British Horseracing Authority

British Horseracing Authority

Predecessor	British Horseracing Board Horseracing Regulatory Authority
Formation	31 July 2007 (2007-07-31)
Type	Sport governing body
Purpose	Horse racing
Headquarters	75 High Holborn, London, England
Region served	Great Britain
Chairman	Steve Harman
Chief Executive	Paul Bittar
Affiliations	International Federation of Horseracing Authorities
Website	www.britishhorseracing.com

The British Horseracing Authority, also known simply as the BHA, is the regulatory authority for horse racing in Great Britain.

It was formed on 31 July 2007, after the merger of the British Horseracing Board (BHB) and the Horseracing Regulatory Authority (HRA).

Its stated objectives are to: "provide the most compelling and attractive racing in the world; be seen as the world leader in raceday regulation; ensure the highest standards for the sport and participants, on and away from the racecourse; promote the best for the racehorse; and represent and promote the sport and the industry."

It is a member of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. The BHA's current chairman is Steve Harman, who succeeded Paul Roy in the role in 2013.

Overview

The British Horseracing Authority performs a number of functions. These include:

• Race planning
• Disciplinary procedures
• Protecting the integrity of the sport
• Licensing and registering racing participants
• Setting and enforcing standards of medical care for jockeys and other participants
• Setting and enforcing common standards for British racecourses
• Research and improvements in equine science and welfare
• Regulating point to point (steeplechase) racing in the UK
• Compilation of the fixture list
• Setting and enforcing the rules and orders of racing

Integrity

The Authority’s Integrity Services Department performs some of its most well publicised duties. These include:

• Identifying and deterring breaches of the Rules of Racing and malpractice in horseracing
• Conducting investigations into breaches of the Rules of Racing
• Gathering information in respect of potential wrongdoing in horseracing
• Inspections of training establishments
• Monitoring real-time betting markets for suspicious betting activity

Charity

Retraining of Racehorses

In April 2000, British Horseracing launched Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), the official charity for the welfare of horses who have retired from racing through injury, old age or a lack of ability.

References

• The British Horseracing Authority
• Retraining of Racehorses

External links

• Website