2025 ITBF Webinar Video Recording

Navigating a positive route forward through the many challenges facing the Thoroughbred breeding industry, is essential to the very survival of the breed.

Through Q&A’s, our six breeding experts share valuable information on their nation’s new concepts, developing initiatives, implemented schemes, and established methods for success.

Globally, we must all learn from each other, to help secure the future of the Thoroughbred industry.

Moderator, NICK LUCK, world-renowned racing broadcaster, puts questions, live, to our panel on how their countries are combatting the challenges.

Panel from 6 continents:

IRELAND: Cathy Grassick – Breeder and Chairman Irish TBA
JAPAN: Hirokazu Okada – President, Big Red Farm
USA: Bret Jones – President, Airdrie Stud
ARGENTINA: Alberto Figueiredo – Director, Bonne Chance
AUSTRALIA: Antony Thompson – Owner & Director, Widden Stud
SOUTH AFRICA: Jehan Malherbe – Breeder, Owner & Bloodstock Agent

With industry guests:

ITBF Chairman, Kirsten Rausing
IFHA Chairman, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges

Speaker biographies:

Cathy Grassick
ITBA Chairman

Cathy Grassick is a director and principal agent of Brian Grassick Bloodstock. Having previously worked as assistant to her father Brian, as well as for Lycetts Bloodstock Insurance and Magic Millions Bloodstock Sales, Cathy also has a degree in Business and Law from UCD. In recent years she has been responsible for purchasing such good horses as Klassique, Grandeur, Majestic Queen and Appealing under the Brian Grassick Bloodstock banner.

She is now a director of the family farm Newtown Stud alongside her mother Sheila and her husband Jamie Lowry. Newtown Stud has been responsible for producing or consigning many top-class horses such as Phoenix of Spain, Approve, Rockaway Valley, Three Sea Captains and Dress Rehearsal to name but a few. Cathy is Chairman of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.

Hirokazu Okada
Managing Director, Big Red Farm

After studying and training in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom for five years from the age of 19, Hirokazu joined Big Red Farm in 2001, which was established by his father, Shigeyuki, 50 years ago. He is also the President of Thoroughbred Club Ruffian (racehorse fund company) and Cosmos (co-ownership sales company).

Their mission is “To produce tough racehorses and success on the racecourse”, known for their hard training, resulting in early debut and a high debut rate for thoroughbreds. He produced GI winners including Uberleben (Japanese Oaks winner). His farm stands stallions including Gold Ship, Benbatl, Win Bright, and Danon the Kid. Big Red Farm group owns 600 hectares farmland and manages 700 horses and 110 staff. They pre-train approximately 135 horses a year and retain 75% ownership within their group. This means that the management operation is almost entirely funded by prize money, which is unique in Japan.”

Bret Jones
President, Airdrie Stud

A 2004 graduate of The University of the South (Sewanee) and an alumnus of the Irish National Stud Breeding Course, Bret has been an official member of the Airdrie Stud team since 2006. He works daily with Airdrie’s unrivaled managerial team and staff to help ensure that Airdrie’s legacy will always be that of a farm that does right by its people, horses and clients; a reputation earned by Brereton and Libby Jones over the last 50 years. A Breeders’ Cup Board Director since 2011, a commissioner on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission from 2016-2020, and a founding steering committee member of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association’s 2020 Campaign – a group developed to educate and give a voice to the industry’s under 40 generation.

Alberto Figueiredo
Director, Bonne Chance Farm/ Stud RDI

Alberto brings a wide variety of experience to Bonne Chance Farm. From 1984 to 1989 he worked at Agencia Paulista do Puro Sangue doing everything from bloodstock research to compiling catalogs and coordinating stallion syndicates. In 1989 he became the Partner Manager, responsible for Brazilian operations for Pan American Bloodstock Agency. During his time there he was responsible for the buying and exporting of horses to run in California as well as the organization of the two best yearling sales in Brazil in 1991 and 1992 of Haras Rosa Do Sul. In 1992 he joined Haras São Jose & Expedictus where he was responsible for the implementation of the international branch of the operation as well the new management in Brazil. During his time there he also coordinated with the Argentinian employees to build a successful breeding and racing operation, while also coordinating the importing and exporting of horses. His duties also included managing the US operation with horses training in California and breeding in Kentucky. During his time at Haras São Jose & Expedictus Alberto managed the campaigns of champions and group 1 winners: Siphon (BRZ and US), Romarin (BRZ and US), Riton (ARG), Seaborg (ARG), Sea Girl (ARG), Teeran (BRZ), Virginie (BRZ and US), Verinha (BRZ and US), Vyatka (BRZ), Vernier (BRZ), Afrodite (ARG), Be Fair (BRZ), Cheikh (BRZ), Chan Tong (BRZ), Cristie (BRZ), Coray (BRZ), Queen Desejada (BRZ), Canzone (BRZ), From The Sky (ARG), Moryba (BRZ).

