Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges

HONG KONG, CHINA--Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges is at the helm of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, an international racing powerhouse, for nearly two decades. He has navigated Hong Kong Racing through financial crises, political upheaval and a pandemic, and never let anyone think that his visionary sight had lost its compass. In the conversation that follows, recorded on the eve of the HKJC's international race meeting, the chairman of both the Asian Racing Federation and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities once again covered ground that will resonate well beyond Hong Kong--from...

The 2026 Asian Racing Conference has ended in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The next host for the ARC is New Zealand. Organised by the Asian Racing Federation and hosted by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, a three-day business programme wrapped up on Thursday. The closing ceremony was a celebration of Saudi Arabia's love of horses with a laser display creating the effect of horses galloping around the delegates at the venue. HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Alfaisal, the chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, formally opened proceedings on...

HONG KONG, CHINA - Hong Kong International Races day began under gray skies and chilly temperatures, but heated up quickly with an opening performance from K-Pop legend RAIN, who brought out the sun for a legion of fans lined up outside the paddock with signs bearing his name and had even HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges bopping along to his performance. The day's expected headliners and hometown heroes Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) delivered in spades, but the quartet of international races opened with...

HONG KONG, CHINA - Two days before one of Hong Kong's biggest days of racing, Hong Kong Jockey Club chief executive officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges sat down with the press in a member's room overlooking Sha Tin Racecourse for a wide-ranging discussion of everything from the quality of Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races to the state of racing and wagering globally. Warning of a "massive generation issue" for the sport, Engelbrecht-Bresges's focus returned several times to the need for racing to incorporate emerging technology, both from a wagering standpoint and...

The 2025 International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ) was held in Hong Kong on December 11-12. Themed Performance Medicine in Racing - Developing and Protecting the Jockey, the conference took an applied, evidence-based approach, featuring presentations and panel discussions with leading experts in the field. "This conference represents one of the most important conversations taking place within the racing industry today," said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). "For too long, jockey safety and wellbeing have been discussed with admiration...

The 2025 International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ) will get underway in Hong Kong on Thursday, December 11. Themed Performance Medicine in Racing - Developing and Protecting the Jockey, the two-day conference will offer a variety of presentations and panel discussions involving leading experts in the field. The conference will feature 13 sessions altogether, as well as addresses from Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA); Andrew Harding, executive director of the IFHA; and Darragh O'Loughlin, chief executive officer of the...

The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) held the 59th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities (ICHA) at Le Méridien Paris Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France on Monday. During this year's Conference, there was a particular focus on racing betting, both in the legal and illegal markets, along with marketing and customer experience. Throughout the course of the day, 165 delegates from around 40 countries heard from leaders from around the globe on these pressing topics. "The International Conference has for many years provided a platform for all of us,...

The 59th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities (ICHA) will be held at Le Meridien Paris Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France on October 6, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) announced on Wednesday. This year's Conference will highlight the IFHA's achievements over the past 12 months and look ahead to future initiatives. Sports television presenter Rishi Persad will moderate the event. Ben Cleminson, CEO of Square in the Air, an award-winning creative marketing consulting agency for racing and other sports across Europe and Asia, will give the keynote address....

Hong Kong Jockey Club chief Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has called a review of the Hong Kong International Sale after a string of disappointing results at last Friday's auction at Sha Tin.  Six of the 21 horses in the catalogue were withdrawn before the sale on veterinary advice and the average for the sale dropped by 9%. Furthermore, only five of the 15 lots that sold made their presale cost, resulting in a loss of HK$8.82 million. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, "It's simple-disappointing. I'm especially disappointed about the number...

The International Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation (ITBF) will be hosting its annual, free to attend, live event at 12pm (London time) on Tuesday, February 18. International racing broadcaster, Nick Luck, will put questions to six breeding experts, from six countries, on how their nations are reacting to the issues currently facing the Thoroughbred breeding industry. Attendees will learn about new initiatives, implemented schemes and proven methods within the different countries. An open Q&A session will then follow, with Luck putting to the panellists questions received from attendees in the registration process...

A total of 69,916 racegoers flooded Sha Tin, with Happy Valley drawing an additional 10,775, to bring the total attendees for the Longines Hong Kong International Races to 80,691. It is the highest attendance number since 2018. "I personally think it was one of the best, if not the best, Longines Hong Kong International Races and an incredible week," said the HKJC's chief executive officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. "Starting with the Longines International Jockeys' Championship, it was an amazing success. Today, we hoped to create a highlight and I personally think...

Following the news that age restrictions might be loosened to allow under 18s to attend the races in Hong Kong, a slew of improvements to Sha Tin Racecourse geared toward a younger demographic have been announced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. The news was first reported by the South China Morning Post. In an interview with the SCMP, the HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said his organisation was "grateful that the government endorsed this and made this part of its policy address". "[You only have to] look at the whole...