Updates
Racing updates Industry statistics
Updates
Racing updates Industry statistics

Horse Welfare Board

British racing is proud of its record on horse welfare and the improvements it has made over many years to the safety of horses and jockeys. Nothing is more important than the safety of our participants.

In order to ensure that we do all we can to improve welfare standards, British racing has established an independently-chaired Horse Welfare Board to produce a strategy that unites the whole industry and drives continuous improvement.

Membership and structure

The Horse Welfare Board includes representatives from the sport’s tripartite structure of the BHA, racecourses and horsemen. Its independent chair, Barry Johnson, is a former President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Former Sports Minister, Tracey Crouch, is our other independent member.

Membership of the Horse Welfare Board and the strategy implementation team are currently as follows:

“A life well-lived” – British racing’s Horse Welfare Strategy

In February 2020, the Welfare Board published its five-year strategic plan for the welfare of horses bred for racing.

The strategy focuses on the ambition that every horse bred to race should lead – and be seen to lead – “a life well-lived”. The strategy includes traceability for horses bred for the sport, a strong focus on safety and wellbeing, a more confident and proactive approach to communications and the industry’s biggest ever data project.

The announcement can be seen here.

Download the document here:

20 recommendations and 26 specific projects were put before the Members Committee, which comprises horsemen, racecourses and the BHA.

The strategy focuses on four key outcomes:

  1. Best possible QUALITY OF LIFE, relating to the encouragement and furthering of best practice in all aspects of health, care, husbandry and disease control.
  2. Collective LIFETIME RESPONSIBILITY, incorporating, for example, traceability across the lifetimes of horses bred for racing, and initiatives fostering greater understanding, encouragement and effective enforcement of responsibility
  3. Best possible SAFETY, the understanding and analysis of multiple risk factors and the continuing reduction of reasonably avoidable injuries and fatalities.
  4. Growth and maintenance of public TRUST

The strategy also identifies the value of data in informing veterinary care and the prevention of injury and illness. It articulates the ethical case for horses’ participation in sport and leisure and the need for better use of high-impact communications to tell racing’s story. It also commits to develop a Code of Ethics to provide a transparent framework for decision-making around all aspects of a racehorse’s care and wellbeing.

Progress on Implementation

The implementation team are working alongside the industry to implement the 26 projects outlined in the Welfare Strategy. Below is a high level snapshot summary of the progress made to date:

 – 5 projects complete, with 18 projects live and in progress

– Operational implementation team in place to work with the industry to deliver the strategy

– Funding awarded from the HBLB since 2019 and the Racing Foundation to support the implementation of projects, including a recent multi-year funding award to the sum of £3 million from the Racing Foundation

To find out the latest status of each of the projects please click here – please note due to the sensitivity of many of the projects, this document only provides a high level status summary. If you would like to discuss any of the projects in further detail please contact the HWB implementation team on: [email protected].

Read the latest from the Horse Welfare Board Newsletter:

April 2024

June 2023

November 2022 

June 2022

Key documents

Horse Welfare Board Strategy

Strategy summary document

Recommendations and projects

Euthanasia guidelines

Euthanasia decision tree

Aftercare Funding Review

Aftercare Funding Recommendations

Contact the Horse Welfare Board

External bodies and participants with a clear interest in improving the welfare of racehorses are welcome to contact the Horse Welfare Board via their dedicated email address: [email protected]

If you have concerns about the integrity of British racing or the wellbeing of the sport’s participants, human or equine, you can anonymously report this through the RACEWISE service by phoning the free phoneline on: 08000 852 580 or use the online form here

 

Dr J Barry Johnson DL.MRCVS
Independent member

Chair

Barry Johnson was the founder and senior partner of one of the largest equine practices in the NW, Oakhill Veterinary Practice. Whilst there he was elected to the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons serving for 28yrs becoming its President in 1993.

He was awarded the Queens Gold Medal in 2017 as a Lifetime Achievement Award to Veterinary Science having already received an honorary doctorate from Liverpool University and a Fellowship from Myerscough. On retirement from practice he became Vice Chairman and then Chairman of World Horse Welfare until 2016

In 2018 he was elected as a non executive director of the British Equestrian Federation for a four year term. In 2019 he was asked to be the Independent Chairman of the new Horse Welfare Board set up by the racehorse industry to create a strategy for the welfare of thoroughbreds throughout their lives.

