Old Friends is pleased to announce that John Nicholson, President and CEO of Old Friends, and Dr. Bryan Waldridge, Old Friends Equine Veterinarian, will be participating on speaking panels for the ninth annual International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR).
The IFAR 2025 gathering, which takes place Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, April 26 in Lexington, Kentucky, will focus on aftercare organizations.
"It is of momentous significance for Kentucky's horse industry that IFAR will be having their annual conference in Lexington," said John Nicholson, President and CEO of Old Friends. "Since Old Friends was founded by Michael Blowen a generation ago as one of the original facilities dedicated to Thoroughbred Aftercare, we are proud to be represented in the programming of the Conference.
"Dr. Waldridge and I are both honored to be asked to be panel members and we are very much looking forward to welcoming the conference to Old Friends on Friday afternoon."
The first day of the three-day event will be a traditional conference at Spy Coast Farm's Equine Education Center.
Four-time Olympian Boyd Martin will be the keynote speaker, and aftercare professional Jen Roytz will serve as the moderator. The all-day conference will feature six panels addressing important topics in aftercare with experts from around the world.
According to its press release about the event, "IFAR strives to bring together global leaders so that we can all learn from each other and advance aftercare worldwide," said IFAR Chair Dr. Eliot Forbes, who will open the conference. "Aftercare organizations play a crucial role in assisting racehorses as they move on to their next careers. We are thrilled to present a distinguished line-up of speakers whose extensive expertise will provide an unparalleled exploration of the most critical topics in Thoroughbred aftercare."
The panels that Nicholson and Dr. Waldridge will participate on are:
Four-time Olympian Boyd Martin will be the keynote speaker, and aftercare professional Jen Roytz will serve as the moderator. The all-day conference will feature six panels addressing important topics in aftercare with experts from around the world.
According to its press release about the event, "IFAR strives to bring together global leaders so that we can all learn from each other and advance aftercare worldwide," said IFAR Chair Dr. Eliot Forbes, who will open the conference. "Aftercare organizations play a crucial role in assisting racehorses as they move on to their next careers. We are thrilled to present a distinguished line-up of speakers whose extensive expertise will provide an unparalleled exploration of the most critical topics in Thoroughbred aftercare."
The panels that Nicholson and Dr. Waldridge will participate on are:
Panel #1,: Sustainable Business Practices in Aftercare
Day, Time: Thursday morning, April 24
About the Panel: It will cover running sustainable and effective not-for-profits, including succession planning and preparedness for emergencies.
Participants: John Nicholson, President and CEO of Old Friends. Also on the panel is: Erin Halliwell, the executive director of Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA).
Panel #3: Challenges in Aftercare: On-Track to Second Career
Day, Time: Thursday morning, April 24
About the Panel: It will cover the challenges horses face transitioning from racing to second careers.
Participants: Dr. Bryan Waldridge, Old Friends veterinarian and professor at Mississippi State University. Also on the panel are: Tom Persechino, senior director of Equine Welfare for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA); Kenki Sato, Japanese Olympian and Buddhist monk; and Ashley Watts, owner Liftoff Equestrian, which houses and trains horses for Canter Kentucky.
Also, on the second day of the event, three aftercare organizations, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, Old Friends, and the Secretariat Center will host IFAR guests.
There will be a number of other speakers and panels during the event. For complete information or to register for the event, click here.
For more info about IFAR, go to https://www.internationalracehorseaftercare.com.
This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.
