The 10th Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit will take place June 22, 2022, in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation announced Feb. 28. The previous summit, held in June 2020, was a virtual webinar due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The event will be free and open to the public as well as being streamed online. The agenda will include a review of the Thoroughbred industry's implementation of safety recommendations developed at the first summit in 2006 as well as a presentation by Dr. Tim Parkin on the latest statistics from the Equine Injury Database. The full program and list of speakers will be announced at a later date.
“This year marks 16 years since the first Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit, and our 10th edition of this event will showcase the progress our industry has made during that time as well as areas of safety and welfare that continue to require our attention,” said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. “Keeneland has been a committed partner with us from the beginning, and we are thankful for their hospitality as well as their recognition of the importance of the summit to the Thoroughbred industry.”
Added Keeneland President and Chief Executive Officer Shannon Arvin: “Keeneland is a firm believer in promoting the safety and welfare of our human and equine athletes. The accomplishments of the previous summits are a testament to the value of this gathering, and Keeneland is proud to support it.”
Among the major accomplishments that have evolved from the previous nine summits are the Equine Injury Database; the Jockey Injury Database; the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory; a uniform trainer test and study guide; the racing surfaces white paper and publication of educational bulletins for track maintenance; the publication of stallion durability statistics; the Hoof: Inside and Out DVD, available in English and Spanish; protocols for horses working off of the veterinarian's list; recommended regulations that void the claim of horses suffering injuries during a race; and inclement weather protocols.
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