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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

It's Not Too Late to Register for the Second Annual NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Professional Education Seminar Set for October 18-19 at Keeneland

It's not too late to register for the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance's second annual NTRA Professional Education Seminar -- Presented by Pfizer Animal Health and Keeneland on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 18-19 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Attendance at the seminar will help satisfy continuing education requirements for racetracks as mandated by the Alliance’s Code of Standards.

The Seminar -- open to the public -- will feature expert speakers from across the country who will discuss health and safety topics targeted specifically to trainers, aftercare organizations, racing officials and veterinarians.

The Seminar will feature a full-day session on October 18. On October 19, presentations will conclude at 12:15 p.m., so that participants may attend the day’s live racing program at Keeneland.

“Last year’s single-day Professional Education Seminar was so well received and attended that we have added a second day this year in order to broaden the scope of topics covered,” said Mike Ziegler, Executive Director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. “The Seminar is truly a unique opportunity for attendees to hear leading experts discuss the latest issues, developments and techniques pertaining to human and equine safety in Thoroughbred racing. We thank Keeneland and Pfizer Animal Health for their invaluable support in hosting the Seminar.”

“Pfizer Animal Health was proud to help launch the Professional Education Seminar last year and we are gratified to see it expanded this year,” said Kristin Ruff, Director at Pfizer Animal Health. “Equine health and safety research is a constantly evolving endeavor, and we believe those who work directly with the Thoroughbred should have access to the latest information available.”

“Keeneland is pleased to host this important seminar for the second year in a row,” Keeneland President and CEO Nick Nicholson said. “It is critical that the Thoroughbred industry continue to share and learn best practices for ensuring the safety of our human and equine athletes.”

For additional information about the NTRA Professional Education seminar, including how to register, contact Casey Hamilton at (859) 422-2627.

The Alliance, formed in October 2008 with the goal of establishing national uniform standards in the areas of safety and integrity, includes 55 racetracks in North America and every major national horsemen’s organization. Alliance certification standards cover six broad areas: injury reporting and prevention; creating a safer racing environment; aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; uniform medication, testing and penalties; safety research; and wagering security. Within those six categories, specific standards focus on areas including:
  • Systematic reporting of equine injuries
  • Aftercare of racehorses
  • Pre- and post-race veterinary examinations
  • Post-mortem examinations
  • Health and safety of jockeys
  • Riding crops and their use
  • Horse shoes and hoof care
  • Safety research
  • Safety equipment for jockeys and horse handlers
  • Exogenous Anabolic Steroids
  • Alkalinizing agents (TCO2)
  • On-track emergency medical care for humans and equines
  • Out-of-competition testing
  • Freezing and retrospective testing of post race samples
  • Continuing education
  • Security assessment and training
  • Totalizator technology and “stop wagering” protocols
  • Wagering incident investigation
The NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance is a standing organization whose purpose is to establish standards and practices to promote safety and integrity in horseracing and to secure their implementation. Information on the Alliance, including the Alliance Code of Standards, can be found at www.NTRAalliance.com.