International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses Set for Seoul, South Korea; Equine Welfare Session to also be Featured

Equine welfare will be a key focus at the 37th Asian Racing Conference (ARC), to be held in Seoul, South Korea, May 13 – 18. The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will hold its second conference on Monday, May 14, in conjunction with ARC, and on Thursday, May 17, the ARC will be devoting an entire session of the conference to equine welfare.

The inaugural IFAR conference took place in conjunction with the Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., in May 2017.

The keynote address at IFAR will be delivered by Lyndon Barends, the chief executive of The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, who will discuss approaches to aftercare in South Africa.

During the ARC’s Equine Welfare session, Frances Nelson QC, the chair of Racing Australia, will talk about Australia’s initiatives involving early foal registration and the emphasis on increasing the traceability of racehorses. James L. Gagliano, president and COO of The Jockey Club, will delve into IFAR’s strategic goals and the significance of the Man O’ War Project, which aims to determine the effectiveness of equine therapy on helping military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

“We are excited to be bringing the second IFAR conference to the Asian region and we thank the Asian Racing Federation and Korea Racing Authority for hosting us as part of the ARC,” said Di Arbuthnot, the chief executive of Retraining of Racehorses and chair of the IFAR steering group. “The Thoroughbred can excel in countless roles besides racing, and our goal with this conference is to share best practices on an international scale for retraining and rehoming these horses and on marketing their tremendous versatility.”

Representatives from prominent groups such as the Korea Racing Authority, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, the Japan Racing Association, Horseback UK, the Thoroughbred Charities of America, Racing Australia, the University of Adelaide, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club will provide their perspectives and insights on Thoroughbred aftercare and welfare.

“The care of Thoroughbreds at all stages of their lives is rightfully a prominent issue in racing industries around the world, and we are expecting the IFAR conference and Equine Welfare session to serve as collaborative think-tanks at this year’s ARC,” said Andrew Harding, secretary-general of the Asian Racing Federation. “I anticipate constructive dialogue that continues to promote and achieve effective approaches to handling aftercare and overall welfare in racing jurisdictions large and small.”

“The first IFAR conference was a great success and effectively promoted the talent and adaptability of the Thoroughbred for careers beyond the racetrack,” said Gagliano. “I look forward to sharing progress that has been made in American aftercare efforts and new ways in which Thoroughbreds are being utilized after retirement as well as learning about welfare strategies that are working internationally.”

For more information about the Asian Racing Conference and to register, visit: arcseoul2018.com.

For more information on IFAR, visit: internationalracehorseaftercare.com