AI in Equine Conference 2025

Article by David Doherty

Organised by The Irish Field, the “AI in Equine” Conference was held on 9th September 2025 at Naas Racecourse, sponsored by CIRCET and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

This event brought together trainers, breeders, technologists, regulators, and veterinarians to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping the future of the equestrian industry.

Opening Session

The event was MC’d by Brendan McArdle and opened by The Irish Field Editor, Mark Costello, who explained that inspiration came from the recent “AI in Agriculture” conference. The oversubscribed audience highlighted the appetite for serious debate on how AI could transform racing while respecting its traditions.

Delegates were reminded of racing’s deep reliance on tradition and asked to consider how rapid technological change could disrupt long-established roles. Research presented showed that while trainers adopting tech gain new insights, it can also prompt them to second-guess instinct — illustrating the tension between data and experience.

Keynote: Digital Transformation in Irish Racing

Shaymus Kennedy, CTO of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), outlined a bold vision for racing’s digital future. HRI is prioritising innovation, investing heavily in data infrastructure to serve as the sport’s “bedrock” for transformation.

He emphasised AI’s dual role: driving efficiency while safeguarding integrity. Horses, he noted, should be seen as “data-generating creatures,” a perspective that creates opportunities but also risks, from deepfakes to AI-assisted betting.

Kennedy highlighted international examples, such as Susumu Fujita’s success engaging young audiences through the game Umamusume Pretty Derby. He also encouraged delegates to watch Oscar Zhou’s TEDx talk “Horses and AI Machines.”

The keynote ended with a call to collaborate on new CyberAwareness and CyberTraining initiatives, designed to help trainers defend against targeted cyberattacks.

Session 1: Smart Data, Safer Horses

Moderated by Lynn Hillyer, Chief Veterinary Officer at the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, this session focused on welfare.

Rob Sheppard (Ellipse Data) described RaceIQ, which uses trackers to generate live position and speed data, improving media storytelling and offering new welfare insights.

Marcus Swail (EquiVET Ireland) explained how digital imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT) has revolutionised diagnosis, with AI soon expected to advance gait analysis. 

Annemarie O’Brien (Equimetrics) presented equine monitoring tools V-Pro and S-Pro, designed with trainers in mind. She stressed that technology must empower equestrians to make better decisions.

Pricing models were shared, including affordable rentals, making adoption more feasible for breeders, vets, and trainers.

Session 2: Performance Optimisation with AI & Data

Chaired by Mark Boylan (The Irish Field), this session explored using AI for performance and fan engagement.

Will Duff Gordon (Total Performance Data) explained how tracking systems are being adopted worldwide. His model brings new money into racing by selling products to bookmakers, aligning success with industry growth. TPD also uses AI to instantly summarise races for fans, introducing concepts like stride length and speed.

Patrick Harty (Trainer) shared his cautious adoption of tech, noting that trainers should first focus on documenting observations before diving into advanced sensor tools.

Valentin Rapin (Arioneo) showcased wearable sensors (Equimetre and Equisense) used in 32 countries, providing ECG, GPS, and locomotion data. Arioneo combines hardware with training and AI-driven analysis reports to ease adoption.

Session 3: AI in Breeding Programmes

Moderated by Kevin Blake (Racing & Bloodstock Analyst) this panel looked at AI in bloodstock.

Blake argued that the thoroughbred may be “maxed out” after generations of selective breeding, raising debate about whether performance can still improve.

Tom Wilson (Racing2) demonstrated AI pedigree analysis, breeder rating systems, and computer vision for conformation and gait, already applied to 25,000 horses at sales.

Dr Sonja Egan (Horse Sport Ireland) described using genetic data, including hair samples, to improve breeding decisions, while noting gene doping as a potential existential threat.

Anna McKenzie (Pythia Sports) explained how machine learning is used to predict race outcomes and spot talent at sales, a service now being commercialised after early success.

Session 4: Starting Your AI Journey

Chaired by Judith Faherty (The Irish Field), this session gave practical advice for businesses.

Stephen O’Dwyer (Trojan Track) explained his remote gait-analysis service using standard smartphone video, cautioning startups about data entry demands.

Diarmuid Byrne (Equiratings) shared his startup journey, including innovative marketing hacks and the use of AI to generate commentary scripts. He noted that AI is also helping with accounting and other administrative tasks.

Prof Tomás Ward (DCU) admitted limited horse knowledge but highlighted AI’s broad potential, encouraging equine professionals to apply it even in simple productivity tasks.

The conference made it clear that AI will shape every part of the equine industry from training and performance to welfare, breeding, integrity, and fan engagement. The challenge lies in balancing innovation with tradition, ensuring technology serves the horse, the sport, and its community.

It was fascinating how speakers were referring to horses as “data-generating creatures” but thought it would be interesting to see this perspective expanded so data scientists can better appreciate horses as the most complex “data-gathering noble creatures” known to man.