racing_news/

HRA Chief Executive Dr Peter Webbon, Announces His Departure
14/09/06

Dr Peter Webbon, the first Chief Executive of the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, has announced that he will be leaving the HRA to join the Animal Health Trust as Chief Executive. He will take up his new position on 1st January 2007.

Explaining the reasons for his departure, Peter said "Leading the new regulator through some fairly difficult times has been a real challenge and one I've thoroughly enjoyed. However, when the opportunity came to join the Animal Health Trust, an organisation I feel passionate about, it was simply too good an opportunity to turn down.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working within racing, firstly with the Jockey Club and subsequently as Chief Executive of the HRA, and I think everyone at the HRA, both in the head office and on the racecourse, can be proud of what they've achieved in such a short space of time.

"I hope to continue to be involved in racing through my role at the Trust which I think has an important part to play as the scientific arm of racing."

After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, Peter Webbon managed to combine his love for racing with his veterinary skills with his appointment as a Levy Board Research Training Scholar. He then became a lecturer in Radiology at the Royal Veterinary College prior to becoming the Senior Lecturer in Equine Medicine there from 1983-1996. During this time he also acted as the Director of the RVC's Sefton Equine Referral Hospital, a role which brought with it full responsibility for policy, clinical activities, rostering and budgetary control.

His achievements at the Jockey Club include playing the leading role for racing in 2001 by developing with DEFRA the conditions for which racing could continue amidst the Foot and Mouth epidemic and conceiving the successful annual Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Seminar held at Cheltenham.

John Bridgeman, Chairman of HRA, said "Our loss is definitely the Trust's gain. We are sorry to be losing Peter but quite understand the reasons for his decision. We wish him every success in this challenging new role. Hopefully, he will continue to play an active role in racing and I am sure that ultimately this appointment could be beneficial to the racing industry as a whole.

"I would like to thank him for all his hard work and dedication in making the HRA such a success in such a short space of time."