David Sykes will step down from his role as the British Horseracing Authority's Director of Equine Health and Welfare before the end of the year. He will return to his native Australia for family reasons.
Since joining the BHA in 2017, Sykes has been involved in the development of the Horse Welfare Board; the handling of the 2019 equine flu outbreak; the publication of a detailed review of safety and welfare at the Cheltenham Festival; the implementation of 30-day foal notifications and changes to the ways in which retired racehorses are notified and traced; greater alignment and coordination of industry bodies on welfare policies; led discussions globally on the use of substances like bisphosphonates and altrenogest; and the introduction of more efficient and comprehensive anti-doping testing policies.
Nick Rust, chief executive officer of the BHA, said, “David has made a fantastic contribution to British racing over the last three years. His track record speaks for itself in achieving so much in a relatively short period of time and he will be greatly missed. We are grateful that David will continue to stay on for the time being while we carry out the difficult task of looking for his successor.”
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