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International Federation Of Horseracing Authorities Publish Minimum Horse Welfare Standards

The Horse Welfare Committee of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) has produced guidance on standards for the care and welfare of horses at different times of their life, which is in line with its terms of reference that include promoting best practice, harmonization and information exchange across racing nations. Titled “IFHA Minimum Horse Welfare Standards”, this paper complements recent reforms which will ensure the traceability of horses from their foal stage through into retirement and beyond.

Racing authorities should refer to this guidance to establish accepted horse welfare practices in their jurisdiction and to set minimum standards of participant behavior, including behavioral change where necessary.

“The IFHA affirms the central role of the horse in racing, and accordingly, regards the health and welfare of racehorses, in all stages of life, to be fundamentally important to the viability and sustainability of the industry,” said IFHA Chairman Louis Romanet. “The Executive Council of the Federation endorses this IFHA Minimum Horse Welfare Standards document and I want to thank our Horse Welfare Committee Chairman Jamie Stier for leading the efforts to produce this useful and practical guide for racing authorities.”

The IFHA's Horse Welfare Committee has prepared these standards, in part, by basing them upon sections of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) “Thoroughbred Welfare Assessment Guidelines” (October 2019) which were developed by NZTR with the assistance of Professor Emeritus David Mellor, Foundation Director of the Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre at Massey University, New Zealand.

In conjunction with the publication of the IFHA Minimum Horse Welfare Standards, a short video and podcast have been produced, featuring Mr Stier, who is also the Executive General Manager, Integrity Services, Racing Victoria, along with the aforementioned Mellor, and Dr Lynn Hillyer, Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Anti-Doping for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. The panel was moderated by esteemed British racing presenter Rishi Persad.

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IFHA: Owners A Chief Concern Internationally As COVID-19 Pandemic Continues

As racing jurisdictions around the world continue to wade through the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic, international authorities agree that one of the biggest concerns they have is keeping owners engaged during this unpredictable time.

The 54th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities concluded last week with its fourth and final digital session asking racing authorities to look to the future after a rollercoaster year that saw racing suspended or altered in most places.

The biggest theme across two virtual panels was a concern about whether owners would remain engaged during a time when their ability to attend races or workouts has been limited in most places. Economic hardship has come to many people of course, which may also factor into a reduced interest in spending money buying, racing, or breeding horses.

A shrinking international foal crop was already a worry, especially for places like Hong Kong, which relies completely on imports to sustain its racing population. The pandemic has put a more glaring spotlight on the potential ramifications of this continued shrinkage. Of course, the full effects of the pandemic can't be felt for several more years, and panelists said they didn't necessarily expect to see drastic changes for the 2021 foal crop. As the years go on however, tracks and regulatory authorities will need to make changes to keep field sizes sustainable and the wagering product attractive if the population shrinks.

Tracks which rely on high-attendance events should be particularly cautious of the future, also — it's possible that even once a vaccine is developed for the novel coronavirus, some people may be wary of gathering in groups of thousands. Panelists from Britain and Hong Kong agreed that in the meantime, they believe it's important to show customers stuck at home that they take public health seriously and to instill a sense of trust before they actually ask them to come back to the facility in large numbers.

Catch a replay of the two panels below.

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IFHA: International Trainers, Jockeys Reflect On Working During A Pandemic

The 54th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), continued today with a discussion on participating and working in racing during the on-going pandemic.

The IFHA Conference is typically held in-person in Paris, France, the day after the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), but in light of COVID-19, this year it is being conducted as a series of videos released during the first two weeks of October.

The third session was introduced by IFHA Vice-Chairman Brian Kavanagh, who is the chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland. Rishi Persad then moderated a panel featuring leading trainers and jockeys from around the globe. The pre-recorded Zoom discussion included trainers Charlie Appleby (Great Britain), Ger Lyons (Ireland), and Chris Waller (Australia) as well as jockeys Hollie Doyle (Great Britain) and Zac Purton (Hong Kong).

