Tuesday 28th August
WGRF Governing Council Meeting (Members Only)
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Opening Welcome Cocktail Party
6:00pm - 8:00 pm

Wednesday 29th August
WGRF Conference
10.00 am - 4.00 pm

Participants - All Governing Council Members, GA, AGRA, Overseas Delegates,
Specialist Invites (Vets, Club Officials, Studmasters/Breeders, Sponsors, Media)

Draft Agenda 10:00 to 10:30 Welcome Address and Opening Remarks
Mrs Jan Wilson, President, World Greyhound Racing Federation
The Hon. Rob Hulls, Victorian State Minister for Racing  

10:30 to 11:30 Animal Welfare – Presenter - Dr Peter Thornber, Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Topic Mediator – Ron Sultemeier
Australian Animal Welfare Strategy
Responsible Breeding Policy
Code of Practice (report on kennel size studies)
GAP Trends
General discussion opportunities for participants (All countries invited to contribute)

11:30 to 12:30 DNA Practices, Processes and Potential – Presenters -
George Sofronidis , Manager of Animal Diagnostics, Genetic Technologies
and Dr Brad Fenwick, Vice President for Research, Virginia Tech

Topic Mediator – Gary Guccione or Craig Taberner
Blood vs Check swabs
Parentage confirmation vs entire litters (economies of scale)
Grand parent analysis
ACTN 3 Gene experiment
International Markers (Samples between countries)
General discussion opportunities for participants (All countries invited to contribute)

12:30 to 1:15 Lunch  

1:30 to 2:30 Wagering – Presenter - Elmer Funke Kupper, Acting Chief Executive, TABCORP

Topic Mediator – Ken Norquay
Wagering Market Overview
International Racing
Market Research
Discussion opportunities for participants (All countries invited to contribute)

2:30 to 2:45 Tea Break

3:00 to 4:00 Professionalism of Sport – Presenter - (To be confirmed)

Topic Mediator – Phil Bennett
Training & licensing
Irish Greyhound Skillnet
Probity checks?
Attracting new owners/trainers/syndicates
Discussion opportunities for participants (All countries invited to speak)

OR

Marketing Forum – Presenter - Rick Harley, Marketing and Communications Manager,
Greyhound Racing Victoria

The Great Chase Fred Bassett Promotion
Pepsi Max Promotion
Good Friday Appeal
Concepts that work around the globe (All countries invited to contribute)

Thursday 30th August
Free Day
AGRA National Racing Sprint Championships
6:30 pm - 10:30 pm

Friday 31st August
WGRF Open Forum
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Participants - All Governing Council Members, GA, AGRA, Overseas Delegates, Specialist Invites (Vets, Club Officials, Studmasters/Breeders, Sponsors, Media) plus any registered owner, trainer, attendant

Draft Agenda  

10:00 to 10:15 Opening Remarks – Mrs Jan Wilson, President, World Greyhound Racing Federation

10:15 to 12:00 Care of the Racing Greyhound- Expert Panel – Dr Jim Gannon, Life Member, Australian Veterinary Association and Australian Greyhound Veterinary Association

Dr Ray Ferguson, Secretary, Australian Greyhound Veterinary Association
Dr Alastair Smith, Chief Vet, Sandown Greyhound Veterinary Clinic
Dr Brad Fenwick, Vice President for Research, Virginia Tech
Steve Robinson, Biochemist and Managing Director, Rapidvite Industries Australasia
Topic Mediator – Malcolm Richardson

Overview of Book – Care of Racing and Retired Greyhound (Dr Jim Gannon)
Injury management, detection and recovery (Dr Ray Ferguson)
Hyperbaric Chamber (Dr Alastair Smith)
Latest medical developments– vaccines and medications (Dr Brad Fenwick)
Diet and supplements (Steve Robinson)

12:00 to 12:45 Lunch

12:45 to 2:15 Quality Breeding is it a Science? -Expert Panel – To be confirmed

Topic Mediator – Richard Winning

Sire selection - commercial marketing vs research. Plus whelping/rearing (Peter Davis)
Overview of Triple Crown Lodge - State of the art breeding facility – (Peter Davis)
Insemination techniques AI, Natural & Frozen Semen
Phenomenon of Frozen Semen
Progesterone
Thyroid
FSI Database

2:15 to 2:30 Tea Break

2:30 to 4:00 Technology - Expert Panel - Geoff Milner, E-Business Manager, Greyhound Racing Victoria, Gunnar Von Boehm, Host Greyhound data website

Lance Bickford, Consultant, Greyhound Technologies Ltd

Topic Mediator – Lars Wicander

E-Technology (Geoff Milner)

Technology planning for the future
Keeping abreast with technology change
How technology adds value to the industry

Tracking Technology (Lance Bickford)

Greyhound tracking systems

Web-Technology (Gunnar Von Boehn) To be confirmed

The power & value of websites
Overview greyhound-data.com website

OR

Let’s talk about Tracks – Presenter - (To be confirmed)

Saturday 1st September
AGRA National Racing Distance Championships
(Incorporating closing dinner)
6:30pm - 10:30 pm

Along with these official events, there will be a series of opitional social activities planned which will provide you with plenty of opportunities to explore Melbourne.