The workshop was a great experience for all the delegates and can be looked upon as a success.

There were 15 delegates from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Spain and Sweden.

There sould also have been two delegates from Morocco. Unfortunately they were stopped for not applying a visa.

The workshop was very well organised by the British Horseracing Authority.

The first day was a theoretical event with lessons and discussions and the second day a practical one at the racecourse.

The workshop will be followed up by a questionnaire in order to continue the work of harmonization of the International racing rules.

• Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (Asia)
• Brian Kavanagh (Europe)
• Jim Gagliano (America)

The Executive Council agreed to publish 22 International Screening Limits (ISL) on the IFHA website  and to instruct the international harmonization of Detection Times.   International Screening Limits are instructions given to laboratories by racing jurisdictions for reporting positive cases of therapeutic substances.  Detection Times are advice given to veterinarians to guide their clients before resuming racing after administration of therapeutic substances.

2. The Executive Council members unanimously endorsed the principle of ‘No Medication’ for all races and pledged to encourage all racing jurisdictions to implement this principle.

Guy Sargent, New Zealand, and Bjorn Eklund, Sweden, will keep their rotating seats for another period. They represent the developing countries in Asia/Australasia respectively Europe/Mediterranean Countries.

There are 14 items on the agenda. One of the more spectacular items is called ‘Artificial Insemination’. It is not a proposal from IFHA but a possible change in the EU legislation on breeding animals. If that would be the case no Thoroughbred horses bred in Europe could race anywhere, EU included, as racing rules of all racing jurisdictions do not accept Thoroughbreeds if they do not comply with the definition of article 12 of the International Agreement which prohibits artificial insemination.

There are also elections on the agenda. Chairman and  three vice chairmen shall be appointed for three years. Chairman is today Louis Romanet and vice chairmen Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, representing Asian Racing Federation, Jim Gagliano, representing North America, and Brian Kavanagh, representing European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation.

There are also two rotating seats in the Executive Council, today belonging to New Zealand through the Asian Racing Federation, and Sweden through the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation. They are also appointed for a three year period.

As always the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering will be discussed. And there will be reports from the different committees in IFHA and from all over the racing world.

EMHF

There are 21 member countries in the organisation whose chairman is Mr Brian Kavanagh from Horseracing Ireland.

First Swedish bred winner in Dubai

For the first time a Swedish thoroughbred has won in Dubai, at Meydan. It was the 6 y o Tertio Bloom (by Tertullian-Yankee Bloom). He was ridden by the Swedish jockey P A Gråberg and is trained by Fabricio Borges who holds a Swedish license.

One of the topics that was discussed was the need of a logo for the new organisation. The British Horseracing Authority, BHA, promised to find som ideas. And so they have. BHA has produced six different proposals. They were sent to the members today and within a few hours the Racing Authorities of Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Turkey let know their views.

The last day to inform of what logo they prefer is February 16th.

The meeting was chaired by Brian Kavanagh, CEO of Horseracing Ireland and chairman of EMHF.

Among the decisions could be mentioned that the member fee will remain at 1.400 euros and that a seminar covering raceday regulation and the role of  racecourse officials will take place in Newmarket 17th and 18th April. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will organise it. There will be no participation fee.

Dr Roland Devolz, who is Technical advisor to IFHA (the international organisation) and Rudiger Schmanns from Direktorium in Germany made a accurate survey of changes in the International Agreement on Racing, Breeding and Wagering. The changes concerned prohibited substances, racing clearance notifications (RCN), racing colours, reciprocation of penalties and definition of racing authorities.

Rory MacDonald and Susanne Santesson from the European Association of Racing Schools (EARS) had made a questionnaire about the traing need among the EMHF members and presented the results. Not very surprisingly there were a lot of wishes.

The meeting finished off with a round table presentation of the situation int the 17 racing countries. A simplified picture is that problems are the worst in countries with bookmakers and better in countries with a monopoly situation.

The new racecourse will contain both turf and all weather tracks and also a jump track. There will also be training facilities.

The new racecourse will be reached from Stockholm city in 30 minutes both by car and train. To Arlanda airport it is 45 km.

The plan is to open the new racecourse in 2015 when Täby Galopp closes. Täby Galopp is already sold for building purposes. Some of the purchase sum will be used to build the new arena.

The board of Svensk Galopp/the Swedish Jockey Club/ will next week disclose where next racecourse in Stockholm will be situated. As Täby Galopp is sold for building purposes it will close 2014/2015 and the new racecourse will open in 2015.

European Derbies

The Derby is still one of the major race in the horseracing world.  The first Derby was run in Britain in 1760. The venue was Epsom outside London and still is.

We have here gathered the winners of some of the European Derbies in 2011.

