PROGRAM
You can download the Program for this online conference HERE.
REGISTRATIONS
Registrations are open via NOMINATE.
SESSION 1 (10 July 2023)
Dr Rowena Mobbs
Presenting at 6:40pm – 7:00pm
TOPIC: 'Concussion related disorders in Sport: an update’
Biography
Dr Rowena Mobbs MBBS PhD FRACP is a neurologist at Macquarie University Hospital and Mater Hospital Sydney. She specialises in cognitive neurology, in particular dementia, concussion, migraine and CTE. Dr Mobbs champions a patient-centred approach as well as community advocacy for those living with dementia, including the latest challenges around concussion in sport, and she presented in the recent Senate Inquiry into Concussions and Repeated Head Trauma in Contact Sport. She is the current Director of the Australian CTE Biobank at Macquarie University and was a former Clinical Co-Director of the Australian Sports Brain Bank.
Heidi Bulfin
Presenting at 7:00pm – 7:20pm
TOPIC: 'Managing Drugs and Alcohol in Equestrian Sport: A systems approach.’
Biography
I’ve been involved in Equestrian since I was a child and later in life took up Endurance Riding, which I still compete at (although at low levels now due to lack of time and having an older, semi-retired horse). I’m also an Official for the discipline and in 2014 become an FEI Endurance Official too, and have had many amazing opportunities through this to see parts of the world I would not have otherwise gotten to see. Besides that, I am a Testing Technician for the FEI and ESNZ, and am passionate about ensuring our sport stays clean and that helps to maintain our social license. I’ve been employed by ESNZ since 2016 (currently as Community Manager for Horse and Athlete Wellbeing), prior to that spending many years working in the wine industry, promoting the sales of Marlborough’s fine products. It’s about moderation after all. I’ve been lucky to combine my love of equestrian with travel and away from horses I also enjoy running and hiking. I also still manage to find time to appreciate good food and wine with family and friends.
Michelle Debenham
Presenting at 7:25pm – 7:45pm
TOPIC: 'The social Licence to operate and the sustainability of equestrian sports: A future focus on horse welfare.’
Biography
Michelle Debenham is an education professional with over 30 years of experience teaching students in schools and then and developing learning programmes for education purposes including officials within the Equestrian Discipline.
Michelle currently the National Safety Administrator for Equestrian Victoria, she frequently works with National governing bodies around officials’ development. As a Level 3 FEI Technical delegate, she believes in hands-on approach and has been instrumental in the mentoring, education, and development of new and upcoming Eventing officials.
During the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, Michelle Co-founded The Australian Eventing Forum with a view to maintaining regular connection amongst officials during the challenging periods of isolation and lock down. The forum has become an excellent way for officials, athletes, and their connections to share and discuss all things Eventing and keep up with rule changes both nationally and within the FEI.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Education from Monash University and currently works in the development and education of local community and health professionals. Producing and presenting ‘Gatekeeper Education’ to increase awareness around mental health and reduce suicide.
She is RUOK? Community Ambassador and Coach and still rides when she can find the time.
Special Guest Speaker
Presenting at 7:45pm – 7:55pm
TOPIC: 'Unplanned incidents happen in Equestrian Sport. We can achieve our dreams with support’
SESSION 2 (12 July 2023)
Julie Fiedler
Presenting at 6:40pm – 7:00pm
TOPIC: 'The social Licence to operate and the sustainability of equestrian sports: A future focus on horse welfare.’
Biography
Julie is currently undertaking a PhD titled ‘Forecasting Horse Welfare Expectations: Insights from within’ at the University of Melbourne. Until May 2020, Julie was the Executive Officer for Horse SA, a non-profit organisation working across the South Australian horse sector on wide-ranging topics of common interest, such as horse welfare, biosecurity and recreational trails; a position held for nearly 20 years. Julie is the Animal Emergency Incident Management Network ANZ Secretary.
The organisation includes in its goals promoting the join-up between veterinarians, emergency responders, and animal managers to keep people safer during rescues and consider animal welfare.
