The 2025 International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ) was held in Hong Kong on December 11-12. Themed Performance Medicine in Racing – Developing and Protecting the Jockey, the conference took an applied, evidence-based approach, featuring presentations and panel discussions with leading experts in the field.
“This conference represents one of the most important conversations taking place within the racing industry today,” said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). “For too long, jockey safety and wellbeing have been discussed with admiration for the resilience of the athlete rather than with the structured, systematic, and scientifically informed approach required of a modern, high-performance sport.
“This conference marks another step in changing that and ensuring that our riders receive nothing less than the highest standards of care, the strongest protections available, and the most rigorous pursuit of knowledge that cHontemporary sports science and medicine can offer.”
Across the two days, speakers took part in 13 sessions, including Inside the Mind of the Jockey: Performance, Wellbeing and Lessons from the Field; Entrapment Protocols; and Fuelling the Ride: Practical Insights and Evolving Strategies in Jockey Nutrition.
The 2025 ICHSWJ was organised by the Jockeys Health and Wellbeing Committee of the IFHA and supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).
Darragh O'Loughlin, chief executive officer of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) and chair of the IFHA Jockey Health and Wellbeing Committee, added, “Our theme this year, Performance Medicine in Racing – Developing and Protecting the Jockey, reflects how far the conversation has come. No longer focused solely on injury response, we now look more broadly at what it truly means to support a jockey – before, during and after their time in the saddle.
“This conference is built around real-world practice, scientific evidence and shared insight. It brings together doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, lawyers, researchers, regulators, nutritionists, current and former jockeys, and racing professionals from over a dozen countries. We are not just here to talk about jockey health. We are here to build the systems, culture, and knowledge base that can sustain it.”
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