December 21, 2013, USA ~ In a continued effort to establish universal standards in all regards to Arabian racing, a new IFAHR Advisory Committee for Arabian Studbooks has been formed under IFAHR, according to IFAHR Secretary from Sweden, Mats Genberg “This committee is made up of representatives of WAHO registries from all IFAHR member countries,” he said. “The main purpose of it is to be a meeting point where they can discuss registration issues that relate to racing.”
“Normally WAHO registrars meet every 2 years at the WAHO conference and tend to discuss general issues,” Genberg continued. “As only a few of them are from racing countries there has never been an understanding of the specific needs of racing.” Val Bunting has been appointed as the independent Chairwoman of the Group, which will meet twice a year. The committee will be fully established by 2014 and will meet again in Doha in February.
Val Bunting commented on the need for the committee. “We are trying to follow the Thoroughbred regulations,” she said. “Now, each country has rules and regulations independently, such as how many generations are required for racing eligibility (France requires two generations, Turkey requires four). We have established which is the first generation for this subject, as it was confusing some members. The Parents are the first generation,” said Bunting.
Graham Wolcroft of the British Horseracing Association (BHA) in the UK has recently been appointed Chairman of the IFAHR Pattern Race Committee, taking the place of Jean-Pierre de Gaste’. The Pattern Race Committee will meet in December in London to finalize the 2014 Pattern race plans. Walcroft will also liaise with Val Bunting on the registry meeting and their recommendations.
Genberg said that travel documents from country to country are a large part of the need to standardize paperwork for IFAHR. He cited other concerns being looked at by IFAHR:
1. The double passport issue of the UAE and the management of import documentation. (The passport issue is solved but not the import issue)
2. The International Agreement on Arabian Racing that is being worked on by Graham Wolcroft with input from the Registries meeting where relevant.
“This agreement is modeled on IFHA’s International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities concept and is not a set of rules, but a collection of points where each country decides to agree or not agree,” said Genberg.
“The International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering is a voluntary agreement designed for the guidance of recognized Racing and Breeding authorities,” he continued. “In IFHA, a good example is that the USA have chosen not to agree on many articles regarding medication, but that does not mean that they cannot agree to the other rules. IFAHR’s version will take off from IFHA’s version, as many, or all, of our members are also IFHA members. We will then add articles that are breed specific for Arabians and remove the ones that are breed specific for Thoroughbreds.”
IFAHR has currently 27 member countries with Sami Jassim Al Boenain as Chairman.
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