Conference Organising Committee

The Committee is responsible for the overall planning and oversight of this international conference.

Chair:
Dr Christopher M Riggs, BVSc, PhD, DEO, DipECVS, FRCVS
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Members:
Professor Mandy Peffers, BSc(Hons), MPhil, PhD, BVetMed, FRCVS
University of Liverpool
Professor Chris Rogers, MAgrSc, PhD
Massey University
Professor Jane Williams, VN, PGCE LTHE, MSc ES, DPhil
Hartpury University
Organiser
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Equine Welfare Research Foundation Limited (‘Foundation’) was established in 2020 with a donation of HK$600 million from the Club. Funds will be disbursed annually depending on income generated from investment of this principal sum. The Foundation’s vision is to constantly improve the quality of life of Thoroughbred racehorses throughout and after their racing careers and to educate the public about equine health and welfare. The Foundation will do this by funding research and encouraging collaboration between scientists, scholars, veterinarians and those engaged at the forefront of the racing industry whose decisions and actions affect the welfare of racehorses. The Foundation will support the dissemination of information and education through the Foundation’s website and by organising a translational conference every four years. In addition, it will offer scholarships for the cultivation of young talent specialising in equine welfare research.
International Partners
The Grayson-Jockey Research Foundation (‘Grayson’) funds research dedicated to health, safety and welfare of the horse. The scope of our research is wide and covers the life of the horse from birth to retirement. Whether it be infectious diseases like Equine Influenza or developing nucleic acid-based vaccines for Equine Herpes, to methods for prevention of catastrophic injury of equine athletes, including gene research and mapping of the horse genome we have active research in all areas. Improving reproduction medicine and mare health along with treatment and prevention of foal diseases in the beginning and throughout the life span with research of orthopedic problems, colic and respiratory issues, diagnosis and prevention of cardiac events, technology for early detection of musculoskeletal problems, pharmacologic studies of products and their effects as well as track surface research.
Grayson is traditionally the North America’s leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. Since 1940, Grayson has provided nearly US$42.3 million to underwrite more than 437 projects at 48 universities. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.
The Horserace Betting Levy Board (‘HBLB’) is delighted to be supporting the International Conference being staged in Hong Kong in December 2025.
The HBLB is a UK statutory body that was established in 1961. From a levy on the horseracing betting business of British bookmakers, the Board funds a wide range of schemes in direct support of horseracing. The HBLB’s objectives are:
  • the improvement of breeds of horses;
  • the advancement or encouragement of veterinary science or veterinary education;
  • the improvement of horseracing.
Since 2002, HBLB has applied over £50 million to equine veterinary science and education to further the knowledge and skills that are essential to the health and welfare of the horses on which the racing industry ultimately depends. This investment has led to significant growth in the understanding, prevention, treatment and management of a wide variety of diseases, injuries and issues affecting the Thoroughbred.
The HBLB’s strategic veterinary research is focused on achieving tangible impact and outcomes relevant to horses that are bred to race. The guiding principles are focused on achieving:
  • Best possible quality of life
  • Best possible safety and well-being during breeding, training and racing
  • Lifetime responsibility for equine health
The Japan Racing Association (‘JRA’) oversees and manages Thoroughbred horse racing in Japan, holding approximately 3,500 races annually with around 47,000 thoroughbreds participating. We prioritize the safety of both horses and humans during races and training. To this end, we operate our own research institute (Equine Research Institute), conducting studies in veterinary clinical medicine, exercise physiology, and controlling equine infectious diseases. However, there are limitations to our scale, and we hope that similar activities will be carried out in countries around the world, not just in Japan. Of course, the development of new treatments such as surgical methods for injured horses is important. On the other hand, we also expect the emergence of innovative ideas that lead to the prevention of equine diseases, such as new research and technological development that integrates traditional veterinary medicine with rapidly advancing data science, sensor technology, and camera functions. We sincerely hope that this international conference will be a catalyst for promoting these efforts amongst young veterinarians and researchers.
Arrangements under inclement weather conditions

All participants should pay attention to the announcements made via television or the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) website when rainstorms or tropical cyclones are affecting Hong Kong.

The Conference will continue as scheduled when the following signal is in force:

  • Tropical Cyclone Standby Signal No. 1
  • Tropical Cyclone Strong Wind Signal No. 3
  • Amber Rainstorm Signal
  • Red Rainstorm Signal

The respective contingency measures in the event of Tropical Cyclone Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 (or above), Extreme Conditions after Super Typhoon (“Extreme Conditions"), or the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal being issued during or before the commencement of each day of the Conference:

Time Contingency Measures
6:00am
  • If the Pre-No. 8 Signal Special Announcement / the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) / Extreme Conditions is issued or in force at 6:00am, the morning sessions and lunch will be suspended.
  • If the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) / Extreme Conditions is cancelled before 6:00am, the Conference will continue as originally scheduled.
12:00noon
  • If the Pre-No. 8 Signal Special Announcement, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) or Extreme Conditions is in force, the afternoon programme will be suspended.
  • If the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) / Extreme Conditions is cancelled before 12:00noon, the Conference will be resumed at 2:00 pm.
During the Conference If the Pre-No. 8 Signal Special Announcement is issued, the Conference will close in two hours after the announcement. Conference Organisers will notify all participants by onsite announcement.