Denis Egan, the Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) has announced that he will be taking early retirement from his position with effect from the 30th of September 2021. Mr. Egan, who joined the Turf Club in 1995, became CEO of that organisation in 2001. He was responsible for successfully transitioning the regulatory arm of The Turf Club into the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in 2018 taking on the role of CEO with the new body.
Along with his role as CEO of the IHRB, Mr. Egan represents Irish racing internationally as a member of the Executive Council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, a member of the International Harmonisation of Raceday Rules Committee and the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee. He is currently chairman of the European Racing Medical Officers Group and the International Conference for the Health Safety and Welfare of Jockeys.
Speaking of his decision Mr. Egan said: "Irish racing has an enviable reputation worldwide, both for its fairness and integrity and has enjoyed huge success at home and around the world. I am proud that the Turf Club, and more recently the IHRB, has had a significant role to play in this regard. I believe we now have a strong platform in place to build and grow for the future and I believe the time is right to hand over to a successor to take the organisation to the next level.”
“I would like to thank the Members of the Turf Club and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee and particularly the staff of the IHRB for their professionalism and indeed their support down through the years."
Harry McCalmont, Chairman of the IHRB, commented: “Denis has made a huge contribution to our organisation, and indeed to the Irish horseracing industry in general both at home and abroad. He is highly regarded throughout the world of horseracing and has served the sport well both in Ireland and internationally. Announcing his decision now allows us to identify his successor in a planned way and we will commence this process soon. While we are sorry to see him leave, we fully respect his decision and would like to wish him well for the future.”