Alberto joined Stud RDI/Bonne Chance Farm in March of 2009. He oversees and is responsible for the management and finances of the Kentucky operation as well as operations in Brazil, Argentina, and France. Alberto has vast experience in buying and selling horses locally and overseas across many different types of sales and auctions. During his time with Stud RDI and Bonne Chance, Alberto has managed the racing careers of group winners and champions as IVAR, Neverwalkalone, Lindalevesolta, In Love, Imperador, No Fear, Menino Do Rio, Uragano Point (BRZ), Anakin (BRZ), Nebbione (BRZ), Baruta (BRZ and US), Edittore (BRZ and US), Ekans (BRZ), Eiffel (BRZ), Finneon (ARG), Zapata (ARG), Hacksaw Ride(ARG), Frazier(ARG). Royal Ascot Gr.1 Champion Stakes winner, King of Steel (USA), was bred by Bonne Chance – the covering in France, foaling in Kentucky, and selling at Keeneland, then trained in Newmarket, England and retired to stud at Tally Ho, Ireland. Arabian Lion (USA), also from the Bonne Chance crop of 2020, was the first Gr.1 winner for his sire Justify, and now stands at Spendthrift, Kentucky. Alberto won the title of breeder of the year in 2023, with 4 Graded winners from that crop of just 19 foals in 2020.

Antony Thompson
Director/Owner, Widden Stud

Antony represents the seventh generation of the renowned Thompson family, founders of Widden Stud, established in 1867. Widden Stud has been pivotal in shaping the Australian breeding landscape, standing legendary sires such as Todman, Bletchingly, Vain, Marscay, Lunchtime and now Zoustar, who currently commands the highest service fee in Australia. Antony’s career spans well over three decades. His early experience included roles with trainer John Morish and stints at leading farms in New Zealand, namely Ra Ora Stud and Cambridge Stud; the United States at Vinery Kentucky and Eaton Sales; and in the United Kingdom with Bloodstock Agent Luke Lillingston. Under Antony’s leadership, Widden Stud has expanded to now stand 18 stallions across two farms, having established Widden Victoria in 2021. They have consistently delivered exceptional results on the racetrack, having bred numerous Group One winners. Widden was Australia’s leading vendor last season and their flagship stallion Zoustar, whose progeny have garnered significant acclaim on the track and in sales rings globally, has solidified Widden’s reputation as an industry leader.

Antony has also held numerous influential positions within the Thoroughbred industry, most notably as President of the Hunter Valley Thoroughbred Breeders Association, a role he held for seven years, and that of Director and Treasurer of Aushorse, presently serving as its chairman.

Kirsten Rausing
ITBF Chairman
Owner Manager, Lanwades
Industrialist, Philanthropist and Thoroughbred Breeder

Kirsten Rausing has been an active TB breeder for well over 50 years in Scandinavia, Ireland, France, the USA, South Africa and the United Kingdom, where she is based in Newmarket. Owner of Lanwades and St Simon Studs in Newmarket (started 1980 and 1982) and Staffordstown Stud in Ireland.
Breeding Industry Appointments:

• Chairman, British Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, 2006 – 2012
• Chairman, European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Associations (Paris), 2002 – 2005
• Chairman, International Thoroughbred Breeders’ Federation (ITBF) since 2017.
• Member, The Jockey Club 1992 – present
  Other TB Industry Appointments:
• British Bloodstock Agency plc, Board Member 1990 – 2000
• The National Stud, Newmarket, Board Member 1998 – 2004
• Jockey Club Estates, Board Member 1994 – 2009
• Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Trustee 1995 – 2012
• Honorary Associate, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, 2013

Kirsten Rausing has as a breeder and consignor – of exclusively homebred breeding and racing stock – topped ALL of Tattersalls Sales (December, February, July, Highflyer/October) over the years; she has also sold the highest-priced yearling at Goffs Orby Sales in Ireland on four separate occasions.

In the period from 1984 – 20th April 2024, Kirsten Rausing has bred the winners of 2,255 races worldwide; this includes 16 individual Gr 1 winners of 34 Gr 1 races; including World Champions ALPINISTA and ALBORADA, Horse-of-the-Year ALBANOVA, Australian Champion ZAAKI and numerous Classic winners. (Statistics prior to 1984 are not included, as incomplete)

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges GBS JP
IFHA Chairman
ARF Chairman
Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Jockey Club

Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges joined The Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1998 and has been its Chief Executive Officer since February 2007. Under his leadership the Club has undergone significant transformation, becoming one of the world’s leading racing organisations, while its Charities Trust is now one of the world’s top ten charity donors. Internationally, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges is Chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), the world’s highest thoroughbred racing authority, and Chairman of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), which comprises 28 national racing authorities and racing-related organisations from across Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East. Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges is also President of the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) founded by the IFHA and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI).

In Hong Kong, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges was a member of the Board of the Equestrian Events (Hong Kong) of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Co Ltd, the company charged with managing the operations of the 2008 Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong. He is a Vice Patron of the Community Chest and a Deputy Chairman of the Hong Kong Management Association, where he is Professor of Practice at its Institute of Advanced Management Development. He holds an honorary doctorate in humanities from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2009 and was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in 2016.

Prior to joining the Club, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges spent six years as Executive Vice President and ten years as a Board Member of the German Racing and Breeding Authority (Direktorium für Vollblutzucht und Rennen), the governing body of German horse racing and breeding, whose members include the representatives of racecourses, the Trainers and Jockeys Association and the German Breeders and Owners Association.

A graduate from the University of Cologne, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges has had a lifelong passion for horseracing and breeding thoroughbreds. He is also an avid football fan and played football professionally in Germany before graduation.