A new horse racing association in Jordan is to be formed to help support the industry and raise it to international standards. This new association will come under the jurisdiction of the Royal Jordanian Equestrian Federation (RJEF), the national governing body for equestrian industry and sport in Jordan. The new Horse Racing Association of Jordan (HRAJ) will be tasked with helping guide and improve the racing industry on multiple fronts including, health and safety standards for both horses and riders, registration and traceability of the numerous breeds of horses racing in Jordan, international recognised handicapping system and exploring the improvement of equine infrastructure and facilities.
The new governing committee for the HRAJ will consist of well-known figures in the horse industry in Jordan as well as a number of experts from the racing industry abroad. The committee will be headed by the General Secretary of the RJEF, Nour Al-Refai.
The Head of Strategy for the committee is Pierce Dargan from Ireland. Pierce has a rich family history in the horse racing industry based out of his family’s farm, Eyrefield House Stud. He is a director of the Irish Horse Welfare Trust, the oldest and largest horse charity in Ireland. His company Equine MediRecord has clients that include some of the largest names in horse racing globally such as the Breeders Cup World Championships, the Thoroughbred Owners of California and the Arabian Racing Organisation. With his work in horse racing and his other charitable work, with his non-profit organisation Secret Street Tours and the World Economic Forum Global Shapers hub in Ireland, he was named in Ireland’s 30 under 30 business people.
Pierce is joined by fellow international colleague Genny Haynes from the UK. Genny has been involved with Arabian racing in the UK for over 20 years, previously as a Trainer of Arabians, and since 2007 Director of the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) UK. Genny leads the ARO/BHA (British Horseracing Authority) Integration Project for Arabian racing to be included within the British Horseracing Industry. Genny has previously been involved at Board level with the International Federation of Arabian Horseracing (IFAHR).
According to the RJEF the goal of the committee is to “(professionalise processes connected to the sport in Jordan, improving it for both horses and participants with the ultimate aim of having international horses race in Jordan and the best Jordanian horses running abroad).
With a proud and lengthy history of Jordan competing in equine sports around the world at the highest level, including horses and riders representing Jordan multiple times in the Olympics, the vision of having Jordanian horses compete on the international stage against the best race horses in the world can only be positive for the sport in Jordan.