This international panel of trainers and jockeys discussed their experiences participating in racing during a pandemic, including the challenges surrounding staffing and how they are meeting the needs of owners. In addition, they offered commentary and feedback to racing administrators on concerns they have going forward as well as provided insight on the impact the pandemic and its restrictions have had on the mental health of both humans and horses.

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IFHA: COVID-19 Has Demanded Creativity, Yielded Innovation For Racing Broadcasters

The second of four digital panels of the 54th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities was released last week and focused on the evolution of racing media in the time of COVID-19

The conference, organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), normally takes place in person in Paris the day after the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. This year's conference program focuses on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the international racing world. In this digital panel, broadcast media members were asked about the way their outlets have adapted to a socially distanced racetrack.

A few takeaways from the panel of media experts:

In Britain, viewership that would normally spike for main events and decrease for more pedestrian race days in between has remained more consistent throughout the past months, according to ITV's Francesca Cumani. It's hard to tell what this may mean, but Cumani hopes it's a sign fans are becoming more engaged with racing as they've had more time to devote to watching a horse prepare for a classic run.
In Japan, Japan Racing Association's Shigeru Suzuki said the country has seen a drastic increase in new account sign-ups for online wagering platforms. The number of registrants increased by 250,000 compared to pre-pandemic numbers, bringing the total to 4.7 million users. Suzuki also said the Green Channel, normally a pay-per-view way to watch the races at home, has been made available free of charge (though the online app is still paid). Total turnover in Japan year over year is similar to 2019 despite the lack of fan access during COVID-19.

Rob Hyland of NBC Sports said that although the disappearance of fans from the racetracks took away some of the magic from big races like the Kentucky Derby, the channel did its best to expand its use of technology to bring the fan experience to viewers at home. Capturing ambient sound became a bigger priority, now that conversations between riders and the sounds of horses galloping could be heard without background noise. More jockeys at this year's major races were wearing microphones and cameras. These extra points of access enabled remote analysis from anchors who were covering the race from out of state. The restrictions on media attendance also forced NBC to be more efficient — NBC's crew is normally over 300 for the Kentucky Derby, while this year it was less than 100.
In some ways, the silence at racetracks enhances the experience — Jason Richardson of Channel 7 and Racing.com recalled a moment when a jockey got a first Group 1 victory at Royal Randwick. Because there were no crowds shouting at the wire, Richardson was able to hear a group of jockeys behind the winner cheer for their colleague as the race finished.
In Australia, Channel 7 has brought the experience of celebrating owners to its viewers by asking ownership groups to film themselves watching the races or providing recordings of Zoom parties they use to virtually gather and watch races. Their energy doesn't translate exactly the same way, but still elevates the production, according to Richardson.
Cumani said that as racing has returned in Britain, broadcasters have had to be mindful of public perception when sending out images from the track. As happy as racing media were to be back, they had to be sensitive to the fact that daily life in the country remained disrupted.
“In England I think there's a big danger that racing is is seen as an elitist endeavor, and why should racing continue when other things can't?” she said.

Katherine Ford of Equidia and Sky Sports Racing echoed those sentiments from her viewpoint in France, agreeing that camera operators had to be careful not to inadvertently film someone who had pulled down their mask temporarily for a cigarette or a drink, lest viewers think racing personnel or racegoers were not masking properly. Hyland agreed, citing camera framing choices on Kentucky Oaks Day for some presenters whose backdrops were chosen so that the physical distancing between themselves and others would be clear to viewers.
Hyland recalled preparing for this year's Kentucky Derby weekend, when he tried to have more racing participants than usual wearing microphones for ambient sound. Trainer Bob Baffert, who Hyland characterizes as a bit superstitious, declined to wear one on Oaks Day since he felt confident about his chances with Gamine, worrying it would jinx him. He did agree to wear one for the Derby, where he felt less confident in his contenders. Of course, that meant NBC ended up with audio of his emotional reaction during Authentic's run.

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