Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges

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 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...

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...

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...

The 2020/2021 racing season in Hong Kong concluded July 14, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club reporting turnover in excess of HK$130 billion (£12.1b/€14.2b/US$16.7b) for the first time. A total of 88 meetings--one more than last season--were conducted between September and July, with no programs lost to the coronavirus. The HKJC staged 835 races at Sha Tin and Happy Valley Racecourses, and took 206 races from overseas for simulcasting purposes. Total turnover was HK$136 billion, representing a 12.1% increase over last season. The HKJC is the single largest taxpayer in...

In two frustrating and financially damaging racing seasons for Ascot, there has at least been a glimmer of light gleaned from its decision in 2019 to become involved with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and the UK Tote in launching the World Pool. In that debut year, £92 million was bet into the World Pool on racing at Royal Ascot. Amid an unthinkably torrid 2020 season, in which the Royal meeting was staged behind closed doors, that figure rose to £137 million. It improved again this year: four of...

An agreement executed Friday by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) with the Guangzhou Municipal Government is set to strengthen the Club's foothold on the Chinese Mainland, with the prospect of staging "international-standard' racing at Conghua Racecourse (CRC), heretofore known as the Conghua Training Centre (CTC). Located about 200 kilometres and approximately a three-hour car trip (four hours by horse float) from Hong Kong, Conghua was opened to great fanfare in 2018. Built on 150 hectares on a site that hosted the equestrian events at the 2010 Asian Games, the...

World Pool betting will be available for the Dubai World Cup meeting on Mar. 27, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Tuesday. The 2019 Royal Ascot meeting was the first time World Pool betting was available from the HKJC and resulted in a 60% increase in turnover. During the Mar. 6 Super Saturday card in Dubai, local turnover increased 28.5% and commingled turnover rose 38.7% with World Pool wagering available. Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chief Executive Officer, said, "The commingling development in Hong Kong has...

The 2019-2020 racing calendar in Hong Kong was widely referred to as a "season like no other," and with good reason. Racing was threatened first by significant social unrest in and around Hong Kong, on one occasion, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, no more than a few kilometres from the stables at Sha Tin Racecourse. Having canceled just one meeting due to the protests, the local racing product was later confronted by COVID-19, a pandemic that shut down operations--at least for a time--at the vast majority of worldwide...