Tracey Crouch MP
Independent member

Member of Parliament

Born in 1975, Tracey grew up and was educated in Kent. As the daughter of a social worker and insurance broker, Tracey left Kent to study at The University of Hull when after graduation she accidentally found herself working as a researcher to a Conservative MP rather than training to become a solicitor. Tracey is a keen sports enthusiast and since ‘retiring’ from playing football has become a FA qualified football coach. Tracey brings with her a knowledge of animal welfare issues and integrity, as well as a keen interest in horseracing.

Tracey was elected to represent the constituency of Chatham & Aylesford in 2010 with a majority of 6,069 and in doing so became the first Conservative MP for the seat. During the 2010-2015 Parliament, Tracey championed issues ranging from better dementia care, improving alcohol misuse treatment, addressing the problem of high cost credit, better rail services and upgrading our local infrastructure.

In 2015, Tracey was re-elected with an increased majority of 11,455 and was soon after asked by the Prime Minister to serve as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. In the 2017 General Election, Tracey again was re-elected to her seat with an improved vote share and in 2019, was again returned with an increased majority and 66.6% of the vote.

Robin Mounsey
BHA Representative

BHA Head of Communications

Robin is Head of Communications for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), having joined the organisation initially in 2008. In his time at the BHA he has been responsible for leading the sport’s response and communications around a number of high profile welfare-related and reputational issues, alongside playing a leading role in the development of the sport’s front-foot campaigns around equine welfare perception.

James Given
BHA Representative

BHA Director of Equine Heath and Welfare

James Given graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1990 and, after a spell working at the College and then in practice, joined Mark Johnston as his Vet and Assistant.  After 3 years he was awarded the Alex Scott Memorial Scholarship and gained further experience in Dubai.  He has held a Trainer’s Licence since 1998 and has won Heritage Handicaps and Group races in the UK and Europe.  He has raced horses in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan giving him experiences of different approaches to welfare and training.

James has been a Trustee of the British Racing School for 15 years, on the committee of Market Rasen Racecourse, a founder member of the BHA’s Ethics Committee, which he now chairs, and joined the Horse Welfare Board at its inception. He was appointed as the BHA’s new Director of Equine Health and Welfare in 2020 and took up his position at the beginning of 2021.

Kate Sigsworth
Thoroughbred Group Representative

Deputy Chair of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association

Kate Sigsworth was appointed Deputy Chair of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association in October 2023, having first joined the board in 2020. Kate is the manager of West Moor Stud in North Yorkshire which was established by her parents in 1980. A family run stud, they sell various foals, yearlings and mares and retain some of their own.

Simon Knapp
Racecourse representative

Racecourse Association Veterinary Adviser

Simon is a veterinary surgeon heading up a 100% equine practice in the Home Counties. He is Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Kempton Park, Sandown Park and Epsom Downs racecourses, as well as a member of the veterinary team at Ascot Racecourse. He is a member of the BHA Welfare Committee in his role as RCA Veterinary Advisor and is also one of the founding members of the Association of Racecourse Veterinary Surgeons.

Sulekha Varma
Racecourse Representative

Head of Racing at Aintree Racecourse

Sulekha has been Head of Racing at Aintree Racecourse since February 2020. Prior to that, she was Racing Manager and Clerk of the Course at Hamilton Park Racecourse for four years, having previously trained as a Clerk with The Jockey Club in 2009 and taken on roles at some of the group’s smaller courses over a period of six years. She also sits on the RCA Technical Group and The Jockey Club’s Equine Welfare Group.

Seamus Mullins
Thoroughbred Group representative

Racehorse Trainer and former president of National Trainers Federation

Having held a trainer’s licence for over twenty five years, Seamus has always been a passionate advocate for horse welfare and has held positions on a number of industry groups in that time, including serving as president of the National Trainers Federation from 2016-2018.

