The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) announced today its lineup of topics and speakers for its fifth conference, which will be held as a series of four virtual sessions on 6, 13, 20, and 27 April. Each webinar will begin at 12 p.m. GMT and last approximately an hour.
The 2021 IFAR will kick off on 6 April with “Aftercare in 2021,” a session that will provide an update on IFAR’s activities from Chair Di Arbuthnot and feature perspectives from Jessica Harrington, trainer (IRE); Tik Maynard, eventer (U.S.); Graham and Anita Motion, owners, Herringswell Stable (U.S.); and Nemone Routh, racing office manager, Aga Khan Studs (FR). The discussion will be moderated by international racing broadcaster Nick Luck (U.K.).
“By hosting this year’s IFAR virtually, we are able to include participation from a greater range of aftercare advocates, experts, and regulators from around the world,” said Arbuthnot. “Each session that we have planned will offer listeners the opportunity to learn from our speakers, engage with them through a live Q&A, and share the best practices they have learned with their native racing jurisdictions.”
The remaining schedule of topics and speakers can be found below:
13 April, 2021: Aftercare for Racing Administrators and Regulators
Moderator: Caroline Searcy (AUS)
Panelists:
– Martin Burns: General Manager, Welfare & Sustainability, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing
– Simon Cooper: Director, Weatherbys, General Stud Book (U.K.)
– Dr. Anna Smet: Manager, Animal Welfare, Racing and Wagering Western Australia
20 April, 2021: Global Insights on Aftercare (Aftercare Providers, Equine Charities)
Moderator: Donna Brothers (U.S.)
– Stacie Clark: Operations Consultant, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (U.S.)
– John Osborne: Director of Equine Welfare and Bloodstock, Horse Racing Ireland
– Dr. Ignacio Pavlovsky: Veterinarian, Owner, and Breeder (ARG)
– Lisa Coffey: Founder and Director, Racing Hearts Equine Assisted Therapy (AUS)
– Kristin Werner: Senior Counsel, The Jockey Club (U.S.); Administrator, Thoroughbred Incentive Program
27 April, 2021: Aftercare for Racing Industry Participants: Owners, Breeders, and Trainers
Moderator: Francesca Cumani (U.K.)
– Mark Fisher: Kotare Bioethics Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand
– Dr. Eliot Forbes: Chief Executive Officer, AniMark Ltd. (AUS); member, IFAR Steering Committee
– Tom Reilly: Chief Executive Officer, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse
– Dr. Christopher Riggs: Director, Equine Welfare Research Foundation; Chief Advisor, Veterinary Science, The Hong Kong Jockey Club
All sessions are free, but registration is required. For more information about the conference and to register, please visit internationalracehorseaftercare.com/virtual-ifar/. Recordings of each session will be made available on the IFAR website.
IFAR has 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.
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 internationalracehorseaftercare.com.
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