Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) welcomed more than 140 representatives from across the racing industry, government, education, and the local community to the National Equine Campus (NEC) Stakeholder Engagement Day at the Racing Academy & Centre of Education (RACE) on Monday June 8, 2026.

The event provided attendees with an opportunity to learn more about plans for the National Equine Campus, a transformative redevelopment project that will expand the role of the current RACE facility to become a national centre for education, training, wellbeing, rehabilitation, and high-performance services for the Irish racing industry.

Guests heard presentations outlining the strategic vision for the campus, the redevelopment plans, and the role the NEC will play in supporting the future workforce needs of Irish racing.

A panel discussion explored the future of workforce development in Irish racing, highlighting the importance of collaboration across the industry to attract, develop, and retain talented people at all levels.

Attendees also enjoyed a riding demonstration in the indoor arena, showcasing training techniques and rider performance supports that will form an important part of the future campus offering.

The strong attendance and positive engagement throughout the day demonstrated widespread support for the project and a shared ambition to create a world-class facility that will serve the Irish racing industry for generations to come.

Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, commented:
"The National Equine Campus represents a significant investment in the future of one of Ireland’s most important indigenous industries. By bringing together education, training, wellbeing and high-performance services in one location, this project will help ensure Irish racing continues to develop the skilled workforce it needs to thrive into the future. It is encouraging to see such strong engagement from stakeholders across the industry as this vision takes shape."

Suzanne Eade, CEO, Horse Racing Ireland, commented:
"The National Equine Campus is one of the most important strategic projects currently under way in Irish racing. Monday’s event demonstrated the enthusiasm, expertise and commitment that exists across the industry to make this vision a reality, with the contribution of the Irish Injured Jockeys being particularly significant. We are creating a campus that will not only serve the needs of today's workforce but will help shape the future success, sustainability and international competitiveness of Irish racing."

Johnny Murtagh, Trainer, former jockey and RACE graduate, said:
"As someone whose career was shaped by the opportunities and support I received through RACE, I know first-hand the value of investing in people. The National Equine Campus has the potential to be a gamechanger for Irish racing, giving future generations access to world-class education, training and support services. It is exciting to see the industry coming together behind such an ambitious and important project."

Further information on the National Equine Campus project is available at www.equuip.ie/national-equine-campus