Anna Baigent was recognised for her dedication to the welfare of thoroughbreds when announced the joint winner of the Care and Welfare Award at the Entain Industry Excellence Awards on Sunday.
Baigent, alongside her parents Maria and Gary, operate ‘Annarehab’ out of Miranda, where initially an avenue for Anna to recover from her own traumatic brain injury transformed into a business to assist both equines and humans in need.
Their services include rehabilitation for retired racehorses, assistance in the ‘letting down’ transitional period post-racing and individually tailored holiday programmes where people from eight years of age are able to learn communication skills and personal development through interacting with thoroughbreds.
Baigent particularly recognised her mother as a key figure not only in her tough recovery journey, but the growth of Annarehab and ultimately its success.
“Winning this award felt a bit like imposter syndrome because it was really my mum’s award,” Baigent said.
“I bought the horses and had the head injury and mental struggles, but she built this around me as she saw a daughter that was sick and very nearly lost. I do all the vet work and day-to-day running, but she is the reason this is possible.
“She was a teacher for 30 years and she specialised in naughty kids, but they weren’t really naughty, the school system just didn’t suit them. There were some struggling with dyslexia as there weren’t many resources there to help them and show them where they could learn.
“We started this in around 2017 or 2018, so then going through COVID a lot of these kids weren’t learning to read body language during that crucial five, six and seven-year-old age.
“Meanwhile, I had collected all of these horses with the intention of rehabilitating them, but I didn’t want to sell or rehome them, so we used the horses to help kids learn non-verbal communication and body language.
“We’ve had some clients here for a number of years, one girl came as a seven-year-old as her parents asked us very nicely if she could come early, and now she’s 14 and my working student. We’ve watched these kids grow up and they keep coming back, it’s great.
“We have been able to build it to the stage where we can help other people’s children, which is really is the crux of it.”
Growing up on a dairy farm in the Hauraki Plains, Baigent said she had not initially identified the potential that thoroughbreds possess outside of the racetrack, and was not drawn to the sport until leaving university.
“Funnily enough we had only really had heavies and heavy-crosses growing up, we never really had thoroughbreds and I bought into a lot of the negative bias around the breed being that they were flighty and all the rest of it,” she said.
“I often joke that if 10-year-old Anna could see me now, she would have a lot of questions because it was only really after university that I realised thoroughbreds have all these amazing opportunities involved with them.
“I’m an equine vet tech, so I was really fascinated by sports injuries and the whole rehabilitation process. I come from a dairy farming background, so compared to cow injuries, the resources available to horses really fascinated me with water treadmilling and those types of methods.
“It was more the medical aspect that drew me to racing.”
Her career in racing commenced soon after doing a season with Hallmark Stud, but it wasn’t until she entered Stephen Marsh’s stable that she made a connection with several horses that remain in her care to this day.
“I initially went to work at a stud because I thought I wouldn’t ever work in a stable, but one season later, I was working in a stable and now I have eight thoroughbreds of my own that I love,” she said.
“Doing one season as a general stud hand, I very quickly realised it’s so much harder than I thought it was going to be. Mark (Baker, stud master) was great, he would teach you anything you showed an interest in and I learned a lot.
“I then went to Murray Baker’s and then Stephen Marsh’s in Cambridge as a strapper and everyone has their favourites, and fortunately for me, a couple of mine happened to be geldings so when they retired they were to be retrained.
“The one I loved the most wasn’t a very good racehorse and had no eventing potential, he just wasn’t going to perform in any sport. I was lucky enough to be given him alongside another one with genetically poor feet, and I thought I could really learn something rehabilitating these horses.
“I’ve tried this business with other breeds over the years, but we just haven’t had anywhere near the success that we have with thoroughbreds.”
That special horse was Sexabeel, initially purchased by a key Annarehab supporter, Go Racing, who entrusted him in her care, along with several others to follow.
“Sexabeel really got me through my head injury, he got me out of bed and to work every morning,” she said.
“My parents are incredibly supportive and they knew he was the reason I was holding it together through some really difficult chemical imbalances in my brain during that time.
“It was quite a drawn-out recovery, so my parents said they would’ve paid any amount of money for me to have him because they knew how vital he was to me during that period.
“Matt (Allnutt) and the team at Go Racing have continued to provide me with horses where possible including a pretty big name that has a paddock named after him at the stud he was foaled at, so that’s pretty cool.
“I believe Sexabeel was quite an expensive buy for them as well, so they are so gracious in letting me have him and in my eyes, he’s the perfect horse and could never put a foot wrong.”
Alongside the popular syndicators, Baigent identified several other industry members that were vital to her success.
“We have a core group of people that have been there since the get-go that I frequently call on,” she said.
“Matt from Go Racing and Tans (Clarkson) from Marsh Racing have supported us since we had about four horses and the fences weren’t even completed yet. We’ve done a lot to the property since then, and they have helped us grow.
“Brent and Wendy Cooper from Social Racing have also been hugely supportive, they have been amazing people to have in your court. Justine Sclater from NZTR has also been great, she’s come out to see the horses and the Langford family as well.
“I’m amazed that this calibre of people have wanted to support us.”
Baigent, alongside joint winner Chanelle Dickie were awarded a $10,000 cash prize as category winners.