To watch Interview with Julie, click below
Vireena Peacock
Presenting at 7:00pm – 7:20pm
TOPIC: 'The importance of Health, Safety and Welfare systems (including planning, doing & reviewing) to manage & mitigate risk in Equestrian sport.’
Biography
Vireena Peacock joined Equestrian NSW in January 2023 as Education Manager and then moved into the role of Acting CEO in December 2023.
Vireena has an undergraduate degree as a Science Teacher and Post Graduate qualifications in Management and Adult Education.
Vireena made her e-change after a career of more than 30 years in Supply Chain roles for Coca-Cola Amatil, Kimberly-Clark, Snackbrands and Arnott’s where she held large operational roles in factories and warehouses. These roles gave Vireena responsibility for the safety and welfare of large groups of employees and contractors in high-risk environments. It also gave Vireena insight into the wholistic nature of safety as a system and what is required to evolve safety awareness and safety culture.
Vireena is passionate about supporting Clubs, Officials and athletes in managing risk and continuously improving safety in equestrian sport.
Geoff Sinclair
Presenting at 7:25pm – 7:45pm
TOPIC: 'Supporting our Officials to confidently enact their role and to manage conflict in Equestrian Sport.’
Biography
Eventing has been a passion for Geoff for 50 years since pony club days. Better as an organiser than a competitor he has officiated at 5 Olympic Games since Sydney 2000, Technical Delegate at competitions from Melbourne, Sydney & Adelaide to two European Young Rider Championships and other top European events.
Geoff has been a course director of many FEI officials courses around the world for the past 10 years, Vice Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee and Member and Chair of Equestrian Australia.
After the fatalities of two young riding stars in Australia in 2016 he turned his attention to safety in eventing. He is the chair of the FEI Risk Management Steering Group who work tirelessly to reduce horse falls globally.
Geoff is 45 years married to Jill an FEI Judge and two wonderful married sons and 3 (soon 4) grandchildren. He still rides playing low grade polo.
To watch Interview with Geoff, click HERE.
Dr Heather Cameron-Whytock
Presenting at 7:45pm – 7:55pm
TOPIC: 'The importance of collecting data: How accurate data can assist with future decisions in training needs and rules within Equestrian Sport.’
Biography
Dr Heather Cameron-Whytock is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK. Heather spent many of her early years competing and producing young eventing horses, whilst working for international eventing riders. These experiences shaped Heather’s passion for equestrian sport and fed into the research that she now conducts. Heather’s PhD focused on Eventing, using data to find ways to make the sport safer for both horse and rider. Heather’s most recent scientific publication was the largest study ever published on horse falls in eventing, the study made recommendations which aim to reduce the risk of injury and death in eventing. Heather and the team she works with have completed data led projects for the FEI, British Eventing and Equestrian Australia, as well as horse charities in the UK such as Redwings. Having worked with such a variety of equestrian data, Heather has a wealth of experience of the good, the bad and the ugly in data and uses this knowledge to assist governing bodies in improving their data gathering practice.
To watch Interview with Heather, click HERE.
SESSION 3 (17 July 2023)
Karen Luke
Presenting at 6:40pm – 7:00pm
TOPIC: '5 Domains Horse Welfare: Simply, what does this mean and how do we achieve this?’
Biography
Karen Luke has tertiary qualifications in psychology, education and paramedicine, and is in the final stages of completing a PhD. She is the author of several publications on horse welfare, rider safety, and rider satisfaction, and has written for The Conversation. With expertise in horse welfare, horse behaviour, learning theory, horse training, and applied psychology she is well placed to assist horse owners, riders and equestrian organisations develop and implement initiatives to improve horse welfare and rider safety. Karen regularly presents at international conferences to academics and horse owners. When not working, she enjoys training and riding her horses.
Dr Andrew Mclean
Presenting at 7:00pm – 7:20pm
TOPIC: 'Listening to a Horse with no voice! Identifying signs of fear, pain, recognising behavioural responses’
Biography
Andrew is a clinical and forensic ethologist with specialist academic areas in animal cognition, equine learning/training and welfare science.
