The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced the advertisement for a new Chair for the sport’s Horse Welfare Board alongside three independent roles, as part of its continued commitment to upholding the highest standards of equine welfare across British racing.
These appointments, once confirmed, will come into effect in June and will play a pivotal role in both shaping and delivering the next phase of British racing’s equine welfare strategy.
Alongside the Chair and three new independent members, the Horse Welfare Board will continue to include expert representation from within racing, the details of whom will be confirmed later in the year. Once in place, the refreshed board will work in partnership with the BHA and stakeholders across British racing and will liaise with external bodies and scientific experts as required to help drive progress.
Brant Dunshea, Acting CEO, BHA said: “The welfare of our horses is at the heart of everything we do in British racing. Over the last five years, the sport’s A Life Well Lived strategy has helped drive forward continuous improvements across safety, traceability, data, and aftercare. Later this year we will deliver the next iteration of our equine welfare strategy, which will continue to be overseen by an independently chaired board.
“These key appointments to the Horse Welfare Board will ensure that we continue to evolve, drive best practices, and maintain the trust of the public and our stakeholders. We are seeking experienced and passionate individuals who can make a meaningful impact on the future of horse welfare.”
Barry Johnson, outgoing Chairman of the Horse Welfare Board, added: “It has been a privilege to lead the Horse Welfare Board across the full five years of racing’s A Life Well Lived strategy, a period where we have seen significant progress in activity to enhance equine welfare. However, there is always more to be done, and strong leadership is vital to ensure continuous improvement.
“This recruitment process presents an exciting opportunity for new voices to shape the future of welfare in our industry. I encourage individuals who are passionate about horse welfare to apply and contribute to this important work.”
The Horse Welfare Board will continue to play a pivotal role in helping to shape policies, ensuring industry accountability, and strengthening welfare measures across the sector. Working alongside representatives from racing, the new independent positions on the board will bring fresh perspectives, ensuring that decisions reflect both industry expertise and help drive public confidence.
The independently chaired Horse Welfare Board was established in 2019 to drive industry-wide alignment and focus on racehorse welfare, including substantive welfare matters and considerations of public perception, ensuring continuous progress and alignment with evolving best practices. The five-year strategy ‘A Life Well Lived’ was launched in February 2020, with work gathering momentum from 2021 across 26 welfare projects following on from the appointment of a dedicated programme team.
With the current strategy coming to its conclusion at the end of 2025, a structural refresh of the board will allow the new members to help shape and drive the sport’s strategy going forward. The outgoing Chair, Barry Johnson, and independent member, Dame Tracey Crouch, will step down in June 2025 at the end of their five-year tenure.
Applications are now open with a closing date of 28th March. Further details on the roles and how to apply can be found at BHA Careers | British Horseracing Authority.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Gabi Whitfield, Head of Welfare Communications, Great British Racing [email protected]
About The Horse Welfare Board
British Racing’s goal has always been to lead the way in setting the best welfare standards in the world, both on and off the racecourse. The Horse Welfare Board was established in 2019 and has been responsible for overseeing the single overarching strategy for equine welfare in the racing industry. The five-year strategy, “A life well-lived”, was launched in February 2020 and considers the whole of the racing industry, including sectors not currently fully regulated by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and looks across the lifetime of all horses bred for racing. Multiple workstreams are underway covering projects ranging from traceability, training, obstacle improvement and development, through to welfare funding. The strategy can be read in full HERE.