First you read the country, then the venue, the winner with prefix, sire, owner, trainer and  jockey.

England Epsom POUR MOI (IRE) by Montjeu Magnier, Tabor, Smith/A Fabre/M Barzalona

Ireland Curragh TREASURE BEACH (GB) by Galileo Smith, Magnier, tabor/A O’Brien/C O’Donogheu

France Chantilly RELIABLE MAN (GB) by Dalajhani Pride Racing Club/A Royer du Dupré/G Mossé

Germany Hamburg WALDPARK (GER) by Dubawi Gestüt Ravensberg/A Wöhler/J Bojko

Italy Rome WORTHADD (IRE) by Dubawi Incolinx/V Caruso/M Demuro

Denmark Copenhagen TIGRESS ELEVEN (DEN) by Academy Award Santa Anita, Zwicky Racing/H Bechmann/N Stott

Sweden Malmö WITHOUT FEAR (FR) by Refuse To Bend Stall Bonne Nuit/A Lund/F Johansson

Norway Oslo WITHOUT FEAR (FR) by Refuse To Bend Stall Bonne Nuit/A Lund/F Johansson

Czech Republic Prague ROCHES CROSS (IRE) by Whipper j Jasna/J Vana II/J Raja

Slovakia Bratislava ROCKY OF GRACIE (FR) by Marchand De Sabre BORS/P Juranek/J Havlik

Austria Vienna NOBLE CHAMPION (GB) by Hawk Wing E Sauren/M Hofer/T Hellier

Switzerland Frauenfeld FABRINO (IRE) by Elnadim Ch Hasselbach/M Weiss/R Havkin

Hungary Budapest OSTINATO (GER) by Ransom O’War Mr Prospector BT/S Kovacs/S Nemeth

Poland Warszaw INTENS (POL) by Belenus R Piesko/K Ziemanski/T Lucasel

Spain Madrid AYANZ (GB) by Tiger Hill Quinto Real/G Arizkorreta/M Demuro

Belgium Mons REVANTA (GER) by Mamool Stall Seeheim/C von der Recke/S Wandt

Netherlands den Haag REVANTA (GER) by Mamool Stall Seeheim/C von der Recke/S Wandt

Corrections and additions are welcome.

BFE

Täby Galopp was sold earlier this year for building purposes. As Svensk Galopp (the Swedish Jockey Club) owns the racecourse it will get substantial money for the sale. That will guarantee the economy for Swedish racing for many years to come.

But a large part of the sales money will be used for a new racecourse in the Stockholm region. Before the turn of the year information is awaited about the location of the new racecourse.

The plan is to open the new venue  in 2015, which means that Täby Galopp will race for the last time in 2014.

Before that the exciting project of racing in the middle of Stockholm will take place. It’s called the Royal Park Racing because it is situated on Royal ground at Djurgården. The space was used for horse racing already in the 19^th century with the  first race meeting  taking place in 1831.

It will be just a small track, 1300 metres wide, and only used at the Swedish National Day, 6^th of June.

It was hoped to use it already next year but the rainy autumn has not been kind to the grass growth, so the opening day will be in 2013. On a sunny day there can be
up to 20.000-30.000 spectators on the open hills around the racecourse.

The Southern racecourse, Jägersro, finished its season in the beginning of December and will open again in April. There has been some turbulence this autumn about the future of thoroughbred racing  at the Malmö racecourse.

The racecourse is also used for trotting and is owned mainly by trotting interests.
When the thoroughbred organization declared that they wanted to discuss the
terms and conditions for their part the trotting majority said no and instead
showed an interest to take over the thoroughbred racecourse. This has created
great concern and agitation. But for the moment it seems that nothing will
change until October 2013, if at all.

Swedish champions 2011

Leading owner in Sweden will be Dr Omar Zawawi, who lives in Oman. That is his first title. Leading trainer is Lennart Reuterskiöld Jr, for the second time.
Champion jockey is Jacob Johansen, now living in Sweden but born in Denmark.
It’s his first title.

Most prize winning horse is 3 year old Uppercut Action, a Swedish bred son of Statue of Liberty. He won the Swedish 2000 Guineas and was second in the Swedish Derby (L). For his breeder, Bo Helander at Svista Säteri, it was the third time he won the title.

Leading stallion is Eishin Dunkirk (USA), a  son of Mr Prospector who had his racing career in Japan.

EMHF

The European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation, EMHF, the new regional organization of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, IFHA, will meet in Rome 13^th of January. 20 racing countries are members
and will be represented at the meeting,

The day before the European Pattern Committee meeting will take place, also in Rome.

EMHF will use this space as its web site and publish news and information of interest for its members.

Information in Swedish

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