International group calls for cut in red tape as thoroughbred movements halve

European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF) secretary general Paull Khan has called for a proportionate reduction in red tape under current regulations imposed by Brexit to address a "serious reduction" in the amount of international thoroughbred movements.

Khan, who is also a board member for equine advocacy group European Horse Network (EHN), cited animal health law and animal transport legislation regarding the transportation of thoroughbreds introduced because of Brexit as directly responsible for a 46 per cent decrease in international runners through the first ten months of 2021.

"We've had a serious reduction in the amount of international thoroughbred movements," he said. "I have figures for the movement of horses to and from Britain, because we'd been able to keep monitoring those through Weatherbys, that show over the first ten months of this year the number of international runners [British-trained horses running in EU countries or EU-trained runners in Britain] is nearly 50 per cent down – it's 46 per cent down.