Updates
Racing updates Industry statistics
Updates
Racing updates Industry statistics

Diversity in Racing

Racing is everyone’s sport: Our vision is for racing to be a diverse and inclusive sport in which everyone has the opportunity to achieve their potential and where fans from all communities feel welcome.

British racing’s leading organisations have come together to improve diversity and inclusion across the sport under a unified “Industry Commitment” to ensure racing truly is a sport for everyone and to help the sport grow and thrive in the future.

British racing is proud to be one of few sports where all genders compete on equal terms. The Industry Commitment formalises the sport’s approach and commitment to diversity and inclusion, building on the extensive existing activity already taking place. Much of this is highlighted and celebrated through Racing Together which has showcased over 80 initiatives across the sport enabling the broadest range of people to participate, progress and achieve in horseracing.

The Industry Commitment follows the establishment of the Diversity in Racing Steering Group in 2017 and represents part of British racing’s Covid‐19 ‘Recovery Plan for British racing’, which includes putting in place foundations for a longer‐term sustainable recovery for the sport through engaging new and diverse audiences in all aspects of the racing industry.

British racing’s commitment to improving diversity and inclusion

The Industry Commitment was first undertaken in May 2021 by British Horseracing Authority (BHA), Racecourse Association (RCA), National Association of Racing Staff (NARS), National Trainers Federation (NTF), Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), Racehorse Owners Association (ROA), Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA) and Great British Racing (GBR) who are collectively responsible for the operational running and promotion of British racing.

There are now a total of thirty racing organisations signed up to the Commitment: Arena Racing Company, Ascot Racecourse, Ayr Racecourse, British Horseracing Authority, British Racing School, Chester Racecourse Company Ltd, Godolphin, Goodwood Racecourse, Great British Racing, Injured Jockeys Fund, JETS, National Association of Racing Staff, National Horseracing College, National Trainers Federation, Newbury Racecourse, Pony Racing Authority, Professional Jockeys Association, Racecourse Association, Racehorse Owners Association, Racing Digital, Racing Together/Racing to School, Racing Welfare, Rewards4Racing, Scotting Racing, Scottish Racing Academy, Take The Reins, The Jockey Club (on behalf of the Group including Jockey Club Racecourses, Jockey Club Estates and The National Stud), The Racing Foundation, Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and York Racecourse.

Read the full Industry Commitment here.

Other organisations across British racing are encouraged to join this Industry Commitment and play their role in creating a truly diverse, inclusive and welcoming sport in the years ahead.

Learn more about the BHA’s own D&I commitments and Action Plan here.

Diversity in Racing Steering Group

Formed in 2017, the Diversity in Racing Steering Group (DiRSG) is an independent voluntary body providing strategic direction, advice and support to the industry to help progress diversity and inclusion. It’s work is reviewed and supported by the industry’s Members’ Committee, which comprises leaders from racecourses, participants and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

Read the DiRSG Annual Update here or visit Racing Together for upcoming events and useful D&I resources, including case studies, industry research and practical toolkits.

DiRSG Members

The DiRSG is made up of passionate and experienced individuals from across the sport with a common desire for racing to grow and thrive on a foundation of diversity and inclusion.

Useful contact details 

Head of Diversity & Inclusion:Naomi Howgate [email protected]

Safeguarding: Online reporting at britishhorseracing.com/regulation/safeguarding or email: [email protected]

Reporting discriminatory abuse: (e.g. homophobic, sexist, racist) – britishhorseracing.com/raceWISE

 

Catherine Beloff
Director of Legal & Governance, British Horseracing Authority

Catherine is chair of the British Association for Sport and Law and was appointed as the BHA’s Director of Legal and Governance in September 2016. In this role she is responsible for all aspects of the BHA’s general legal counsel, company secretariat, corporate governance and data protection. Prior to joining the BHA, Catherine was a senior member of the DLA Piper sports team and has extensive experience of advising sports governing bodies and rights owners.

John Berry
Racehorse Trainer and Journalist

John Berry has been a trainer in Newmarket since 1995. He is also a journalist with weekly columns in Winning Post (Aus) and Al Adiyat (Dubai) and frequent contributions to the Thoroughbred Daily News and Thoroughbred Daily News AusNZ. He is also a guest presenter on Sky Sports Racing.

