U.S. Racing Investigators Inaugurate Exchange With Ireland And England

Over the next fortnight, board members of the Organization of Racing Investigators (ORI) will participate in a new exchange program, which features an intensive tour of hallowed racing sites in Ireland and England.

“The new program is a continued effort by the ORI to exchange tradecraft and weigh how integrity is protected in different countries across the world,” said ORI's immediate past chairman Jason Klouser.

The small group, which includes Klouser, Tyler Durand, J.C. Jaramillo, Juan Estrada and David Duncan, will make stops at The Curragh, Leopardstown and Coolmore. Fellow ORI representative Chris Gordon, the Head of Security & Investigations for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, serves as host.

During the next leg of the trip, members will liaise with ORI's John Burgess, the Head of Integrity for the British Horseracing Authority, who will give them a behind-the-scenes look at how his integrity teams operate during the Royal Meeting at Ascot. A yard inspection and tour of the National Stud are also on the itinerary.

BHA Integrity Team | courtesy of Tim Miller

This year's inaugural exchange is sponsored by the Breeders' Cup, the Keeneland Association, the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP), the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Hanover Shoe Farm.

“The Breeders' Cup is very pleased to continue to promote not only best in class standards for equine security and investigations, but also universal comprehension and implementation of best practices from those that are responsible for its success,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer for the Breeders' Cup. “The safety, security, and integrity of the Breeders' Cup World Championships is priority number one and we are privileged to collaborate with esteemed global partners who share the vision of upholding the highest standards in the industry.”

Future trips are in the works as ORI will offer travel opportunities to its membership, so they can see firsthand what the rest of the world is implementing.

“Horse racing is a multi-breed, international industry,” said Russell Williams, President of Hanover Shoe Farm. “By establishing new international contacts and exchanging ideas, regulatory investigators can profoundly improve integrity and safety in racing.”