Ensuring the welfare and safety of the human and equine athletes competing at any event

Equine MediRecord solves a previously unmet need by allowing proper, timely recording of all regulatory medicines and vaccinations records administered to horses

As the new Horseracing Integrity Act passes through the House of Representatives, US racing industry leaders have continued to embrace sweeping reforms. The most recent of which has seen Kildare-based Equine MediRecord (EMR) provide its revolutionary anti-doping and horse welfare software to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland next month.

The deal is the latest notch in the belt of a company which launched its system just two years ago but has already amassed an impressive list of clients including the Thoroughbred Owners of California, Irish Veterinary and Welfare Commission, Irish Harness Racing Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and the Arabian Racing Organisation.

The company sells and maintains, a revolutionary software platform which allows for the full veterinary history of the horse to be recorded securely, ensuring the best possible horse welfare as well as aiding with crucial anti-doping procedures. The new system EMR has developed for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will automatically inform trainers from across the world of the safety and integrity regulations that need to be followed and what documents need to be submitted through the system to allow horses to run in the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland. The Breeders’ Cup has been a leader in adopting and creating stringent regulations to ensure the welfare and safety of the human and equine athletes competing at its event.

EMR already boasts a number of endorsements from key stakeholders in the US including the Executive Director of the California Horse Racing Board, Scott Chaney and Dr William Farmer, the Equine Medical Director of Churchill Downs. “The Equine MediRecord system is a major breakthrough in providing the latest and most comprehensive medical and testing records for all participants in this year’s World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Breeders’ Cup Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer, “We are proud to partner with EMR this year.”

Once records are entered into the system they cannot be altered, providing integrity and transparency for all concerned. With strict requirements in place for the competition at the Breeders’ Cup, such a tool is needed to ensure the integrity of the records while also allowing them to be digitally submitted to regulators like the Kentucky Racing Commission and Breeders’ Cup officials. This procedure also eliminates passing around paperwork to various partners who are following COVID-19 protocols.

Equine MediRecord, CEO, said: “It is an amazing privilege to work with the Breeders’ Cup. When we started the company four years ago it was one of our dreams to build the technology to help ensure the best possible care is given to the top thoroughbred horses from around the world to compete at the Breeders’ Cup. We believe our system has a role to play in the movement to help ensure that our children will be able to enjoy horse racing the way we have for generations – to be a part of that work is an honour and highly rewarding.”

The Breeders’ Cup has always been a leader when it comes to adopting best welfare and anti-doping protocols. With the sport and its integrity in the spotlight the Irish innovation is sure to be adopted by more top racing organisations who are looking to ensure best possible welfare and anti-doping practices for the horses in their care.

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