Eleanor Boden
Manager of the Scottish Racing Academy

Eleanor is the Manager of the Scottish Racing Academy and is a qualified teacher and a former Senior Lecturer at Myerscough College where she earned Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy status. Eleanor was the Community Engagement Coordinator for Scottish Racing and lead on the award winning, Alzheimer’s Scotland partnership. More recently, Eleanor has submitted her PhD to Durham University on the lived experiences of young people, specifically females, in the different horse racing specific education streams and early employment in the horseracing industry in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Dr Cedric Chan
Veterinarian, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC)

Cedric is a Bristol qualified equine veterinarian of just over 30 years’ experience who has had the good fortune to work in the racing industry in many countries including the UK, France, Dubai and Hong Kong. He has also taken up various veterinary roles at multiple Olympic, Paralympic and Asian Games with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI). Cedric is currently senior racing veterinarian and specialist equine surgeon at the HKJC.

Guy Disney
Project Manager, Walking with the Wounded

Guy is a British Army veteran who now manages projects for Walking with the Wounded and previously for The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. He made history in 2015 as the first jockey to compete under rules at a British racecourse with a prosthetic leg. He has competed in several races in the last few years including winning the Royal Artillery Gold Cup in 2017. He also completed the Walking with the Wounded expedition with Prince Harry in 2011.

Zoe Elliott
Head of Careers Marketing & Recruitment, British Horseracing Authority

Zoe has worked in the racing industry for 20 years both at BHA running marketing campaigns and in freelance marketing roles for other racing bodies. She is currently Head of Careers Marketing & Recruitment at the BHA, responsible for leading the Careers Marketing Strategy on behalf of the racing industry via the careersinracing brand and website www.careersinracing.com. She is passionate about showcasing the variety of opportunities available to people from all backgrounds, skills and experiences to work in horseracing.

Susannah Gill (Chair)
Communications and Corporate Affair Director, UK Tote Group

Susannah is part of the management team running the Tote. Prior to this, Susannah was Director of External Affairs and board member for Arena Racing Company, and before that Head of Public Affairs at Betfair, having started her career as a researcher in parliament. She is a Trustee of the Racing Foundation and National Horseracing College and an Ambassador for Racing to School.

David Letts
PhD Candidate and Self-Employed Researcher

David is currently undertaking a PhD examining the culture of British racing and implications for diversity and inclusion practice and policy within the sport. Prior to this he completed the Thoroughbred Horseracing Industries MBA at the University of Liverpool, culminating in a project examining sexual orientation in racing. He has held several roles throughout the industry, including most recently as Operations Manager at the European Breeders Fund, prior to moving towards academic study and self-employed project/research work. He is committed to furthering the sport’s work in all areas of diversity and inclusion, whilst possessing specific expertise in LGBT+ matters.

Lee Mottershead
Journalist, Racing Post

Lee is the Racing Post’s senior writer and has worked for the organisation since 1996. He is the author of three books and regularly appears on television and radio, while he also once survived riding in a charity race at Cheltenham. In 2011 Lee was named racing journalist of the year and in 2019 he became racing writer of the year.

Harriet Rochester (Deputy Chair)
Founder, Rochester PR

Harriet is an award-winning marketing, PR professional and project manager, specialising in horseracing, equestrian sport and rural affairs. She currently works with various organisations within horseracing at the grass roots of the sport to governance level. She established Rochester PR in 2007 and has led numerous successful campaigns on gender diversity in both horseracing and equestrian sport. Harriet is also excited about the momentum within women’s sport and passionate about raising its profile and for all its participants.

Gareth Wesley
Head of Innovation at Brand Dynamics

Gareth is Head of Innovation at Brand Dynamics, a leading innovation, strategy and research consultancy where he leads change driven innovation programmes for blue-chip companies tackling everything from new product development to corporate purpose. Prior to this he was a strategist in the TBWA agency network.
With a lifelong passion for racing Gareth also previously worked for several years at both the British Horseracing Authority and Racing Post.
He has also been active on wider initiatives including advising a female empowerment charity in Swaziland and organising and leading an expedition to the Himalayas to set a world record altitude for sport which raised a six-figure sum to support the Lord’s Taverners charity that helps disabled and disadvantaged children access sport.

Laura Whyte
BHA Board Member

Laura has had a highly successful career with the John Lewis Partnership, on the management board for 10 years, and most recently as Human Resources Director. She has also had non-executive director roles with the British Equestrian Federation, the Ministry of Defence’s Defence People and Training Board and Capital and Regional plc. She is Chair XLVets UK Ltd.

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