Staff representing every major initiative at the National Thoroughbred Racing Association will be in Tucson, Ariz., next week for the racing industry’s most important annual business conference, the Global Symposium on Racing & Gaming, organized by the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program, at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.
Meanwhile, the Racing Officials Accreditation Program hosts its affiliated annual Conference on Officiating Horse Racing on Monday, also at Loews. NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop, who serves as Chairman of the Racing and Medication Testing Consortium (RMTC), presents on the latest in medication regulation and research at a morning panel, “Resources for Stewards, Judges & Racing Officials.”
NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance Executive Director Steve Koch will appear on two Symposium panels. Tuesday afternoon he moderates “Bridging the Horseracing-Academic Divide,” a session with three doctorates (including perennial National Handicapping Championship qualifier and Rhodes College economist Marshall Gramm) presenting findings relevant to racing and addressing why the industry should support more scholarly research. Wednesday afternoon Koch joins Dr. Dionne Benson of the RMTC and veterinary and regulatory consultant Dr. Ron Jensen, a frequent NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance inspector, to discuss “Best Practices at the Test Barn: Chain of Custody and Operating Efficiency.”
NTRA Director of Media & Industry Relations Jim Mulvihill moderates Tuesday’s annual Mark Kaufman Workshop presented by the Turf Publicists of America. Journalists Bill Nack and Tim Layden will be the guests for a conversation on “Sports Illustrated and Thoroughbred Racing: Past and Present,” examining more than 60 years of exemplary racing coverage in SI with two of the sport’s most essential chroniclers.
In addition, several NTRA staff members will be in attendance for networking and professional development, including sales representatives from NTRA Advantage, the Thoroughbred industry’s group purchasing and sponsorship program. NTRA Advantage Senior Vice President Jeff Burch and NTRA Advantage Sales & Business Development rep Fritz Widaman will host senior executives from Suncast Commercial and Sherwin Williams, introducing these important partners to key industry players and providing a deeper education on the world of equestrianism. To learn more about the benefits of NTRA Advantage or to explore partnerships with either the NTRA or any of its NTRA Advantage partners, contact Burch at jburch@ntra.com.
To learn more about the Symposium, visit http://ua-rtip.org/symposium.