If you are a breeder planning to board one or several mares in France, or an owner planning to race in that country, then the name of Charlotte André is one you might want to become familiar with. France has many well-documented assets, led by increased prize-money in 2022 and lucrative ßbonuses paid to the owners and breeders of horses raised in the country. This scheme is open to the progeny of stallions based in France and abroad and applies throughout a horse's racing career. But, as with all bonuses, making sure your foal ticks all the boxes is key. So if you don't fancy losing an 80% top-up of your 2-year-old's prizemoney just because your mare travelled back to France a few days late, then you are likely to enjoy meeting André.
A native of the central part of France, where many top-class jumpers are raised, André was surrounded with horses from birth and qualified as an agricultural engineer. She has now been working in the racing industry for 20 years, 16 of which were spent running the office at Ecurie des Monceaux, the operation which has dominated the vendors' leaderboard at the Arqana August Yearling Sale for the past decade.
She recalls, “I arrived at Monceaux in 2005, just one year after Henri Bozo was appointed as manager. I spent my first three years working with the mares and foals, before taking up the office and clients' relations. It was a privilege to meet many prominent figures of the international racing and breeding scene, including Lady O'Reilly, David Redvers and Sheikh Fahad Al Thani. We had some loyal customers as well as a constant intake of new clients, thanks to Henri's great drive and talent. Looking back on this unique entrepreneurial experience, I feel honoured to have witnessed the rise of Monceaux to the leading position as yearling vendor, and to have been a very small part in the production of 11 Group/Grade 1 winners including Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).”
Earlier this year, André branched out on her own to set up 'Le Racing Office', a one-stop shop for all foreign investors with racing and/or breeding interests in France.
Setting itself the simple goal to save her clients all the paperwork and administrative hassle so that they can concentrate on enjoying their passion, Le Racing Office offers a wide range of services covering all interactions with French authorities (horse registration, naming, owner registration, application for racing colours, etc.), accounts management, breeding paperwork (nominations, registration for French bonuses, transport) and keeping you updated on your horses through photos, videos and reports.
She explains, “On many occasions during my time at Ecurie des Monceaux, I noticed that the administration of a racing or breeding operation in France was not simple for foreigners, even on a small scale. As in many other countries, red tape can be off-putting, the tax system can be difficult to navigate and of course there is the language barrier. My aim is to make the life of foreign owners and breeders easier, with a single point of contact handling their account and being in contact with the professionals on the ground to give them regular feedback on their horses.”
André is keen to underline that this new venture would not have been possible without her extended spell at Ecurie des Monceaux.
“I am hugely thankful to Henri Bozo for the unique experience I had at Monceaux and remain extremely attached to this fantastic operation,” she says. “Henri is a renowned horseman and a visionary. Working alongside him for 16 years taught me an awful lot and gave me the confidence to start up my own business.”
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