IFHA News No.8 (2010)
To: IFHA/FIAH Members
From: Aki AKITANI (Deputy Secretary General)
Date: October 4, 2010
REF: First General Assembly of EMHF
A new racing organization, European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF) has been officially launched whose main objectives are to develop relations among member countries to coordinate promotion of horseracing, to defend its integrity and prestige and to represent it before the IFHA.
The first General Assembly of the EMHF was held on 7th September in Paris and there attended the following 19 founding racing authorities.
15 European Union countries

• Direktorium für Galopprennsport & Vollblutzucht in Österreich (Austria)
• Jockey Club de Belgique (Belgium)
• Cyprus Turf Club (Cyprus)
• Danish Jockey Club (Denmark)
• France Galop (France)
• Direktorium für Vollblutzucht und Rennen (Germany)
• British Horseracing Authority (Great Britain)
• Nemzeti Loverseny Kft – Kincsem Park (Hungary)
• Horse Racing Ireland / Irish Turf Club (Ireland)
• Unione Nazionale per l’Incremento delle razze Equine/U.N.I.R.E (Italy)
• National Horseracing Club (Lithuania)
• Polish Jockey Club (Poland)
• Turf Direktorium für die Slowakei (Slovakia)
• Sociedad de Fomento de la Cria Caballar de Espana (Spain)
• The Swedish Jockey Club (Sweden)

3 other European countries

• Norsk Jockeyklub (Norway)
• Galopp Schweiz (Switzerland)
• Jockey Club of Turkey / High Council of Stewards (Turkey)

1 Mediterranean countries

• Société Royale d’Encouragement du Cheval (Morocco)

The General Assembly elected 9 members of the Executive Council as follows:
Belgium: Thierry Lohest
France: Hubert Monzat
Germany: Rüdiger Schmanns
Great Britain: Nic Coward
Hungary: Zsolt Hedgedus
Ireland: Brian Kavanagh
Morocco: Omar Skalli
Sweden: Bjorn Eklund
Turkey: Bercet Homurlu

 The Executive Council elected Chairman, three Vice Chairmen and Secretary General as follows:
Chairman: Brian Kavanagh
Vice Chairman: Thierry Lohest (EU countries)
Behcet Homurlu (other European Countries)
Omar Skalli (Mediterranean Country)
Secretary General: Bjorn Eklund (Sweden: Secretariat Office)