Saudi Arabia hosts 10th IFAR Conference

Held in Saudi Arabia on 9 February, the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses staged its 10th Annual Conference in conjunction with the 41st Asian Racing Conference.

In opening, HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, JCSA Chairman and SE Authority stated “Horse racing, like all horse sport, is founded on a unique partnership between people and horses.”

“Aftercare is therefore not a ‘nice-to-have’ nor a response to public opinion, but a fundamental measure of integrity, credibility and sustainability in our sport.”

“By placing aftercare at the centre of discussions, via forums such as this, we affirm our commitment to a sport that is not only successful, but responsible, principled and worthy of public trust.”

Featuring a tour of the JCSA’s Retraining & Riding Academy, the Conference hosted many international speakers addressing a wide range of topics relating to the aftercare of racehorses.

IFAR Chair Dr. Eliot Forbes provided the welcome address, and HRH Princess Nanda- Devi Norodom, the President of the Cambodian Equestrian Federation delivered the keynote address.

The rest of the conference was moderated by renowned broadcaster David Eades, and featured a mix of presentations, panel discussions, videos, and networking opportunities.

“The occasion of our 10th IFAR conference naturally invites reflection,” said Eliot Forbes. “In a decade, IFAR has helped create a global conversation on aftercare.”

“We have taken a topic that was too often treated as ‘back of house’ and helped move it into the boardroom, into strategy, and into the industry’s consciousness”.

“We have delivered 10 annual conferences designed to challenge, inform and provoke the kind of thinking that leads to better practice.”

“Today marks not only where we have been, but where we choose to go next. It signals intent for the next period and to keep building capability, sharing what works and lifting standards.”

The first panel, Setting the Standard: Leadership in Aftercare included Andrew Harding ARF Secretary General and Executive Director of IFHA, Paull Khan CEO of European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation, Aaron Morrison CEO of Racing Victoria and Salem Saeed Binmahfooz Chairman Advisor and Technical Committee JCSA.

Following the first panel, there were three individual presentations with Abdullah A. AlAseeri, Secretary-General of the Saudi Equestrian Authority presented on aftercare in Riyadh.

Melissa Ware of Racing Victoria discussed traceability and measuring the success of post-racing programs and Grace Muir offering insight into HEROS, which combines retraining and rehoming with children’s education, veterinary education, and owner development.

The final panel was Responsibility in Action: How Participants Shape Aftercare Outcomes, featuring Rob Dauth of MyRacehorse, Anna Kerr CEO of The National Stud and Dr. Alan Lai of Champs Legacy.

Throughout the afternoon, videos from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, JCSA, and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing were shown highlighting aftercare in action.

Natasha Rose, Chair of the IFAR Conference Committee and the Executive Manager, Equestrian Affairs Projects, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club provided the closing remarks.