Following a meeting of the Executive Council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) on 29 March 2022, it was announced that Dominic Gardiner-Hill, Head of Handicapping for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), has succeeded Phil Smith as Co-Chairman of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee.
The IFHA Executive Council unanimously endorsed Gardiner-Hill’s nomination by the European Pattern Committee (EPC), and he joins Nigel Gray as Co-Chairman of the Committee. Smith had served as Co-Chairman of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee since 2014.
“The horse racing industry has an ever-expanding global reach, and that is reflected in the output and composition of the Federation’s Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee, with those at the helm of the Committee requiring a broad portfolio set of leadership traits and technical ability,” said IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “The IFHA has been extremely privileged to have had Phil Smith co-chair the Committee, and we are equally fortunate that he has been succeeded by Dominic Gardiner-Hill. I wish Dominic a great deal of success, and I am confident that he and Nigel Gray will skillfully lead this Committee going forward.”
Gardiner-Hill joined the BHA in 1993. After a spell as Deputy Head of Handicapping, Dominic took over as the BHA’s Head of Handicapping in June 2018. He has been part of the International Classification and World Rankings Committees since 1996 as well as a member of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Executive Committee since 2018.
The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are horse racing's equivalent to World Rankings by other major sporting organizations such as ATP Tennis Rankings, World Golf Rankings, FIFA World Rankings for soccer and IRB Rugby World Rankings. The Longines Rankings are based on the ratings earned by horses running worldwide from North and South America, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Asia through to Australia and New Zealand. The ratings are compiled under the auspices of the IFHA by racing officials and handicappers representing the five continents who compile the ranking order by agreeing on the rating for each horse. The ratings are based on the performance of horses in elite races held during the designated period which takes in account the quality of opposition and achievements of each horse. Throughout the year the Longines Rankings are published at regular intervals and the consolidated annual rankings are released in January.
Further information on the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings is available on the IFHA website, ifhaonline.org.
The next edition of the 2022 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings will be published on Thursday 14 April 2022.
About IFHA
The IFHA 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 (the IABRW)
• 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
• Harmonization of Racing Rules
• Certification of IFHA Reference Labs
• 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 (OIE). |
