Horse sanctuary in Cebu eyed

CEBU, Philippines - Horse owners and breeders in the country are eyeing Cebu as future home of retired race horses in Asia.

Rodolfo Lechago, president of the Cebu Equine Owners, Breeders and Sportsmen Association (CEOBSA), said he has presented the proposal of the Manila-based race horse owners group to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Lechago said CEOBSA wants to build a horse sanctuary here just like in Germany and wants Cebu to eventually become the race horse capital in Asia.

Lechago said the number one horse breeder in the country is reportedly willing to donate a horse worth P1 million to Cebu and to extend assistance in upgrading the skills of local horse breeders.

“Rare to see someone to donate P1 million nga kabayo. Meaning to say, ni-bilib siya sa programa ni gov,” Lechago told The FREEMAN.

CEOBSA has worked with the provincial government and local government units here in organizing the Governor’s Cup Horse Show and Competition.

Lechago said the governor told him to study the proposal further considering that maintaining a sanctuary for retired horses is expensive. The high cost of attending to retired race horses left others with no choice but to slaughter the animals when they could no longer be of use.

“If Cebu can offer this then ang mga nag-love sa mga kabayo will appreciate Cebu because it is the only place in Asia nga ga-offer ani,” he said.

In Germany, horse owners can bring their horses to the sanctuary and pay for the care. The initial plan for the sanctuary here is to have the services for free, but the horse owners would have to shoulder the expenses in transporting the animals.

“Amo idea ni gov together sa CEOBSA, we could offer it for free pero sila lang seguro magpada diri sa Cebu... at least dili kaayo bug-at ang burden sa province og CEOBSA. Modawat mi pero kami moatiman pero sila moplete sa kabayo,” Lechago said.

He added that a horse sanctuary would put Cebu in the international map anew and would attract more visitors especially those who take part in educational tours. - THE FREEMAN