The end of 2023 has also marked the curtain call of my career as a trainer. Our final winner, Stall Perlen’s Indy Humor, who won at Øvrevoll on November 9, was written down as number 1,575 since I started training in 1972.
Between 1972 and 2023 our stable has saddled 92 classic winners, including 21 Derby winners divided between Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Furthermore, we’ve had winners and Group 1 placed runners in Germany and France.
2023 became a fairytale ending in classic terms. At home Ami De Vega won The Norwegian Derby and Norwegian St. Leger, while Thunder Sea conquered The Norwegian 1000 Guineas and Norwegian Oaks from her two sole starts at Øvrevoll. Both horses are owned by Stall Perlen, and both were ridden by my son Jan-Erik, who will now take over our long-term family operation.
Ami De Vega also triumphed in The Swedish St. Leger and came third in The Swedish Derby.
A very talented group of juveniles also made their way to the racecourse, with Anne Petterøe’s Schamyl winning both the Norwegian 2yo Championships and Norwegian Criterium, and Stall Perlen’s home bred Appelino scoring in the Swedish Winterfavourites.
Among our string of older horses, Mystery Night kept on improving, especially on dirt track, winning Jägersro’s two best fillies’ races, Margareta Wettermarks Memorial and Jockeyklubbens Avelslöpning.
Another improving filly, Sea Lodge, won The Erik O Steens Memorial on turf at Øvrevoll and ended her 4yo campaign with three straight wins.
We had a 41,5% winners to runners at Øvrevoll to finish third in the Trainers’ Championship, and a 16,4% winners to runners and 52,2% placings to runners in Sweden, finishing 5th in that table.
Stall Perlen finished on top of the chart in Sweden and Norway and Scandinavia combined.
—
I’ve had a string of excellent clients throughout my career. From the beginning till the end.
Fantastic and loyal. The red and white colors of Stall EOS have been with me for 49 years, Bente and Magne Jordanger (Stall Perlen) for 32. Some vote of confidence.
It has always been of utter importance to me, that my stable remained social. That my clients have had and shown respect of one another, greeted each other, and thrived within our environment.
Our Saturday gatherings have always been a treasured highlight.
It’s also been an utterly important factor, that our yard has educated a long row of talented jockeys and apprentices, who later became champions. It simply would have been impossible to gain so many big wins over so many years, without having top riders and top stable staff.
Some of our vets have been with us for more than 40 years, our international agents Peter and Ross Doyle for 30 – and it just goes to show how much you need a team and network to rely on, day and night, year in, year out.
14 days ago, I was thrown a “surprise gathering” in the stable. Amateur riders who helped me get started all the way back in 1972, people that you can never run a successful operation without. Suddenly everyone turned up to surprise me. I had no clue about it, and it was such a thrill.
And it gave me the felling, that I’ve been good and fair towards people.
When I look back on my career – more than 50 years training at Øvrevoll – I see how the owners have fit together. Even with the eminent investments made by Stall EOS throughout the first half of my career, and those made by Stall Perlen in the latter, there has always been room for everyone else.
This is also what I wish for when it comes to Jan-Erik’s career. That every existing and potential new client is well aware that the Neuroth stable always has been, and always will be, about the horses.
May you all have a wonderful, prosperous New Year of 2024.
A heartfelt thank you, it’s been a truly magnificent ride!
Wido