Roscommon woman appointed Head of Equine Welfare at Horse Racing Ireland

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) has announced the appointment of Fuerty woman Claire Donoghue as Head of Equine Welfare.

A leader in quality assurance, standards and sustainability in food production, Claire spent many years with OSI Group, a global player in food production, with a presence in 68 countries. Claire worked on quality assurance initiatives which brought collaboration among wide stakeholder groups in complex supply chains.

A lifelong horse lover, Claire spent her summers riding out. The Roscommon native said: “I am thrilled to get a chance to apply my experience to horse welfare. I worked with the world leader, OSI Group, which has reshaped food quality assurance, working with some of the biggest food retailers in the world. Irish racing has a global reputation for excellence, and I hope to enhance that through effective stakeholder collaboration.” 

John Osborne, Director of Equine Welfare & Bloodstock, commented: “Claire is a dynamic leader who has built a career raising standards, bringing diverse groups onto a single-minded pathway towards best-in-class systems of work. We are lucky to attract such talent and Claire will be a significant addition to our team at HRI.”

Reporting directly to the Director of Equine Welfare and Bloodstock, the Head of Equine Welfare will drive the development and promotion of Ireland’s horse racing and breeding industries, through strict governance and the highest standards of integrity and welfare.