IFHA

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges was unanimously elected President of the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) at the online IHSC General Assembly on Apr. 22. The third president of the organisation that was founded in 2013, he succeeds FEI President Ingmar De Vos. Engelbrecht-Bresges, who will serve a two-year term, said, "I am very grateful to be elected President of the IHSC and must pay tribute to Ingmar, whose leadership at the helm of the Confederation has been significantly important and impactful for global horse sport. "I would also like to pay tribute...

Dominic Gardiner-Hill, Head of Handicapping for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), has succeeded Phil Smith as Co-Chairman of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee, announced during a meeting of the Executive Council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Mar. 29. The IFHA Executive Council unanimously endorsed Gardiner-Hill's nomination by the European Pattern Committee (EPC). He joins Nigel Gray as Co-Chairman of the Committee. Smith served as Co-Chairman since 2014. Gardiner-Hill joined the BHA in 1993. After serving as the Deputy Head of Handicapping, Dominic took over as...

The International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) General Assembly has unanimously elected Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as the new IHSC Vice-President. Engelbrecht-Bresges had previously served as the standing representative of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) in the IHSC General Assembly. Also the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC)'s Chief Executive Officer since 2007, Engelbrecht-Bresges is the Chair of the IFHA and the Chairman of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF). "Winfried's expertise in the horse racing industry has been of great value to the work of the IHSC, as is his commitment to...

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter) was named the Longines World's Best Racehorse of 2021 during a virtual ceremony of the Longines World Racing Awards presented from the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England on Tuesday. Also during the ceremony, the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe--won last year by Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger})--was announced as the Longines World's Best Horse Race of 2021, and Ryan Moore was celebrated as the Longines World's Best Jockey. The 6-year-old Knicks Go earned a rating of...

The 2021 Longines World Racing Awards ceremony will be held virtually on Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. GMT. The show, which will be hosted by Francesca Cumani from the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket for the second straight year, will honour the Longines World's Best Racehorse, the Longines World's Best Horse Race and the Longines World's Best Jockey of 2021. Ryan Moore has already been revealed as last year's World's Best Jockey, while the other award winners will be revealed during the event. The IFHA's annual list of the...

The Longines World Racing Awards will be held virtually for the second straight year on Jan. 25. The Longines World's Best Racehorse and World's Best Horse Race will be revealed during the ceremony, and Ryan Moore, the 2021 Longines World's Best Jockey, will be honoured. The ninth edition of the ceremony will be released on multiple digital platforms including the social media accounts of Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, which collaborate to organise the event.

Ryan Moore has won the title of 2021 Longines World's Best Jockey with 112 points. He was a previous recipient of the award in 2014 and 2016. This year, Moore won six qualifying races-from the world's top 100 Group or Grade 1s--aboard five different horses in four countries. His qualifying races are as follows: Longines Hong Kong Vase (Mogul {GB}), G1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (Extravagant Kid), Prince of Wales's S. (Love {Ire}), Diamond Jubilee S. (Dream of Dreams {Ire}), Coral-Eclipse (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), and Irish...

The Niarchos Family was awarded the 2021 Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit at Del Mar during the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Champions on Friday, Nov. 5. Started in 2013 by Longines and the IFHA and given to horsemen and horsewomen who make lifelong contributions to Thoroughbred racing, the award was accepted by Maria Niarchos-Gouaze on behalf of her family. More than 125 Group or Grade 1 winners have been bred and/or campaigned under their banner, and they have been long-time supporters of the Breeders' Cup. Representatives from Longines,...

The International Conference of Horseracing Authorities was held virtually in 2021 for the second consecutive year owing to challenges presented by the global pandemic, and speakers during the 55th edition of the conference-organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities--examined racing's global evolution and future challenges. The conference in its entirety can be accessed via the video link above or as a podcast. Allen Hershkowitz, environmental science advisor to the New York Yankees and founding director and chairman of Sports and Sustainability International, spoke about the threats presented by climate...

Saudi Arabia's $20-million Saudi Cup has been awarded Group 1 status beginning in 2022 it was announced during Monday's virtual meeting of the Executive Council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). The move follows the promotion of both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain from Part III to Part II of the ICS Book by the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC). In addition, the Neom Turf Cup, Saudi Derby, STC 1,351 Turf Sprint, Riyadh Dirt Sprint and Red Sea Turf, as well as Bahrain's Bahrain International Trophy...

The 2021 International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), will be held virtually for the second year in a row on Oct. 4. This year's focus will be on global racing's evolution and future challenges, with the conference digitally released on Oct. 7. New IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges will give the keynote speech, as well as several panel discussions. Some of the topics to be covered in this year's conference include: digitalisation and media; equine welfare; and climate change and sustainability. Rishi Persad...

Louis Romanet will retire as chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities in October, and will be succeeded by Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who was elected by the IFHA's executive council. Romanet has served as chairman of the IFHA since its inception in 1994 in Paris. Going forward, the IFHA will be supported by a global management team that will be announced in October. The IFHA executive council also elected four Vice Chairs: Jockey Club President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Gagliano and outgoing Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh...