Tag: Horse Care

The seventh International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will be held in conjunction with the 39^th Asian Racing Conference (ARC), which is scheduled to take place 14-19 February 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. Both events are being hosted by the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and the host of the 39^th ARC, Racing Victoria.

IFAR will facilitate an aftercare facility visit as well as host a variety of panels with speakers from around the world. The sessions will include such topics as new models for industry cooperation; training for success on and off the track; practical tools to screen for temperament and the importance of transition training; and realising athletic potential. The IFAR conference will also be receiving assistance from the Japan Racing Association (JRA), which has entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement to support the activities of the organization.

Di Arbuthnot, chair of the IFAR Steering Group, said, “For the past two years, our conference was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I am looking forward to being able meet again in person as we all work together to share success stories and best practices when it comes to equine welfare. The question of what happens to racehorses after they leave the track is a global one, and the importance of IFAR only continues to grow.”

Andrew Harding, secretary general of the ARF, said, “ARF is pleased to once again include the IFAR Conference as part of the ARC.  This will be the third time we have hosted IFAR during our event's programme, and the past has shown how valuable this connection is. The safety and welfare of our equine athletes is paramount both during and after their careers, and IFAR enables us all to learn about ways to improve our aftercare efforts on an international scale.”

Carly Dixon, executive director of the 39^th Asian Racing Conference at Racing Victoria, said, “As host of next year's ARC, we look forward to leading the discussion on how the global racing community can continue to learn and improve our approach to the welfare of horses after racing. We will also take this opportunity to showcase our own world leading equine welfare programs and initiatives and provide our global visitors the opportunity to better understand the work being done to successfully re-educate retired racehorses for secondary careers in Victoria.”

Prior to the virtual conference series in 2022 and 2021, IFAR had previously been held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2020; the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation's General Assembly in Oslo, Norway, in May 2019; the Asian Racing Conference in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2018; and the Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., in May 2017.

For more information about the Asian Racing Conference and how to register, please visit https://arcmelbourne2023.com.

IFAR is an independent forum that recognizes geographical and industry differences among racing countries and is designed to enhance Thoroughbred aftercare worldwide. Working with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, IFAR will raise awareness of the importance of welfare for Thoroughbreds, improve education on lifetime care, and help increase demand for former racehorses in other equestrian sports. For more information on IFAR, visit https://www.internationalracehorseaftercare.com.

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Dr. Jeff Blea has returned to his position as the equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board after a controversial eight-month suspension enforced by the California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB), but according to the Thoroughbred Daily News, controversy remains between the VMB and backstretch veterinary practitioners across the state.

The complaints against Blea and other backstretch veterinarians have been “very unusual,” American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) executive director David Foley told the TDN.

“If the veterinary medical board is going to interpret the rules in a companion animal manner towards equine practitioners, nobody's going to want to practice in California,” Foley said.

In January's meeting of the VMB, Dan Baxter, executive director of the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), voiced the organization's concern about whether VMB regulations are in touch with business practices: “We fear that there may be a significant disconnect between the reasonable, sound practice standards observed by equine practitioners in the field and the standards to which those same practitioners are being held by the board.”

Despite ongoing meetings between the VMB's two-person Equine Practice Subcommittee, the CVMA, and the CHRB, there remains little clarity for or licensed backstretch practitioners.

Among the primary discrepancies is the use of compounded medications.

CHRB Rule 1867 (b) states that “the possession and/or use on the premises of a facility under the jurisdiction of the Board of any drug, substance or medication that has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States.” The CHRB's “longstanding interpretation” of rule 1867 “is that lawfully prescribed, compounded medications which are manufactured according to Federal and State guidelines do not violate this regulation.”

Conversely, the VMB interprets the rule to prohibit the use of compounded drugs entirely, even those compounded from FDA-approved parent drugs.

Monica Vargas, spokesperson for the VMB, told the TDN that while the VMB “cannot advise on CHRB enforcement of laws applicable to their licensees,” the VMB has jurisdiction over the practice of veterinary medicine in California “unless otherwise pre-empted.” Pre-emption could come in the form of the federally-enacted Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, but HISA has not yet involved itself in the dispute and those practitioners already facing complaints remain stranded.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) has received a $60,000 matching gift from the Santulli Family Foundation to launch the 2022 Hay Drive. Richard and Peggy Santulli will match every dollar donated to the TRF up to $60,000 for this campaign. The TRF's goal for the 2022 Hay Drive is $120,000 to cover the cost of hay for the nearly 450 former racehorses currently in their care throughout the country.

