Delegates from 40 different countries gathered in Paris Oct. 3 for the 56th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, which was the first in-person gathering after two years of virtual meetings.
Integrity and fan engagement were two key issues addressed by speakers throughout the conference's program.
"Integrity lies at the foundation of our sport and must inform every decision that we make," said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chair of the IFHA, during his opening remarks. "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 emphasizes that all industry players need to adapt quickly to emerging technologies and behaviors."
Throughout the day, presentations were made on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority in the United States, broadening horse racing's appeal globally, addressing climate change through sport, and lessons learned during the pandemic.
Commenting on HISA, which launched its safety initiatives July 1, Engelbrecht-Bresges stated: "The introduction of HISA represents a monumental shift in the regulatory approach to racing in the U.S. Clearly, the Federation welcomes this approach, as it strives to pursue its key objective of international harmonization of racing rules. It is significant that the U.S. authorities have taken reference to the International Agreement in the development of their regulations, demonstrating the impact and influence of the Federation in shaping and supporting the highest standards of integrity in all jurisdictions."
"The American Jockey Club will continue to use our human and financial resources to protect the integrity of the game and to grow the sport," said Stuart S. Janney III, chairman of the U.S. Jockey Club, during the conference's first session. "We enthusiastically support the work of HISA."
Lisa Lazarus, CEO of HISA, then provided an overview on the establishment of HISA, its current challenges, and its future plans.
Following the HISA conversation, an interview of Tony Parker by Rishi Persad focused on fan engagement. They were followed by an in-person panel featuring Emmanuel Vacher, the chief marketing officer of the Pari Mutuel Urbain (French state-controlled betting system), and Julien Levilain, manager director of Buzzman, the ad agency responsible for a number of PMU campaigns, continued to look into innovative ways to widen interest in the sport.
"Everyone, the vision they have of horse racing is that it's for billionaires," said Parker. "They think normal people can't come into the horse world. It really is the total opposite. How can we change that image and get everyone involved? Use social media and try to do different stuff. I want to bring something different and try to make it more fun for younger people for people to come and watch horse racing.
"My friends, because I am on social media, they are like, 'Okay, how do you go into this world?' If you are worried about it or you think it's too much money, just start with 5%. Go slow and you can learn the horse world. We have to do a lot more if we want a bigger audience. You have to go to them and promote it."
Later panels included Clarisse Magnin-Mallez, senior partner at McKinsey, and Brant Dunshea, the British Horseracing Authority's chief regulatory officer and Project Executive Sponsor for the report on Environmental and Sustainability in British Horseracing, who presented on climate change.
"Global interest on sustainability in sports has been following an upward trend even before COVID-19," said Magnin-Mallez. "The sporting industry has a unique opportunity to shape a credible story of sustainability. They need to enable consumers to make the right choice, even though financially it might not pay off yet."
Additionally, the impacts of COVID-19 were discussed by Masayuki Goto, president and CEO of the Japan Racing Association; Vee Moodley, CEO of The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa; and Daniel Krüger, managing director, Deutscher Galopp e.V. (Germany).
"The most important thing JRA has experienced through the pandemic is that the value chain of racing's cycle must not stop," said Goto. "If any one of the cycles of breeding, breaking, training, and racing is missing, the whole wheel comes to a stop. So, racing authorities need to give priority on how to keep this cycle running and to take appropriate measures according to the situation."
Near the end of the conference, Carly Dixon, executive general manager of Stakeholder, Customer & Corporate Affairs, Racing Victoria, presented on the upcoming 39th Asian Racing Conference, which will be held in Melbourne in February 2023.
During the General Assembly, Engelbrecht-Bresges took the opportunity to commend the Laboratory of Racing Chemistry once again in becoming the sixth IFHA Reference Laboratory, with a presentation of the appointment certificate to Goto, who accepted on behalf of the LRC.
The conference also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September at the age of 96. As one of the sport's finest ambassadors, she was an ardent supporter of international racing and visited many of the world's greatest racecourses.
A live video stream of the Open Forum of the International Conference of Horseracing Authorities will be available on the IFHA's website. A replay of the live video stream and presentations will be available in the days following the event.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
