An international forum to bring together the various operations globally that facilitate and promote the retraining of racehorses has been unveiled at the 'Lifetime Care for Thoroughbreds: Godolphin Forum' in Newmarket, a three-day conference organised and hosted by Godolphin.
The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will include representatives from Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan and the U.S., and will act as an assembly for discussion and enable sharing of experiences, which will allow best practices to be adopted and advice shared among all the above jurisdictions. The IFAR will work alongside the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.
Di Arbuthnot, chief executive of Retraining of Racehorses, introduced the concept of IFAR on the last day of the conference, and that organisation's Chairman Paul Roy said, “RoR has developed into a vehicle for the practical retraining of horses for different disciplines and works to pursue this proactive approach with benefit of consulting like-minded international bodies while recognising cultural differences across the globe. IFAR is a natural next step in our journey.”
Diana Cooper, Strategic Advisor, Charities at Godolphin, said, “As one of the largest racing stables and breeding operations in the world, Godolphin works tirelessly to take the lead in both the lifetime care of horses and in the professional development of people working in our industry. The passion for the sport extends beyond the racetrack as Godolphin aims to have a positive long-lasting impact on the industry and racing communities worldwide.”
“Godolphin organised the 'Lifetime Care for Thoroughbreds Forum' in Newmarket to build on the progress made in Kentucky last year, when we first brought key advocates together to discuss these important issues. We are still very much at the start of a journey but we are greatly encouraged by what has been achieved in the last few days, and that it has culminated in Retraining of Racehorses unveiling IFAR. We want to continue on this journey and we look forward to supporting IFAR when it hosts its first international conference in October 2017.”
Jim Gagliano, President of The Jockey Club and Vice Chairman of IFHA, said, “Through initiatives such as the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the Thoroughbred Incentive Program, The Jockey Club is playing an active role in promoting the retraining of racehorses in North America and we are delighted to be one of the founding members of IFAR. Promoting equine welfare both during and after a horse's racing career is vital in ensuring the public's confidence in the sport is maintained and is integral to the future health of horse racing. I would also like to thank Godolphin for hosting this forum and for bringing together like-minded parties from around the world.”
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