The situation is no longer stable, it has been downgraded to critical

Wanted: full-time stable staff and work-riders. Long hours. Poor salary. Must be available to work on bank holidays. No prospect of promotion. Must be prepared to work during busy Christmas period. No pension. No health insurance. No benefits.

If you read the above advertisement in the recruitment pages of this newspaper, would you apply? Of course you wouldn’t.

Not all stable staff work under such conditions, and there are trainers who treat their staff impeccably, keeping them for long periods, but the stark reality is that it has never been more difficult to attract people into yards. The situation is no longer stable – it is critical.