SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has secured funding to continue the activity programme of the Horseracing Industry’s People Board (HIPB).
Established in 2023, the People Board serves as an “industry-backed strategy to attract and retain a highly skilled and well-supported workforce across British racing and breeding.”
To continue the HIPB workforce and skills development programme, the BHA has secured funding commitments from the Racing Foundation and the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB).
The organisations have pledged individual donations of £490,000 and £270,000 respectively, to help the HIPB deliver its 2025 programme.
Commenting on the funding, Tansy Challis, Chief Executive of the Racing Foundation, stated: “We are proud to continue supporting the HIPB as it enters a vital delivery phase. This funding not only ensures continuity but enables fresh, impactful initiatives to take root.”
The funding will be instrumental in both launching new initiatives and maintaining key programmes already in operation. These efforts are part of the HIPB’s broader strategy, Our People, Racing’s Future, which aims to support the development, wellbeing, and retention of the workforce within British racing.
Grant allocations will support five priority areas in 2025. These include a substance misuse pilot, which builds on the Newmarket Substance Misuse Support Network and introduces drug and alcohol testing, education, and support across training yards and studs.
Further funding will support a mentoring and qualification pilot, establishing a unified standard for industry-recognised mentoring training and expanding the Racing Staff Development Programme to include skill-sharing and peer support. A workforce analysis and forecast project will also begin, identifying existing skills and recruitment gaps across training yards to inform long-term planning.
Two ongoing programmes will receive continuity funding: Racing Home, which supports working parents and carers, especially women; and the JETS jockey coaching initiative, which enhances training provision while aligning with broader industry education frameworks.
To lead delivery of the 2025 programme, Jon Pett has been appointed Programme Director of the HIPB. Pett brings a wealth of experience from elite sports, having previously served in leadership roles at Pentathlon GB, British Cycling, and Table Tennis England.
“Jon’s appointment comes at a crucial time,” said Julia Tyson, Chair of the HIPB. “His leadership will ensure the momentum we’ve built since the board’s formation in 2023 is carried forward into real, tangible outcomes for our workforce.”
Pett will oversee the expanded HIPB programme team, now based within the British Horseracing Authority, with additional roles being created to support project delivery and strategic implementation.
Alan Delmonte, CEO of the HBLB, added: “We recognise the significance of investing in racing’s people. The HIPB’s work is essential to building a sustainable and supportive industry for the future.”
The combined funding from the Racing Foundation and HBLB forms part of a wider £4.2 million investment into people-focused activity across British racing in 2025.