As an independent scientist, Andrew has authored and co-authored in excess of 80 research and review papers and conference presentations and ten horse and elephant training texts. In 2020, he co-authored the most recent Five Domains Model of Animal Welfare, focusing on human-animal interactions. Andrew has been co-winner of the Eureka Science award and the Premio Flambo Award for Animal Welfare (Italian Equestrian Sports Federation). In 2014, he was awarded the John H Daniels Fellowship from the USA National Sporting Library, Virginia and in 2016, he was King Scholar invitee at the University of Arkansas.
Andrew has dedicated the past couple of decades to teaching evidence-based horse training and management in workshops across Western Europe as well as the USA, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. In doing so, he has coached four Olympic medalists, seven National Equestrian Federations and in 1996 he coached the Indian Eventing team to win its first ever medal in international competition using techniques the he derived from learning theory. Andrew founded and directed the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre in 1995 and is currently the CEO of Equitation Science International. He is Patron of Pony Club Australia and as a former Director, he has instigated a revolutionary syllabus that leads the world in equestrian education for young riders. Andrew is also Founder of the Human Elephant Learning Programs Foundation, a not-for-profit charity that delivers evidence-based training and management across South and Southeast Asia and is supported there by various government organisations.
A winner of the Advanced section of the famous Gawler Three-Day-Event in 1989, Andrew has enjoyed a decorated equestrian sport career and has represented Australia in three-day eventing and competed in State and National titles in FEI dressage, eventing and showjumping. He was an Olympic Academy delegate in 1991 and was Australian Champion in Tetrathlon in 2018. In addition, Andrew was the founding President of the Victorian Event Riders Association.
Dr Kirrilly Thompson
Presenting at 7:25pm – 7:45pm
TOPIC: 'From Entitlement to Privilege - The importance of Psychological Safety for Horses and Humans’
Biography
Dr Kirrilly Thompson is a cultural anthropologist specialising in research on human-horse relations with a particular focus on health, safety and risk perception. She is a Senior Research Fellow at Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute. Kirrilly has published over 100 articles, chapters and reports, including the 2018 book ‘(Un)Stable Relations: Horses, Humans and Social Agency’, co-authored with Lynda Birke. Kirrilly was the Participation and Development Manager at Pony Club Australia from 2019-2021 and a consultant on horse welfare and rider safety/performance social media messaging in 2022. She held roles as Chair and Vice Chair of the Horse Federation of South Australia for over a decade. Kirrilly is passionate about making equestrian sport physically and psychologically safe for horses and humans.
Dr Camie Heleski
Presenting at 7:45pm – 7:55pm
TOPIC: 'Expectations from the FEI Ethics & Wellbeing Commission in managing future horse health, safety & welfare. What can we do better?'
Biography
Camie Heleski received her Ph.D. in Animal Science with an emphasis in equine behavior and welfare (from Michigan State University); her M.S. was also inScience, with an emphasis in equine nutrition and exercise physiology. She worked at Michigan State University for 25 years as Coordinator of their Horse Management Program. While there, she coached the collegiate horse judging team for 16 years and coached the introductory dressage team for 6 seasons. In 2016, she began teaching at the University of Kentucky in the Equine Science and Management program, where she teaches Equine Industry Issues, co-teaches the Equine Senior Capstone course, and also teaches the multi-species Animal Behavior & Welfare class. Her applied research interests revolve around equine behavior and welfare, horse-human interactions, sport horse welfare issues and working equids in developing regions of the world. She has been actively involved with the International Society for Equitation Science as a Council member and Honorary Fellow. One of her recent publications was a co-authored piece in the journal of Sustainability: Thoroughbred Racehorse Welfare through the Lens of ‘Social License to Operate—With an Emphasis on a U.S. Perspective. This article has led to multiple invited speaking opportunities, both in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Heleski was fortunate to grow up on an Arabian horse farm where she helped her family with training, showing, breeding and managing horses. She is currently serving a role on the FEI’s Commission for Equine Ethics and Wellbeing, which is largely related to social license to operate.