The TRF Hay Drive is one of the most important campaigns for the organization and will be conducted by direct mail, email and social media as well as personal donation requests. The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which will celebrate the organization's 40th anniversary in 2023, is the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country and provides sanctuary to a herd of nearly 450 retired racehorses.

“With changing economic tides causing a significant impact on the price of hay, it is more important than ever to prepare for the winter ahead,” said Jessica Paquette, TRF Director of Communication and Annual Fund. “We are grateful for the continued support of the Santulli family and from donors, large and small, throughout the country.”

Last year, with the help of the Santulli Family Foundation, the TRF surpassed the goal of $120,000 and the organization is hopeful that this year's response will be equally successful.

“The TRF is steadfast in its commitment to our aging herd and providing quality hay to our horses is an important part of our care plan,” said Patricia Stickney, TRF Executive Director. “This annual drive ensures that we can meet our hay needs throughout the year and we are most grateful to the Santulli Family Foundation for their continued support of this effort and for inspiring others to give as well.”

To give to the Hay Drive please visit the TRF giving page here.

About TRF: Founded in 1983, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is a national organization devoted to saving Thoroughbred horses no longer able to compete at the racetrack from possible neglect, abuse, and slaughter. As the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country, the TRF provides lifelong sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds throughout their lifetime.

Best known for its pioneering TRF Second Chances program, the organization provides incarcerated individuals with life-changing vocational training through its accredited equine care and stable management program. At eight correctional facilities across the US, including one juvenile justice facility, this program offers second careers to its horses and a second chance at life for program graduates upon release from prison. The TRF Second Chances Program at the Wallkill Correctional Facility provides a home for 40 retired Thoroughbred racehorses and has been changing the lives of returning citizens for nearly forty years.

For more information visit: http://www.trfinc.org/

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The Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, Inc. (GEVA) is Northern California's oldest Thoroughbred rescue and rehabilitation facility, which is also a retirement sanctuary accredited since 2011 by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). GEVA has again been honored with a grant from the Brennan Equine Welfare Fund (BEWF), of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. In so doing, BEWF has also spotlighted GEVA in its press release, which is most appreciated.  Go to their site at https://www.brennanequinewelfarefund.com to learn more about the purpose and history of BEWF.

GEVA was also the recipient of a grant from Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA, https://www.thoroughbredaftercare.org/), which has expanded its involvement in the off the track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) and aftercare. Both grants are to help with the maintenance of GEVA's horses. GEVA is grateful and proud to be a TCA grant recipient for almost 20 years.

Former horse racing steward Pam Berg founded GEVA in 1995 and developed it on her Glen Ellen farm. In 2013, GEVA was awarded accreditation by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), which it has maintained continuously since.

At this time, all retired horses at the GEVA farm former Thoroughbreds racehorses retired from the track. However, GEVA has also been home to horses of other breeds. GEVA residents include horses sired by leading stallions such as Tapit, as well as by less notable sires. No matter what their breeding or on-track accomplishments, they all deserve a comfortable retirement.

In recognition of her work with GEVA, Berg received Dogwood Stable's Dominion Award in 2004. The award honors those in the racing industry who work to create a positive influence in the business. Berg was also honored by the Sonoma Horse Council in 2011 by being inducted into their Hall of Fame for her work providing for horses in need.

In addition to being a rescue operation, GEVA was also founded as a bilingual vocational school to teach people the skills necessary to work with horses in a safe, humane and confident manner.  Unfortunately, the school never received the funding necessary to become operational.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, GEVA depends on grant funding support from organizations like Brennan Equine Welfare Fund and Thoroughbred Charities of America, as well as the generosity of individual and corporate donors, to fund the operations that allow it to provide quality care to its deserving retired racehorse residents. For more information, follow GEVA on Facebook at @GEVAequine and on Instagram at @geva_equine or visit the GEVA website at: http://www.glenellenfarms.com/geva/.

GEVA continues to be dependent upon volunteers for hands-on help caring for the horses. Those interested in volunteering or donating can contact GEVA at gef@vom.com.

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