The 2025 International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ), which will take place on 11-12 December in Hong Kong, is themed Performance Medicine in Racing – Developing and Protecting the Jockey. The two-day conference will take an applied, evidence-based approach featuring impactful presentations followed by dynamic panel discussions with leading experts in the field.
The conference will feature 13 sessions, as well as addresses from Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA); Andrew Harding, Executive Director of the IFHA; and Darragh O’Loughlin, Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) and Chair of the IFHA Jockey Health and Wellbeing Committee.
Sessions include:
- Inside the Mind of the Jockey: Performance, Wellbeing, and Lessons from the Field
- Entrapment Protocols
- Fuelling the Ride: Practical Insights and Evolving Strategies in Jockey Nutrition
- Poster Presentations: Developing and Protecting the Jockey
- On the Turf: Live Outdoor Simulation of Raceday Medical Practice and Entrapment Protocols
- Minimum Riding Weights: Towards a More Individualised and Evidence-Based Approach
- From Turf to Recovery: The Concussion Journey in Horse Racing
- Fit to Ride: Physical Preparation and Rehabilitation for Jockey Performance
- Concussion litigation in England: the Going and the Odds
- Advancing Safety in the Saddle: Injury Surveillance, Prevention, and Protective Innovations
- Strong in the Saddle: Managing Jockey Performance, Injury, and Wellbeing in Hong Kong Racing
- Beyond the Finish Line: Supporting Jockeys’ Careers and Transitions into Retirement
- Themed Table Discussions: Cultivating Connections and Collaborations
Scheduled participants across the two days include: William Audland, Michael Caulfield, Andrew Coonan, Gavin Egan, Jeff Gomez, Danny Hague, Peta Hitchens, Suzannah Hoult, Rosy Hyman, Chris Kamper, Michaela Keener, Phil Kinsella, Kylie Legg, Karen Lo, Ciara Losty, Daloni Lucas, Dan Martin, Tarryn Mason, James Murray, Siobhan O’Connor, Gillian O’Loughlin, John O’Reilly, Jennifer Pugh, Richard Pugh, Bill Riddiford, Megan Roberts, Tom Scudamore, Lisa Stevens, Matt Stewart, Paul Struthers, and Giles Warrington.
The 2025 ICHSWJ, which is being organised by the Jockey Health and Wellbeing Committee of the IFHA and is proudly supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), will take place between the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) and the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR).
The conference is open to all those who work with jockeys and are interested in further enhancing their health, safety and welfare. Media are also welcome to attend.
For all the latest information and to register for the ICHSWJ, please visit the ICHSWJ website.
Registration will close at the end of November. For any inquiries, please contact ichswj@gmail.com.
The ICHSWJ was last held in October 2023 in conjunction with the 57th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities in Paris and other associated meetings around the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend.
About IFHA
The IFHA is a federation of more than 60 racing authorities from different countries and regions in the world. It is the global leader for the international sport of Thoroughbred racing, seeking to promote all facets of the worldwide sport; protect the welfare of the equine and human athlete; and protect and grow its global social and economic significance for current and future generations.
Major areas of the IFHA’s activities include:
- Making and amending the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering
- Policy development relating to welfare and safety of horses and riders
- International race planning and grading (“black type”)
- World rankings
- The fight against equine prohibited substances and practices
- Harmonisation of racing rules
- Certification of IFHA reference laboratories
- Fostering commercial development of the racing industry globally
The IFHA is a foundation member with Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) of the International Horse Sports Confederation and is affiliated to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
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