The Asian Racing Federation (ARF) is delighted to share with you the latest edition of the ARF Member Profile featuring the Korea Racing Authority (KRA), which celebrates 100 years of horseracing in Korea and highlights the KRA's exciting new developments and initiatives. 4p2b56
The Asian Racing Federation (ARF) is pleased to share with you the fourth edition of the ARF Newsletter, which features key races and news across the ARF hip, as well as insights arising from the 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) and the 58th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities.
The Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia are pleased to announce that the 41st Asian Racing Conference will be held on 9 - 14 February 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Stay tuned for further details to be announced in due course.
The Asian Racing Federation (ARF) wishes to advise that the ARF Council on Anti-illegal Betting & Related Financial Crime (ARF Council) will transition to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and be named the IFHA Council on Anti-illegal Betting and Related Crime (IFHA Council).
During the 58th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities (ICHA), organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), several integrity-related developments in racing were announced. The IFHA has released its RacingIntegrity Handbook and created the IFHA Council on Anti-illegal Betting and Related Crime.
The 41st Asian Racing Conference (ARC) will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2026 with the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), to stage the international conference in Riyadh.
Leading South African racing operator Ms. Fundi Sithebe has called for more inclusivity and diversity in the sport, encouraging the dismantlement of stereotypes.
During a keynote speech at the 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Sapporo, Japan, Mr. Masayuki Goto, Vice-Chair of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and Executive Advisor of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), identified aspects vital to horse racing’s success – particularly in Japan – and outlined several safeguarding initiatives for the sport.
A of key players in the breeding sector has raised several major issues vital to the sustainability of thoroughbred breeding, including rising costs, staff shortages and the loss of racecourses.
Leading welfare and integrity expert Mr. Jamie Stier has called for greater collaboration between racing authorities, scientists and researchers to overcome equine welfare concerns, which he describes as “the single biggest challenge facing the global horse racing industry.”
The growth of racing in the Gulf region was a key feature of a session titled Developments: Big Changes Across The ARF Footprint, on day 2 of the 40th Asian Racing Conference at Sapporo, Japan.
In a session titled ‘Integrity: Tackling New-Age Threats’ at the 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Sapporo, Japan on Thursday (29 August), of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime outlined threats posed by the illegal wagering market and advancing technology, and delegates learned of the emerging integrity challenge in the form of gene doping.
Leading wagering experts have lauded the transformative powers of World Pool at the 40th Asian Racing Conference in Sapporo, Japan, but also expressed concerns over regulatory challenges and taxation issues as the sport is buffeted by economic headwinds.
The integration of horse racing into popular culture through the deeds of equine champions, including Australia’s Winx and Japan’s Equinox, was explored at the 40th Asian Racing Conference on Wednesday, 28 August, at the Sapporo Convention Center in Sapporo.
The 40th Asian Racing Conference in Sapporo, Japan, was told of the importance of fan engagement and the need to attract young people to racing at an early age to hopefully create a lifelong interest in the sport.
Delivering a keynote presentation at the Sapporo Convention Center in Sapporo, Japan, on Wednesday (28 August), Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chair of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, outlined four key challenges horse racing must overcome if the sport desires prosperity and longevity.
The Asian Racing Federation (ARF) Executive Council has re-elected Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as Chair, and Mr. Masayuki Goto and Mr. Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi as Vice-Chairs, at its meeting in Sapporo, Japan on the eve of the 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC).
The 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) opened last evening (Tuesday, 27 August) in its inaugural host country, with the Japan Racing Association (JRA) in conjunction with the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), staging the event from 27 August to 1 September in Sapporo.
The Asian Racing Federation (ARF) is pleased to share with you the third edition of the ARF Newsletter, which highlights key races, news and developments across the ARF hip; an in-depth profile of the Korea Racing Authority; updates on the key initiatives of the ARF and its committees; and an event on the horizon.
“The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” was bestowed upon the ARF Chairman, Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, by the Government of Japan at a Conferment Ceremony hosted by Ambassador Okada Kenichi, Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong on 2 July 2024.