39th Asian Racing Conference in Melbourne

Its Thursday in Melbourne, and at the Melbourne Conference Centre sees Racing Victoria host the four-day 39th Asian Racing Conference, which this year is all about ‘Breaking Barriers.’

Welcomed by ARF Chairman Winfred Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Business Programme Plenary Session 1 ‘The Landscape’ brought together global leaders from racing, sport, business and government to discuss the changing landscape of racing and sport.

‘Through the extraordinary events of the pandemic, and out onto the horizon, it identifies major trends, critical challenges and threats that have emerged in recent years, and dissecting how different sectors have responded, key learnings and new opportunities will be brought to the fore.’

‘As the racing and sporting landscape transforms like never before in our lifetimes, the leaders will also share their views on the barriers to racing’s future growth and how they can be broken from customer centricity to government engagement to workforce initiatives, and laying the foundations for an insightful and interactive programme over the coming three days.’

This session opens with a keynote from the ARF Chairman on global racing landscape and insights on the future of global racing, and followed by a panel discussion of racing’s important issues.

In being the Conference Chair and Keynote Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges is Chairman of the Asian Racing Federation and has been Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Jockey Club since 2007.

Also Chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities he’s President of International Horse Sports Confederation and on Advisory Board of Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein’

A Panellist with the ARF Chairman, Masayuki Goto is Vice-Chairman of the Asian Racing Federation and President and CEO of the Japan Racing Association, having joined the JRA in 1975.

In first being Chief Representative of JRA New York Office and going on to be General Manager of Corporate Strategies Planning Department, he was appointed Board of Directors in 2006.

In October 2021 Masayuki Goto was elected as one of the four Vice Chairs of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, the world’s highest thoroughbred racing authority.

Julie Harrington has been Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Board since 2021, and is a former Non Executive member of the BHA Board, and was a senior executive with Northern Racing.

Julie is also on the IFHA Executive Council, Chairs the IFHA Governance Committee and a Member of the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation and the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

There’s no doubting Peter McGauran has pulled the ‘right rein’ as Chairman of the Australian Turf Club as he started early in the industry when as a 17 year old amateur jockey he rode in Victoria.

As a practising lawyer, he was also a part-time stipendiary steward, and on being elected to Federal Parliament in 1983 he was Minister for Agriculture during the 2007 Equine Influenza outbreak and secured a $240 million rescue package for the breeding and racing industries.

On retiring from Parliament in 2008, Peter became CEO of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and in 2012 was appointed CEO of Racing Australia before joining TABCORP as a Special Advisor.

As the Victorian Minister for Racing from 2014 to 2022, Martin Pakula was first elected to the Victorian Legislative Council until 2013, and on the Legislative Assembly seat of Keysborough until 2022.

Katie Page-Harvey is Chief Executive Officer of Harvey Norman, and with her husband Gerry Harvey is co-owner of Magic Millions with its 2023 Gold Coast Yearling Sale grossing over $230 million.

Every Aussie sports fan knows Eddie McGuire, for as head of JAM TV, a division of McGuire Media that produces sports, entertainment he was President of the Collingwood Football Club for 23 years.