IFAR STEERING GROUP

Di Arbuthnot

IFAR Chair Chief Executive, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR)

Di is the Chief Executive of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), British Horseracing’s official charity of the welfare of retired racehorses. Di has been directing the charity’s progress since 2002. She is a former leading lady rider, a member of the Board of the Amateur Jockeys Association (AJA) and a Director of Sandown Racecourse Committee. Di’s role at RoR involves liaising closely with the charity’s chairman and trustees in planning RoR strategy and leading the executive team in the implementation of a wide range of RoR activities and second career events. As well as communicating with the various racing and equine bodies and contacts, key to the role is promoting the highest standards of equine welfare and providing evidence to support the racing industry message that it cares about what happens to horses after their racing careers have ended. Di is the chair of the IFAR steering group and has been instrumental in the formation of the Forum in order to share best practice globally.

Andrew Chesser

Manager, Registration Services The Jockey Club (USA) Director, IFHA

Andrew Chesser is the manager for The Jockey Club. Chesser has been with The Jockey Club for over 10 years and holds a broad array of responsibilities within the Registry. Chesser works closely with Jockey Club executive vice-president and executive director, Matt Iuliano, and Jockey Club registrar, Rick Bailey, in the administration of Registry operations, the strategic business analysis of Registration related matters, and the maintenance of the American Stud Book.

Since 2012, Chesser has also worked directly with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and is currently the Director of the Federation. He manages the day to day operations of the Federation under the direction of IFHA Chairman Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. In this role, Chesser also plays an integral role in the fulfilment, activation, and communication of the Longines and IFHA partnership which spotlights the best horseracing in the world under the sponsorship of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. The Longines and IFHA collaborate to showcase the sport’s global figures through a series of premier awards, the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Award, the Longines World’s Best Jockey Award, the Longines World’s Best Horse Race, and the Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit. Chesser also sits on a number of international committees including the International Stud Book Committee and the International Horse Welfare Committee.

Prior to joining The Jockey Club, Chesser spent time at Blood-Horse Publications as well as other major thoroughbred farms in New York and Kentucky. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics with a minor in Business from The University of Kentucky.

Diana Cooper

Strategic Advisor Charities, Godolphin

Diana Cooper has worked for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s thoroughbred horseracing interests for over 20 years and currently leads Godolphin’s global charitable programme. The programme’s objective is to create greater awareness, passion and care for the thoroughbred horse and to have a positive long-lasting impact on the thoroughbred industry and the communities local to Godolphin’s facilities worldwide. Diana joined Darley in 1993, and has been with Godolphin since its inception, overseeing its racing programmes in France until 2004 and then assisting the racing team in Dubai and the UK thereafter. Her wide background in racing has covered time with Fasig-Tipton, the International Racing Bureau and working for Luca Cumani.

Dr Eliot Forbes

Chief Executive of Racelab

Dr Forbes is currently the CEO of Racelab Ltd, an information technology company specialising in the provision of data and software services to wagering operators worldwide. He has over 25 years of racing and wagering industry experience, across Australia, Asia and the Middle East. As the CEO of Racing Queensland and Tasracing, he has delivered signification financial turnarounds for both jurisdictions and successfully launched agricultural start-up AniMark Ltd (a standards company specialising in the formulation and monitoring of animal welfare standards and livestock traceability).

In his role as a Director for Racing Australia (RA), he served as the inaugural Chairman of RA’s national Retirement of Racehorses Committee and a member of RA’s Welfare Committee. He was also a member of the national Veterinary and Analyst Committees (VAC) for each of the three codes of Australian racing and a member of Harness Racing Australia’s Standardbred Welfare Advisory Group.

Dr Forbes holds a Masters of Business Administration from La Trobe University, an honours degree in Veterinary Science from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has studied with the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts.

Jim Gagliano

President & COO, The Jockey Club (USA) Vice Chairman of IFHA

James L. Gagliano became President and Chief Operating Officer of The Jockey Club, the breed registry for all thoroughbred horses in North America, on January 1, 2010.

He had served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for The Jockey Club since June 2005.

Prior to joining The Jockey Club’s management team, Gagliano served as Executive Vice President of Magna Entertainment Corporation’s Maryland racing operations, where he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Maryland Jockey Club. He also served as President, MEC OTB, and Group Vice President, MEC Northern Group.

Before that, Gagliano served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Greenwood Racing Inc. and worked in various roles during a 10-year stint with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

Since October 2010, Gagliano has served as Vice Chairman representing the Americas for the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ Executive Council. In January 2013, he was elected to the American Horse Council Board of Trustees, and he was elected Vice Chairman in June 2015. In addition, he was elected to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Board of Directors in December 2016.

Gagliano has a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Providence College.

Dr Paull Khan

Secretary-General of the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF)

Paull has been involved in racing since undertaking his Doctorate in the Social Anthropology of the British Racing Industry in the late-70’s. In 1980, he joined Weatherbys, for whom he worked for 34 years, holding a wide variety of senior appointments, including Director of Racing and Director of Banking. He was the first member of Weatherbys’ staff to become a registered owner.

Today, through his consultancy, PK International, Paull Khan is Secretary-General of the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation, a position he has held since 2012. He also represents the British Horseracing Authority on the International Federation of Horseracing’s (IFHA’s) Technical Advisory Committee, of which he is Vice-Chair, and holds one of the 11 votes on the IFHA’s Executive Council.

Paull is a Director of the European Horse Network, has sat on many international committees and has written for a number of racing publications, currently writing a regular column in European Trainer magazine. He is passionate about international racing and is keen to add to his tally of 35 countries in which he has raced.