are responsible for HR in your organisation, you will hopefully have locked onto the fact that new data protection rules (GDPR), coming into force on 25 May, have an impact on how you store and use employee and other personal data. There is a...
We have expanded our Private Client Department with the appointment of a new partner. Philip Nelson (pictured left with Head of Department Ed Ryder) lives near York and joins from specialist national private client law firm, Wrigleys, Leeds....
More and more people are familiar with the idea of Lasting Powers of Attorney – a document that appoints attorneys to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself in the future because of mental or physical incapacity. Often these...
I’m surprised that more businesses do not take full advantage of Companies House online filing service. Whilst many accountants file accounts online on their clients’ behalf, organisations need to file an additional Confirmation Statement each...
Social media can be a really powerful tool for promoting your business and, as with many other things, it pays to understand your legal obligations when posting content online. Many businesses assume that online activity is not really...
As part of its commitment to supporting young talent in horse racing, Harrowells crafted an innovative sponsorship arrangement in early 2016 with apprentice jockey Adam McNamara, apprentice jockey. In this post we catch up with Adam at the end of the 2016...