The ninth International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) got underway on April 24 in Lexington, Kentucky. The first day of the three-day event featured a traditional conference at Spy Coast Farm’s Equine Education Center. The rest of the conference will include on-site visits to four aftercare organizations in the area as well as a social outing to the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. IFAR 2025 welcomed guests from 13 countries, and more than 65 organizations registered for the event.
“We are delighted to welcome an exceptional group of speakers and panelists to take part in IFAR 2025, from Olympians and veterinarians, to aftercare pioneers, researchers, and equestrian community leaders,” said IFAR Chair Dr. Eliot Forbes, who opened the conference. “Nearly a decade on, we are proud — proud of our progress, our global partnerships, our shared voice — but this is just the start.
“With regards to aftercare, we’re not just reacting anymore. We’re driving change with leadership. The science of welfare — learning behavior, enrichment, the pursuit of positive welfare outcomes — is now part of the everyday conversation on welfare. Happy horses make better athletes. Better partners. Better ambassadors for our sport.”
The all-day conference, which focused on aftercare organizations, featured six panels addressing important topics in aftercare with experts from around the world. Aftercare professional Jen Roytz served as the moderator, while four-time Olympian Boyd Martin was the keynote speaker.
Martin, who delivered the keynote address via video, began riding at a young age in his native country of Australia. He made his debut at the CCI5*-L with a win at the 2003 Australian International Three-Day Event riding the Thoroughbred gelding True Blue Toozac.
In 2007, Martin moved to the United States to further his career as an eventing professional, serving as the assistant trainer to Olympian Phillip Dutton for two years before starting his own business. He began riding for the U.S. in 2009 and is a four-time Olympian, having represented the U.S. in London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. Martin’s mount in Rio was Blackfoot Mystery, an off-the-track Thoroughbred, and he has partnered with other such notable Thoroughbreds as Neville Bardos and Ying Yang Yo.
“For me, Thoroughbreds are the king of all breeds,” said Martin. “They are ideal for so many purposes after they finish their racing careers. I have had so many wonderful Thoroughbreds that have changed my career. It is our duty as horse lovers to make sure that we give Thoroughbreds a second chance of having a second career. This topic is so essential.”
The first panel was Sustainable Business Practices in Aftercare, and it examined running sustainable and effective not-for-profits, including succession planning and preparedness for emergencies. Erin Halliwell, the executive director of Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA), and John Nicholson, the president and chief executive officer of Old Friends, took part.
The next panel, Engaging Equestrian Communities, covered strengthening connections between Thoroughbred aftercare and the equestrian world across disciplines and regions. It featured Lindsay Greenway, membership and handicap director of the United States Polo Association (USPA); Dr. Kenji Korosue, chief manager of the Equestrian Affairs Division of the Equine Department of the Japan Racing Association (JRA); and Natasha Rose, executive manager, Equestrian Affairs Projects of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). The panel was sponsored by Brook Ledge Horse Transportation.
Challenges in Aftercare: On-Track to Second Career completed the morning sessions by addressing challenges horses face transitioning from racing to second careers. Speakers included Tom Persechino, senior director of Equine Welfare for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA); Kenki Sato, Japanese Olympian and Buddhist monk; Dr. Bryan Waldridge, professor at Mississippi State University and veterinarian for Old Friends; and Ashley Watts, owner Liftoff Equestrian, which houses and trains horses for Canter Kentucky. The panel was sponsored by Equiscope Performance.
The afternoon sessions began with Post-Racing Veterinary Evaluations, which explored best practices in post-racing assessments to identify horses suited for second careers, including those with less visible vulnerabilities. Anna Ford, the Thoroughbred Program director for New Vocations Racehorse Adoption, and Dr. David Catlow, managing director of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), were joined by veterinarians Dr. Jeff Berk and Dr. Valerie Hyde. Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital sponsored the panel.
The next panel, Raising Awareness through Events, took a deep look at leveraging horse shows and other events to raise funds and awareness for Thoroughbred aftercare globally. Panelists included Caoimhe Doherty, co-founder and director of Treo Eile; Kim Duffy, Racing Queensland’s senior animal care manager; and Kirsten Green, executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP). It was sponsored by Brook Ledge Horse Transportation.
The conference’s final panel, Connections Through Thoroughbreds, focused on sourcing and preparing horses for therapeutic services. Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA); Dan “Boone” McCanna, co-founder of Down the Stretch Ranch; Niki Purdom of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF); Frank Taylor of Taylor Made Farm and Stable Recovery; and Ellie Toothaker, equine manager for Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH), took part. The panel was sponsored by the TAA.
Biographies for all speakers are available HERE. Video replays of all the panels as well as Martin’s keynote address will be available in the coming days, along with photos from IFAR 2025.
Following the conclusion of the panels, IFAR delegates departed for New Vocations to attend its Open Barn & BBQ event. On Friday, three additional aftercare organizations will host IFAR: CKRH, Old Friends, the Secretariat Center. The final day features a social gathering during the cross-country portion of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, one of the world’s premier equestrian 5* events.
Martin is competing on multiple horses at the event, and he is teaming up with SmartPak for a cross-country course walk Friday after dressage. IFAR attendees will have the chance to join Martin at the Head of the Lake, the event’s most iconic water obstacle, as he previews key cross-country combinations, shares his strategy, and offers expert insight ahead of Saturday’s action.
The JRA, which has entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement to support the activities of IFAR, is the presenting sponsor of the 2025 IFAR Conference. The Jockey Club (US) and the NTA are lunch sponsors, ReRun is the breakfast sponsor, and Godolphin is the transportation sponsor.
On Wednesday, Godolphin hosted IFAR attendees who arrived early at its Jonabell Farm. It also partnered with Keeneland to provide a chance to see morning training and attend the races at the track. Dr. Stuart Brown, Keeneland’s Equine Safety Director, met with IFAR attendees during the morning tour.
IFAR has previously conducted forums in conjunction with the 40th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Sapporo, Japan in August 2024; the 39th ARC in Melbourne, Australia in February 2023; the 38th ARC in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2020; the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation’s General Assembly in Oslo, Norway, in May 2019; the 37th ARC in Seoul, South Korea, in May 2018; and the Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., in May 2017. Virtual conferences were held in 2021 and 2022.
IFAR is an independent forum that recognizes geographical and industry differences among racing countries and is designed to enhance Thoroughbred aftercare worldwide. IFAR will raise awareness of the importance of welfare for Thoroughbreds, improve education on lifetime care, and help increase demand for former racehorses in other equestrian sports. For more information on IFAR, visit https://www.internationalracehorseaftercare.com.
International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses