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Friday, February 18, 2022Contact: Andrew Chesser (859) 224-2741
International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses to Again Host Virtual Series in April 2022

The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) announced today that it will be hosting its sixth forum as a series of two virtual webinars in April. The sessions, which will include a combination of prerecorded content and live discussions, will be held on 5 and 19 April at 12 p.m. BST (11 a.m. GMT) and will each last approximately two hours. Recordings of the events will be made available on the IFAR website. The 2021 IFAR conference was also held virtually in a similar format. IFAR is partnering with the Japan Racing Association (Japanese Consultative Committee on Aftercare of Racehorses) to put on this year’s event.

With a conference theme of “Many paths – One goal,” expected topics to be covered during these sessions include traceability, transitioning horses off the racetrack and assessing suitability for other careers, the use of Thoroughbreds in unique careers, responsibility in making end-of-life decisions, and the next generation’s perspective on aftercare. The full list of topics and speakers, as well as registration information, will be announced at a later date.

“After the positive feedback from last year’s virtual IFAR, our team is excited to host another virtual series that will be easily accessible to anyone who works with or benefits from the Thoroughbred,” said Di Arbuthnot, chair of IFAR. “The theme we have chosen for this year’s forum highlights the wide diversity of paths after racing, all with the consistent goal that the welfare of the horse is paramount. The topics assembled will be of interest to all stakeholders in the Thoroughbred industry, and we are assembling an expert group of speakers to discuss these issues.”

Prior to the virtual conference series in 2021, IFAR had previously been held in conjunction with the Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2020; the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation’s General Assembly in Oslo, Norway, in May 2019; the Asian Racing Conference in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2018; and the Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., in May 2017.

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 will 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. For more information on IFAR, visit internationalracehorseaftercare.com.