For the first time, the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will feature an onsite visit to a Thoroughbred aftercare facility during its conference. On Tuesday, 14 February, Spring Creek Equine will host IFAR participants in the morning, while the forum, which will be moderated by renowned media personality Caroline Searcy, will take place in the afternoon.
“With record registrations, we are on track for our biggest ever IFAR conference,” said Dr. Eliot Forbes, Chair of the Conference Organising Committee. “The full day program, including the visit to Spring Creek Equine, will provide delegates with an end-to-end appreciation of the diversity of approaches undertaken in racehorse aftercare around the world.”
The seventh IFAR conference will take place in conjunction with the 39th Asian Racing Conference (ARC), organized by the Asian Racing Federation (ARF). The ARC is scheduled for 14-19 February 2023, in Melbourne, Australia, and will be hosted by Racing Victoria (RV). All ARC delegates are invited to attend the IFAR conference. For those wishing only to take part in the IFAR forum, they may do so by paying a fee of AUD50 and registering here.
Transportation will be provided to Spring Creek Equine, which is located in the Yarra Valley, approximately 50 kilometers from Melbourne. Founders Samantha Cesnik and Chris Height are RV Acknowledged Retrainers and are also involved in RV’s RESET (Racehorse Evaluation Support Education and Training) Program.
“Spring Creek Equine is very excited to showcase our work with Racing Victoria’s Off The Track Program to an international audience who are also committed to the welfare of racehorses post racing,” said Cesnik. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to show our trainable, athletic team of Thoroughbreds to the IFAR delegates.”
The tour will begin with a meet and greet, followed by a walkthrough of the stables and indoor arena where participants will be able to observe the facility’s water treadmill in action. Next, in the outdoor arena, equine athletes Quick Justice and Rossatin will demonstrate retraining practices such as groundwork, flatwork, pole work, and jumping at both basic and advanced levels. Following that presentation, cross country work will be in the spotlight, featuring former racehorses Tata Ma Pick and Bertone. Additionally, a light lunch sponsored by Godolphin will be served, while the Spring Creek team answers questions from the delegates.
“We love working with the team from RV’s Off The Track Program on these projects to further the knowledge of after racing and continue to improve outcomes for Thoroughbreds,” said Height.
Delegates will then return to Melbourne for the afternoon portion of the conference. The forum’s keynote address will be delivered by Tim Gilbert, the host of Racing Dreams, and the sessions will include such topics as new models for industry cooperation; training for success on and off the track; practical tools to screen for temperament and the importance of transition training; and realising athletic potential. The entire conference program is available here.
The IFAR conference will be receiving assistance from the Japan Racing Association (JRA), which has entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement to support the activities of the organization.
Prior to the virtual conference series in 2022 and 2021, IFAR had previously been held in conjunction with the 38th ARC in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2020; the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation’s General Assembly in Oslo, Norway, in May 2019; the ARC in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2018; and the Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., in May 2017.
For more information about the 39th ARC, please visit https://arcmelbourne2023.com.
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 https://www.internationalracehorseaftercare.com.
International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses