The second International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will be held in conjunction with the 37th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) from May 13-18, 2018 in Seoul, South Korea. IFAR and ARC will be hosted by the Korea Racing Authority (KRA) and Asian Racing Federation (ARF).
Among the many aspects of Thoroughbred aftercare and welfare due to be addressed by speakers at next year’s forum are promotion and retraining, connecting aftercare to bettors and developing non-racing agreements for owners.
“Providing proper care for Thoroughbreds after their racing and breeding careers have ended is and should always be a priority for every racing organization in the world,” said Andrew Harding, secretary general for the Asian Racing Federation. “We look forward to sharing our best practices in that regard when the second International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) conference is held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference in Seoul in 2018.”
“The first IFAR conference, held in Washington D.C. in May, was an overwhelming success, and we are immensely proud to be hosting the second one in Seoul next year,” said the senior manager of international races for the Korea Racing Authority.
The first IFAR conference, which was held in conjunction with the Pan American Conference in Washington D.C. in May 2017, featured discussions that emphasized owner responsibility and humane treatment. A highlight video spotlighting the presentations and speakers from the IFAR conference has been released and can be viewed at internationalracehorseaftercare.com.
“Having our conference coincide with the Asian Racing Conference will enable us to once again share and learn about aftercare initiatives from the widest possible range of racing jurisdictions,” said Di Arbuthnot, chairman of IFAR and chief executive of Retraining of Racehorses. “There is no doubt in our minds that developing robust models to provide effective aftercare for racehorses is integral to growing confidence in horseracing and ensuring it is attractive to current and prospective supporters.”
Attendance at the IFAR conference is open to all racing jurisdictions, aftercare organizations and other interested parties.
The theme of the 2018 Asian Racing Conference is “Innovate, Collaborate, Transform,” and topics to be covered in addition to equine welfare include modern challenges in wagering, the rise of e-gaming and fantasy sports and racecourse management.
To receive registration information when available or to learn more on IFAR, visit internationalracehorseaftercare.com or contact registration@internationalracehorseaftercare.com
Early-bird registration for the Asian Racing Conference closes on December 31, 2017, and more information can be found at arcseoul2018.com, or contact inter@kra.co.kr.
IFAR is an independent forum that recognizes geographical and industry differences among racing countries and is designed to enhance Thoroughbred aftercare worldwide. Working with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, IFAR’s goal is to raise awareness of the importance of welfare for Thoroughbreds, improve education on lifetime care, and help increase demand for former racehorses in other equestrian sports.
