Monday 2 December, 2013

For further details, please contact:

Andrew CHESSER
Deputy Secretary General
International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)
Telephone +1 859 224 2741
Email achesser@jockeyclub.com

IFHA Announces Affiliate Memberships and New Appointments

Louis ROMANET, the Chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), today announced the admission of horseracing organizations from Mongolia and Turkmenistan as affiliate members, and several key appointments to IFHA executive office positions and committees.

The Federation of Mongolia Horse Racing Sport and Trainers and the Turkmen Atlary State Association, by unanimous vote of the IFHA Executive Council in Paris in October, have become the first two affiliate members of the IFHA.

Recent ratification to IFHA statutes at its annual General Assembly in October created this new affiliate membership category within the Federation. 

The Federation of Mongolian Horse Racing Sport and Trainers (FMHRST) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) which serves to the development of equestrian sport in Mongolia and works to protect the rights of horsemen who specialize in this national sport.
The Turkmen Atlary State Association is the state-endorsed body responsible for development of a national breeding and racing industry for Turkmenistan’s Akhal-Teke breed. 

Chairman ROMANET also announced that Andrew HARDING has been appointed as Special Counselor to the Chairman of IFHA in addition to his present role as IFHA Chief Technical Advisor, and that Andrew CHESSER has been appointed as Deputy Secretary General for the IFHA.

Mr. HARDING is the Director of Racing Development for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Secretary General of the Asian Racing Federation. Mr. CHESSER is the Supervisor of Registration Services for The Jockey Club (USA).

Mr. HARDING will continue to be based in Hong Kong and Mr. CHESSER will be based in Lexington, Kentucky, USA but both will travel as needed on behalf of the IFHA and to its offices based in Paris, FRANCE.

The following changes have been made relating to several of the IFHA’s permanent advisory groups:

• Kim KELLY, Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Steward, has been appointed the Chairman of the Harmonization of Race day Rules Committee, replacing the recently retired Rob DE KOCK
• Yves BONNAIRE has been appointed as Vice-Chairman of The Advisory Council on Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices
• A Sub-Committee to The Advisory Council on Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices has been established to study issues related to the Genetic Manipulation of the Heritable Genome that will be chaired by Yves BONNAIRE

Additional information about IFHA, its membership and its committees can be found at http://www.ifhaonline.org/aboutDisplay.asp?section=6#a1.


Notes to Editors

• The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) has as its members racing authorities from approximately 60 countries throughout the world.
• Every year, the Federation organizes the International Conference, which updates the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering endorsed by the conference in 1974.
• Major areas of the IFHA’s activities include:
• International Race Planning and Grading (“black type”)
• World Rankings
• Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices
• Harmonisation of Race Day Rules
• Fostering commercial development of the racing industry globally