International Federation of Horseracing Authorities

International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' advisor Dr. Roland Devolz has died at the age of 83, France Galop announced on Wednesday. A veterinarian, he joined the Societe d'Encouragement pour l'Amelioration des Races de Chevaux de Courses in the early 1970s when recruited by Jean Romanet. Besides working for the Societe d'Encouragement, he was invaluable in the implementation of a modernized anti-doping control through the creation of the horse racing laboratory, based on the approach initiated by Dr. Yves Bonnaire. Also one of the greatest experts of the Stud Book, Devolz...

A new equine anti-doping and medication control initiative was announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) on Thursday. The initiative underpins their commitment to the regulation of medicine use and zero tolerance of doping in horse racing on both sides of the Irish Sea. The IHRB and BHA are now formally conducting joint out-of-competition-testing operations across both jurisdictions. These inspections started this week with almost 250 samples taken from more than 120 horses that are entered for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival in an...

A memorandum of agreement, with an eye toward improving the Thoroughbred industry through collaboration, has been signed by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and the International Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation (ITBF), the two organisations announced on Thursday. The global leaders for Thoroughbred racing and breeding will work together on matters of mutual interest which impact the breeding industry. Through a dedicated working party of senior officials that represents members' interests from around the world, the two federations will meet regularly to discuss ideas, share information, provide expert advice, and...

The first edition of the International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ) since the Covid-19 pandemic began was held at Auteuil Racecourse in Paris on Thursday, Sept. 28. Topics of the conference featured presentations and panels on concussions, spinal injuries, and mental health and psychological fitness before concluding with recently retired third-generation jockey Tom Scudamore providing his reflections on the conference. Tom Stanley served as moderator. The conference began with a presentation on management of concussion by Dr. Jerry Hill, Chief Medical Adviser, British Horseracing Authority...

The in-person 2022 Longines World Racing Awards will be held at Banqueting House in London, England on Jan. 17, 2023, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) announced on Friday. The 10th edition of the ceremony will honour the highest-rated horses in the 2022 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings as well as the Longines World's Best Horse Race. Connections of the winners will receive Longines timepieces. The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are established by international handicappers according to the performance of the horses in top races. The highest-rated race...

The 56th International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Conference was held Monday in Paris and the focus was on key challenges and opportunities, including the issues of integrity and fan engagement, facing the industry around the globe. "Integrity lies at the foundation of our sport and must inform every decision that we make," said IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. "The pandemic has inherently changed the way that fans and punters enjoy and participate in horse racing. A good digital customer experience is key, and the general trend of digital evolution further...

The International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), will return as an in-person event in Paris, France on Oct. 3. Held virtually for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference's topics to be covered include the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) in the United States, broadening horse racing's appeal globally, addressing climate change through sport, and lessons learned from the pandemic. "As the first in-person conference in three years, this event convenes at a critical junction of our...

The Laboratory of Racing Chemistry, Japan (LRC) is now the sixth fully appointed IFHA Reference Laboratory following the approval of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Reference Laboratory Appointment Committee (RLAC). The LRC was granted a provisional appointment as an IFHA Reference Laboratory in July of 2021, and its on-site assessment took place in June of 2022. "I want to commend the Laboratory of Racing Chemistry for its hard work, diligence and patience in becoming an IFHA Reference Laboratory," said Reference Laboratory Appointment Committee (RLAC) Chair Andrew Harding. "This...

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.

Full fields. Harmonized rules. Modernized wagering systems and protocols. Transparent officiating. Can these be the future of North American horse racing, and of the greater sport around the world? "Our customers, the bettors, must be at the center of everything we do," Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges told the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation (TIF) last week. "This approach applies to everything we do as a sport. Customers must be satisfied with our approach to horse welfare, to harmonizing betting rules, interference rules, the race schedule we...