WITH a panel assembled for the opening season of chairman Des Leadon, IEC; Turf Club Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Lynn Hillyer; Dr Hazel Sheridan, the Department of Agriculture’s Senior Superintending Veterinary Inspector; HRI’s Director of People and Industry Education Carol Nolan; CEO of Weatherbys Ireland, Ronan Murphy; and Ringfort Stud owner Derek Veitch, who is also as a veterinary surgeon, there were no excuses for the audience to leave the ITBA National Seminar in Clonmel on Friday week last without the answers they sought.

It was immediately clear that the greatest concern facing breeders are the impending visits from the Turf Club anti-doping team, the Department of Agriculture and the Work Relations Commission inspectors. Fortunately, Dr Hillyer, Dr Sheridan and Carol Nolan were able to set minds at ease with practical advice, and the reassurance that these visits are designed to help breeders and not attack them.