Dear AORC and IGSRV Members,

The Organising Committee is pleased to announce that two one-day pre-ICRAV Analytical Workshops and, for the first time, a two-day pre-ICRAV Veterinary Workshop will be held by renowned experts on 15 & 16 September 2023 prior to the main programme of the 23^rd ICRAV. The workshops, kindly sponsored by the Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), and the International Group of Specialist Racing Veterinarians (IGSRV), will include theory and hands-on/field exercises to provide practically relevant knowledge and to facilitate interaction among the members. We warmly invite you to attend the pre-ICRAV Workshops.

The first day of the Analytical Workshop on Data Mining of Omics Evidence, to be presented by Dr Adam Cawley (RASL), Dr Tony Cheung (HKJC) and Dr Benoit Loup (LCH), will introduce various OMICS technologies and associated data analysis tools for discovering biomarker candidates for doping control. The second day of the Analytical Workshop on Method Validation and Uncertainty of Measurements, to be presented by Mr David Leung (formerly of HKJC) and Dr James Scarth (LGC), will provide detailed descriptions of analytical method validation and uncertainty measurement for analysts. Participants can register the Analytical Workshops for both days or just one day. The Analytical Workshops will be held at the Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong. An email link will be provided to participants (by August 2023) for downloading/printing course materials and pre-installing the required software.

The two-day Veterinary Workshop will focus on Equine Kinetics and Evidence-based Objective Lameness Measurements as well as Pre-Race Veterinary Inspections. We are pleased to have world-renowned experts in objective gait analysis as presenters, including Professor Kevin Keegan from the University of Missouri as our main speaker. The Veterinary Workshop will allow delegates to update their knowledge and skills in the area of equine kinematics and lameness assessment, with a focus on understanding the objective measurement of a horses’ gait, how these technologies are being used in equine veterinary medicine and their current and future relevance to racing regulation. The Veterinary Workshop will be held at the Sha Tin Racecourse and the Equine Hospital of the HKJC.

The number of places on each day of the Analytical and Veterinary workshops is limited to 30, first come first served upon receipt of payment. Priority may be given to AORC/IGSRV members. Places are limited to a maximum of two individuals from each authority / laboratory / institution for each of the three workshops. The registration fees, inclusive of attendance at the registered workshop sessions, transport between the conference hotel and the workshop venue (for the Veterinary Workshop), workshop materials, lunch and refreshments, are as follows:

The Kerry Hotel will honour the conference room rates on 14-16 September 2023 for pre-ICRAV workshop delegates, who can make their accommodation arrangements at conference registration.

Please visit the website (https://www.icrav2023.com/en/science-workshops) for further information.  To enrol in the workshops, please submit the completed registration form to the Secretariat at info@icrav2023.com.

Kind regards,

Emmie Ho
Chair of the 23^rd ICRAV Organising Committee