Romanet Retires: The end not only of an era, but a dynasty

Louis RomanetThe end of December witnesses the retirement of Louis Romanet, one of international racing’s greatest servants and a good friend of Summerhill.

Romanet’s family has been a leading player in French racing for well over 100 years, and his work has been crucial in the recent developments of taking horseracing to a bigger, global stage. His grandfather Rene was a prominent figure on the French racing circuit, and his uncle Maurice was the founder of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, arguably the most prestigious race in Europe and now the world’s most valuable turf race, thanks in no small part to the work of his nephew. Louis Romanet’s father, Jean, began his career as a bloodstock advisor to Marcel Boussac, one of France’s leading breeders of the last century. Heralded as a principal architect behind contemporary French horse racing, he was also one of the founders of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities which he chaired from 1967 to 1993. Louis goes with the best wishes of the Summerhill team.