Horseracing Industry Conference takes place in London
Delivered in partnership with The Racing Foundation, the 2020 Horseracing Industry Conference took place in London on Tuesday 18 February.
Attended by leaders and key organisations from within the horseracing sector, this annual conference explores how research can be used to help tackle some of the issues the industry faces.
Discussions throughout the day were based around the findings of higher education researchers, some of which are recent graduates of the Management School’s Thoroughbred Horseracing Industries MBA (THIMBA).
Topics explored included; the performance of breeze up horses, the suitability of former racehorses for use in equine therapy, post-race heat stress, leadership in racing, the experiences of young adults in horseracing and the current staffing crisis within the industry.
As well as the parallel sessions, attendees heard keynote speeches from Alan Switzer (Director in the Sports Business Group, Deloitte), Simon Bazaglette (Independent NED, EFL/Development Board Member, The Roundhouse/Global Advisory Board Member, SkillSonics International), and Martin Fewell (Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, British horseracing Authority).
Annamarie Phelps (British Horseracing Authority Chair) also gave an industry update.
Neil Coster, THIMBA Director of Studies, said "The conference provides a great opportunity for our MBA graduates to present their research projects. This year, it was also fantastic to get an update on one of the 2018 projects and, see how this had lead to further research on mental health issues and delivered an action plan to improve services provided by Racing Welfare."
Rob Hezel, Chief Executive of Racing Foundation, said "The conference goes from strength to strength and helps showcase research and its importance for informed decision making.
With the industry facing challenging times over funding, staffing and welfare perceptions, it is critical that we continue to invest in education and research that can help to underpin the right choices. The importance of the MBA programme and our partnership with Liverpool University has never been greater."
