Cover image courtesy of Equate
The Equate 25 Forum is designed to help industry participants explore technology and innovation through expert speakers and interactive workshops, building on the success of its inaugural event in Scone in 2024.
Tom Seymour, founder of the digital breeding management tool Breedr and the driving force behind the Equate Forum, spoke with The Thoroughbred Report just one week from the much-anticipated event and discussed the announcement of its two latest session additions.
The Welfare Forum - Open Doors
Proudly supported by Kick-Up and National Thoroughbred Week, this session promises to be raw, transparent and unfiltered. Far from a conventional panel discussion, The Welfare Forum – Open Doors is designed as a no-holds-barred, open-floor conversation about the real state of equine welfare in the racing and breeding industries.
Hosted by Nathan Skrivanic, he will be moderating this honest forum, which will give voice to the critical issues and examine where current welfare strategies are succeeding or falling short. It is a session where questions will be taken from the floor, so participation is desired and required for this session.
Tom Seymour | Image courtesy of Equate
"This is an opportunity to ask the questions that need to be asked,” Seymour added. “We want a room full of like-minded people openly discussing what is working, what isn’t, and what could be done better. This topic isn’t going away, we have to keep pushing forward.”
“We want a room full of like-minded people openly discussing what is working, what isn’t, and what could be done better.” - Tom Seymour
Seymour said the goal of the session is to use the collective brainpower in the room to spark genuine change.
“The driver for me was to utilise the full room of industry participants to openly discuss industry issues.
“With the welfare session, we aim to address misconceptions in the welfare sector. We will use Kick Collective to facilitate that discussion, with Nathan Skrivanic to lead it with facts and data - the way Kick Collective do things. They’ll provide honest and factual facilitation of an open discussion.”
Nathan Skrivanic | Image courtesy of Kick Collective
Seymour added that too often the valuable work of rehoming professionals and aftercare organisations goes unrecognised, and the forum will give space to celebrate those achievements while also confronting areas where work is still needed.
“There are three main points I would like to focus on,” he explained. “One is to provide an open discussion forum. Secondly, to highlight all of the great work that is being done with rehoming horses - sometimes these people don’t get a voice in the mainstream, and maybe we can hear some truths on where work is required.
“Thirdly, I want to discuss the merits of continuing to run in-state silos. The PRA's (Principle Racing Authorities) run their own independent welfare programs, but does that work? Or would a universal, nationally run program create better outcomes?”
A Glimpse into the Future – Hong Kong University and So Bloodstock
In a bold step into the future, the forum will also host a presentation from Alexander So from So Bloodstock, in collaboration with the Hong Kong University Equine Analytics and Bioinformatics Lab.
This eye-opening session will introduce futuristic but practical tools designed to revolutionise how bloodstock is assessed, purchased and managed, particularly for international and remote buyers.
The presentation will explore how virtual reality, biometric data, and AI-assisted analysis are poised to transform equine commerce, reduce buyer risk, and expand global access to quality horses. Attendees can even expect an interactive experience, some may get the chance to “pat” a 3D-rendered horse through virtual reality tech.
3d rendering of a horse | Image courtesy of Equine Analytics and Bioinformatics Lab
Seymour believes this session will be one of the most impactful of the entire forum.
“The Hong Kong and So Bloodstock session is interesting, it will clearly be the biggest eye-opener session of the seminar,” he said.
“The Hong Kong and So Bloodstock session is interesting, it will clearly be the biggest eye-opener session of the seminar.” - Tom Seymour
“It will be thought-provoking, and it is important for people to see that this is real, and that this is happening.
“This is about utilising futuristic tools, what’s considered futuristic today will quickly become the norm with rapid technological change.”
He noted that the session will highlight how data is becoming a vital new layer in bloodstock selection, providing a meaningful metric to complement traditional judgement and expertise.
“It will be used as another metric layer to minimise risk with selecting horses,” Seymour said. “It’s about giving buyers more tools to make informed, confident decisions.”
Alexander So | Image courtesy of So Bloodstock
With the addition of these two sessions, Equate ‘25 is now firmly positioned as a game-changing event with global demand that caters to every corner of the industry, and the two new additions add a welfare perspective, and some ideas for tech-curious bloodstock buyers and agents.
Seymour left a strong final message: “I would like to reinforce that Equate is all about starting conversation. People need to be in the room around experts and progressive minds to have a true sense of the potential pathways the industry can achieve.”
