naming a horse (famous person)

O

orchard cross paddocks

At the Start
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Mar 31, 2011
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As you need the famous person's permission.
im thinking they probably are not the only one with that name, so if you had another person with the same name give you permission, would this be ok ?
 
David Beckham?

How do you need a famous person's permission, when we've had a line-up of George Washington, Dylan Thomas, Alexander Pope, Flintoff, Zukhov, Putin, Titus Andronicus, Galileo, Yeats - in fact, any amount of famous painters, poets, writers, philosopers, politicians, emperors and sportsmen? There are no doubt heirs and assigns of some of these living today, and it seems that anyone can name a library or museum after them if they wish, without requesting the permission of any surviving families.

You probably can't use a trade name if that's copyrighted, such as Spiderman, but there'd be nothing to stop you calling a horse Michael Jackson, because there are probably thousands of males with that pretty common name. We've got BARACK these days, and I doubt that the Prez was asked, because no doubt there are a few more Baracks in the world.

Surely, unless the person has copyrighted the use of their name, you're free to use anyone's? It might be that people whose name is used by them to promote a line of products, such as Victoria Beckham, might have copyrighted their name and therefore it could not be used in a commercial sense, but I'm not sure that a racehorse would be considered a business.
 
Presumably its part of Weatherby's rules, rather than a legal requirement by itself.
 
No names of persons unless written permission to use their name is on file with The Jockey Club.
 
krizon said:
David Beckham?

How do you need a famous person's permission, when we've had a line-up of George Washington, Dylan Thomas, Alexander Pope, Flintoff, Zukhov, Putin, Titus Andronicus, Galileo, Yeats - in fact, any amount of famous painters, poets, writers, philosopers, politicians, emperors and sportsmen? There are no doubt heirs and assigns of some of these living today, and it seems that anyone can name a library or museum after them if they wish, without requesting the permission of any surviving families.

You probably can't use a trade name if that's copyrighted, such as Spiderman, but there'd be nothing to stop you calling a horse Michael Jackson, because there are probably thousands of males with that pretty common name. We've got BARACK these days, and I doubt that the Prez was asked, because no doubt there are a few more Baracks in the world.

Surely, unless the person has copyrighted the use of their name, you're free to use anyone's? It might be that people whose name is used by them to promote a line of products, such as Victoria Beckham, might have copyrighted their name and therefore it could not be used in a commercial sense, but I'm not sure that a racehorse would be considered a business.
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The difference is that while you and I remember them in their prime, George Washington, Dylan Thomas, Alexander Pope, etc are dead.:)

It is etiquette (and I think more than that) to approach the living for permission, especially those in the public eye (they won’t usually be registered without it). If you went ahead and used David or Victoria Beckham you would probably get into such a legal tangle (assuming they let it slip through) you’d regret it.

We named a horse after my racing partner’s cousin once. He didn’t pursue us until he turned out to be awful though!
 
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So who asked PUTIN for permission? :whistle: And what about FLINTOFF, REDFORD, ROBIN HOOD, RODERIC O'CONNOR, RANDOLPH O'BRIEN, JOAN D'ARC, PYTHEAS, SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, SIR HARRY ORMESHER... some are alive, some are dead, and some are famous names. If the ban is on using famous names, that isn't in compliance, is it? It's not just the dead, but the quick, too, whose names are being used. Please explain. ;)
 
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I seem to recall them getting permission from Van Nistlerooy. Not sure about Solksjaer.

Naming

Thoroughbred horses’ names, for racing purposes, are registered through HRI with Weatherbys, who are responsible for the General Stud Book. Once you have selected names, it is advisable to check with the Registrations section for availability. The following criteria should be followed when selecting names:
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The name must consist of no more than eighteen characters, including spaces.
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The name must not be insulting, obscene or liable to cause confusion or be unacceptably close to one already registered.
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The name of any public person can only be used with their written permission and product or company names can only be used with the written permission from the company (inclusive of film or song names).
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Names of winners of certain races around the world are protected and therefore cannot be used again. Names of other horses are protected for re-use for limited periods of time, while those who go to stud are protected for longer than those who do not.
 
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krizon said:
So who asked PUTIN for permission? :whistle: And what about FLINTOFF, REDFORD, ROBIN HOOD, RODERIC O'CONNOR, RANDOLPH O'BRIEN, JOAN D'ARC, PYTHEAS, SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, SIR HARRY ORMESHER... some are alive, some are dead, and some are famous names. If the ban is on using famous names, that isn't in compliance, is it? It's not just the dead, but the quick, too, whose names are being used. Please explain. ;)
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I'm sure Flintoff had to fire off a letter to himself when naming that one, Kri :lol:
 
I remember when I started watching racing in the early 80's Phil Bull had a horse he wanted to call after Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh -the Jockey Club insisted he needed written permission so he just called the horse Ho Mi Chinh.
 
Roberto was named after Roberto Clemente, a famous Nicaraguan Baseball player. The horse's owner also owned the team Clemente played for though.
 
Reg Bond wanted to name his fillies after Bond Girls, he managed to get away with Bond May Day, but the film company wouldn't give him permission for any others
 
I have registered Luis Suarez Liverpool striker, i have spoken his personal liason officer at the club, she said she would ask him but ive not heard back! so i pressume he said no, but they have not said he declined, however, he is not the only Luis Suarez, so if another of the same name gave permission then would this be ok? as he doesnt own his name as such does he?
Although i could call my horse Luise Suarez Luis Swarez etc etc without any issue what so ever! as its not the same! as said before dead people you can call them after, so i pressume that someone called luis suarez has died before!
 
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LUKE said:
I remember when I started watching racing in the early 80's Phil Bull had a horse he wanted to call after Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh -the Jockey Club insisted he needed written permission so he just called the horse Ho Mi Chinh.
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I thought they turned it down because they didn't want to risk causing offence, at which point Bull pointed out that they'd already accepted Henry Kissinger!
 
OCP: how about El Suarez, which would be okay, and the 'el' would be like the 'L' for Luis? If it were by OVER THE RIVER it'd be nice to call it SUAREZ CANAL...
 
krizon said:
So who asked PUTIN for permission? :whistle: And what about FLINTOFF, REDFORD, ROBIN HOOD, RODERIC O'CONNOR, RANDOLPH O'BRIEN, JOAN D'ARC, PYTHEAS, SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, SIR HARRY ORMESHER... some are alive, some are dead, and some are famous names. If the ban is on using famous names, that isn't in compliance, is it? It's not just the dead, but the quick, too, whose names are being used. Please explain. ;)
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Weatherbys needs to approve any name (which is why you are given a number of choices). It has discretion to block any name it thinks there will be any issue with (for a variety of reasons). A letter of consent is usually enough (although not necessarily enough, if it has other objections) to get a famous name of a living person past the authorities.
 
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Gareth Flynn said:
I thought they turned it down because they didn't want to risk causing offence, at which point Bull pointed out that they'd already accepted Henry Kissinger!
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The version I heard was from Jim McGrath on the telly -he said they asked for written permission and Phil Bull said he didn't know Vietnamese.
 
I remember hearing the trainer George Baker interviewed on Timeform radio around two years ago. That was always the plan for the horse. It has taken them a while!
 
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