Helena Flynn
Implementation Team

Programme Director

Accomplished Brand strategist, public relations, events, and partnerships professional, with over 20 years’ expertise developing and executing all aspects of marketing and PR campaigns to increase media exposure and support strategic brand initiatives.  Extensive experience in international media relations; accomplished track record of managing marketing & PR agencies and dealing with global media. Proven creative talent with demonstrated strength in events and sponsorship all whilst working at a strategic level, successful sports sponsorships including Wimbledon/Rugby world cup 2003/Six Nations, Rugby sevens and The Olympics. Impressive Event Management skills having launched successful worldwide events including aircraft and automotive launches to further maximise the potential return on marketing initiatives. Experienced in talent management with extensive experience in negotiating with A-list Hollywood, Music, and Sport celebrities.

Adept in developing high-performance and dedicated award-winning teams to meet challenging corporate objectives. Expertise with premium luxury brands in the automotive, aviation, travel, lifestyle, arts, sports, and technology sectors. Accomplished crises management professional with proven track record of managing reputational issues globally. Awards include PR Week Rugby World Cup & Olympics 2012/Asia Pacific award best campaign A380 launch with Gwyneth Palthrow/ Middle East PR Award Suicide Squad Activation British Airways and Voted top Female in Automotive September 2020 AUTOCAR.

Gabi Whitfield
Implementation Team

Head of Welfare Communications

Gabi is a highly experienced Public Relations specialist with an extensive background (UK and overseas) working with automotive brands in the niche, luxury and mass market spaces. She was regularly listed as one of the top 100 females in the Auto Industry with roles including Global PR Director for Land Rover in addition to senior director positions at Nissan Europe and Mitsubishi UK. During her 20-year career, Gabi also led various brand and sports communications campaigns including the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trails and Land Rover’s 2017 America’s Cup sailing campaign with Ben Ainslie Racing.

In 2019 she set up a consultancy business to enable her to work with a more diverse range of organisations and in late 2021 joined Great British Racing to support the sport’s cross-industry focus on welfare communications. A life-long love of horses, and a horse owner, Gabi’s interest in racing emanated from her teenage Saturday job working in a bookmaker and has included a period of syndicate ownership. Alongside her work with the Horse Welfare Board, she is a mentor for the Warwick Business School alumni programme and supports the renowned institution’s Distance Learning Leadership MBA.

Mike Etherington-Smith
Implementation Team

Equine Safety Advisor

Mike’s role is to work with the HWB and across the racing industry to help improve equine safety and to minimise reasonably avoidable risk to the sport’s equine participants.
He was formerly a professional event rider for many years and has been involved with risk management and risk mitigation in eventing across the world for the last 20+ years and was instrumental in the setting up of the FEI Risk Management Steering Group. As well as organising many international events he is an internationally renowned cross country course designer having designed and officiated at all levels across the world for the last 37 years including 2 Olympic Games (Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008), World Championships (Kentucky 2010) and several European championships.

Among many other roles across equestrian sport he was Chief Executive of British Eventing between 2010 and 2015.

Jo Peacock
Implementation Team

Project Lead (Safety & Welfare)

Jo joined the team following a career in the Royal Navy and is bringing extensive experience of problem solving, teamwork and large scale project management with her. Having spent many years on operational deployments all over the world specialising in maritime and air warfare, safety considerations and risk management are second nature and are transferred to her work in HWB projects. A background in Equine Science, with specific interest in behaviour and equine sports, supports Jo’s work in equine welfare.

Pip Kirkby
Implementation Team

Project Lead (Welfare)

Pip has over 25 years of experience within the racing industry.  She worked for The Jockey Club for 17 years, managing both Market Rasen and Nottingham Racecourses, as well as sitting on the Board of Jockey Club Racecourses and supporting the delivery of the Grand National for 9 years. She has also freelanced within the industry, supporting a range of projects including delivery of the Aftercare Funding Review, and working with racing organisations, including the British Racing School, Injured Jockeys Fund, Racing Foundation, Racehorse Owners Association, Racing Welfare and the Pony Racing Authority, as well as the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia.  Her career experience also extends to equestrian, working as CEO of The Pony Club.

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