IFHA Award of Merit to Romanet Family

The Romanet family, longtime leaders in French and international racing, was honored with the 2016 Longines and International Federation of Horseracing Authorities International Award of Merit as the culmination of the IFHA Conference Oct. 3 in Paris, France.

The award to IFHA chairman Louis Romanet at a gala dinner presented by Longines honored him for the fourth time the lifelong contributions of distinguished personalities in Thoroughbred racing. 

"We have developed a strong friendship with Louis Romanet, who has chaired the federation since its inception in 1994," said Juan-Carlos Capelli, vice president of Longines and head of international marketing. "His father, Jean Romanet, kept the efforts of his own father, René Romanet, and uncle, Maurice Romanet, to regulate French racing and was a strong supporter of re-building Paris' Longchamp racecourse, as well as the training center of Chantilly. 

"His influence extended beyond national and continental borders as he tirelessly encouraged international cooperation between racing ruling bodies. He was involved in developing the pattern race system in Europe, which provided the basis for North American graded stakes system. His vision—shared before him by his father and uncle—of reuniting the world's horseracing stakeholders lead to the creation of the International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, which is today a key annual event in the horseracing industry. As an acknowledgement of his remarkable achievements, Jean Romanet was granted several international distinctions and awards."

  

Louis Romanet said the IFHA International Award of Merit is acknowlegement of more than 100 years of dedication to the racing industry by his family though three generations. 

"Particularly my father (Jean Romanet), whose vision saw the creation of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, and the advancement of relations among racing bodies throughout the world," Romanet said. "The opportunity to work alongside my father beginning in 1968, and to witness the International Conference of Horseracing Authorities be transformed into a strong international federation that works to grow and protect global racing is a source of great pride for the Romanet legacy. Inclusion from the major racing regions around the world has been a strong attribute of the Federation and this was formally established in 2003 with the adoption of three vice chairmen who each individually represent the Americas, Europe, and Asia respectively.

"I am delighted to see the industry develop in these regions and to see the Asian Racing Federation, the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation, OSAF and the Pan American Conference build racing and breeding internationally, fulfilling the objectives of my father at the first International Conference, which he chaired in 1967."

The Romanet family succeeds previous recipients Jim Bolger, leading Irish trainer, owner and breeder; France's Alec Head, past champion trainer and patriarch of prominent stud farm Haras du Quesnay; Seth Hancock of Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky.; and the late Marcel Zarour Atanacio, former chairman of OSAF (South American Organization for the Promotion of Thoroughbreds).