Racing Foundation

HEROS has become the new primary partner for British horseracing's official welfare charity, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR). The aftercare and retraining specialist centre in Oxfordshire will provide specialist care and support for horses at their first step out of racing beginning in August. The appointment marks an important milestone in the collective establishment of racing's responsibility, and an expansion of the industry's safety net, which has been led by The Horse Welfare Board and RoR. Established and led by Grace Muir, the HEROS charity has rehomed more than 700 ex-racehorses...

Women in Racing and Kindred Group (Unibet), supported by the Racing Foundation, will officially introduce the 'Racing Home' project at Kempton Park from 3-5 p.m. on July 6. Free and open to all industry staff, the event recognises the first motherhood/parenthood portal as part of their ongoing project to educate and empower all stakeholders within the horseracing industry. Employers, employees and those who are self-employed now have easy access to information about rights and entitlements regarding pregnancy, maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, flexible working, self-employment and statutory pay. To...

The summary findings and recommendations from an independent assessment of environmental sustainability across British racing and breeding were published on Tuesday. Commissioned by the Executive Committee of British racing and funded by the Racing Foundation to help support and inform, the report was commissioned to aid in the industry's long-term planning. Produced by White Griffin, it recommends that British racing takes a 'co-ordinated, industry-wide approach' to mitigating the risks and realising the opportunities related to climate change and sustainability. Several key points covered include carbon emissions, water availability, the impact...

The Riding A Dream Academy has been awarded three years' funding by the Racing Foundation to expand its programmes. The year-long Khadijah Mellah Scholarship for talented riders and a rider-based Residential Week which acts as an introduction to British horse racing is already operating under the Riding A Dream Academy umbrella. Plans for the expansion include a non-rider Residential Week to cater for the large numbers of young people who have applied, but lacked access to horses and sufficient riding experience, and Regional Weeks to take the Academy out to...

'Racing Home', an online platform for educating and empowering racing's employers, employees and the self-employed, was launched by Women in Racing with support from the Racing Foundation, Kindred Group and the latter's flagship brand Unibet on Wednesday. The website focuses on motherhood/parenthood and providing easy access to information about rights and entitlements regarding pregnancy, maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, flexible working, self-employment and statutory pay. Women in Racing Chair, Tallulah Lewis, said, "Women in Racing are incredible proud to be launching the Racing Home Project with three key initiatives...

Oshane, a 16-year-old from South East London, became the first student from the Riding A Dream Academy to graduate from the British Racing School's Foundation course. He learned his craft at the Ebony Horse Club in Brixton, and then joined the Foundation Course last December. Oshane was also one of the first students on the Academy's Khadijah Mellah Scholarship programme. The Riding A Dream Academy is funded by the Racing Foundation. "I loved the scholarship and really enjoyed the Foundation Course, but it was a lot of hard work," said...

Applications are now open for the second Residential Week of the Riding A Dream Academy. Aimed at supporting talented young riders aged 14-18 from under-represented communities, diverse backgrounds and those that ride at urban equestrian centres, the Academy is funded by the Racing Foundation. It was set up after Khadijah Mellah's win in the Magnolia Cup at Goodwood when she became the first British Muslim woman to win a UK horserace. The Residential Week is an introduction to British horse racing and will be held at the British Racing School...

An initial assessment of British racing's progress on environmental sustainability, initiated and funded by the Racing Foundation, has been commissioned by British racing's leaders. The aim is to build a clearer overall picture of current environmental activities and expertise across racing and breeding-establishing what's already being done, where there's potential to go further, and how this could be achieved. It will also identify the key sustainability issues, risks, and opportunities for racing. The scoping assessment is likely to cover several areas of environmental sustainability, including CO2 emissions, decarbonisation and renewable...

The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) and the Racing Foundation took top honours in the Innovation; Initiatives and Products Award Category at the British Association for Sustainable Sport (BASIS) Awards at the Kia Oval Cricket Ground on Oct. 19. Their project, The Environmental Impact of Stud Farms Assessment, was funded by the Racing Foundation and instigated by the TBA's Environmental Sustainability Working Group. The goal of the group is to collaborate on grassland management practices that enhance air and water quality and soil health, mitigate flood risk and increase biodiversity, while...

The British Racing School has developed a support programme for horse racing businesses and charities interested in employing an individual under the government-funded Kickstart scheme. Kickstart provides funding to create new jobs for 16- to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment which covers 100% of the National Minimum Wage for 25 hours per week for six months plus £1,500 per employee for setup costs. The BRS has launched a coordinated approach supported by the Racing Foundation and the Resume Foundation to help employers in racing...

Mike Etherington-Smith, Helena Flynn and Stephen Wensley were all appointed to the Horse Welfare Board, the HWB announced on Wednesday. The trio, whose roles will be funded by the Racing Foundation, will work across racing to coordinate the implementation of the Horse Welfare Strategy and will be accountable to Barry Johnson, the HWB's independent chair. Racing Foundation CEO Rob Hezel was directly involved in the recruitment process. Etherington-Smith, who has designed multiple Olympic event courses, will be the Equine Safety Advisor. Helena Flynn has been named Programme Director and Stephen...

The first National Racehorse Week, a celebration of racehorses throughout the UK, will be held from Sept. 12-19. The aim is to highlight the levels of care provided by trainers and grooms and tout the equine athletes who make the sport possible. Henry Cecil Open Weekend in Newmarket and the ARC Malton Open Day start the week, with the Epsom and Middleham Open Days held on the second weekend. Trainers are encouraged nationwide to open their yards to the public. There will also be a programme of virtual events, as...