World Tote Association puts the environment at the top of the agenda

In October WOTA took the bold step of putting environmental sustainability at the top of their agenda at the first inaugural conference at the Leadenhall Building in London.

Delivering the Keynote speech on ‘The global impact of environmental sustainability on horseracing’, White Griffin’s Director, Ruth Dancer, told the assembled crowd that everything that impacts horseracing, impacts gambling by definition. 200 delegates from across the world learned about the impacts of climate change on ground conditions, equine welfare and the spread of diseases, as well as water shortages and extreme weather events.

But there was hope too, in the form of land stewardship and biodiversity. Delegates were invited to consider the impact of horseracing embracing their role as leaders in the protection of wildlife and creation of carbon sequestration opportunities. Finding a global response to a global crisis as an industry benefits not just the environment but the sustainability of horseracing in general, she explained.

The conference covered topics including social licence and the future of the industry in 2040, with delegates treated to leg wobbling views from the top of the Leadenhall Building in Central London.