Kildare Based Tech Startup Equine MediRecord

Announces its Launch into the USA with Large Kentucky Stakeholder Support

• Kildare based company Equine MediRecord is the global leader in equine anti-doping and horse welfare software
• Equine MediRecord is based on the Curragh, County Kildare, has availed of many Local Enterprise Office Kildare financial and advisory supports as well as representing Kildare in the National Final for Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Competition
• The company currently operates in Ireland, the UK and France and recently partnered with the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) in the UK
• The company solves a previously unmet need in the United States by allowing the proper, timely recording of all regulatory medicines and vaccinations records administered to horses

This year given the global pandemic many companies, particularly start-ups, could be forgiven for losing momentum and many are working hard just to stay afloat. It hasn’t stopped Equine MediRecord, (h  ttps://www.equinemedirecord.com/). The company launched into the USA, specifically Kentucky (the equine heartland of America and home to more than twice as many horses as Ireland), by winning the support of a number of industry leaders who represent the best known organisations in the state.

Equine MediRecord, launched in Ireland in 2018, is set to revolutionise the multi-billion dollar US horse racing industry by digitising the regulatory medicines records. The company sells and maintains a mobile application, website and drug database to allow proper, timely recording of the many medicines and vaccinations that are routinely administered. This system allows for the full veterinary history of the horse to be recorded ensuring the best possible horse welfare and aid with anti-doping procedures.

Equine MediRecord was asked to present its system at the Association of Racing Commissioners International 2020 Conference on Racing Integrity and Animal Welfare in New Orleans in April. Unfortunately, this conference was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Despite such setbacks, senior staff at the company worked diligently to follow up with interested parties and that hard work has begun to pay off.

“It can be difficult at the best of times moving into a new geography.” said Pierce Dargan, CEO of Equine MediRecord, “It’s harder still when you are trying to conduct meetings with people you are meeting for the first time via videoconference, rules and regulations are changing week to week, and you’re trying to convince your housemates to keep quiet because while it’s 9pm and they’ve finished work, it’s only the afternoon in Kentucky!”

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA), that represents thoroughbred owners, breeders and trainers, stated “the KTA was pleased to financially support Equine Medirecord to enable them to populate the Kentucky regulations, thus providing Kentucky Horsemen and women with new tools to comply with racing reforms on record keeping and trainer responsibility. Moreover, better recordkeeping provides a paper trail that protects trainers, their horses, and owners."

Dr Will Farmer, Equine Medical Director of Churchill Downs, home to the Kentucky Derby, stated after seeing the system “I think this would be a great tool for trainers!". Dr Jeffrey Berk, a well respected equine veterinarian in Lexington, agreed saying “I think that this technology could be a useful tool for trainers to help them accurately record the medications that their horses are receiving, as well as an aid to keeping in compliance with the medication rules of any athletic discipline that their horses are competing in.”

“This is the culmination of years of hard work.” Pierce Dargan continued, “I just want to thank our team, particularly Simon Hillary (CTO) and Finlay Dargan (COO) for their efforts as well as our Local Enterprise Office in Kildare, IADT Media Cube and Trinity College Dublin. It’s been a huge team effort and we wouldn’t have gotten as far as we have without everyone’s hard work and support.”

Equine MediRecord has already had success building their presence in Europe, winning plaudits from many respected trainers, vets and organisations. The system was recently written into the rules of racing by the Arabian Racing Organisation in the UK and by the Veterinary Welfare Commission in Ireland, seeing all purebred Arabian trainers in the UK and Standardbreds in Ireland having to maintain their records on the system ensuring the highest levels of integrity and horse welfare.

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association is a trade organization working to broaden the support base and increase visibility on issues that impact the Thoroughbred industry on local, state, and national levels, while continuing to promote the Kentucky Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry at home and around the world.

Equine MediRecord is the global leader in equine anti-doping and horse welfare software. They operate in Ireland, the UK, France and now the USA. They recently partnered with the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) in the UK to make the ARO the first in Europe and second in the world to mandate electronic medical records be kept by their registered trainers. They then partnered with the Irish Veterinary Welfare Commission to make Irish Standardbred horses the first in the world to mandate medical records digitised not only for horses in training but for breeding stock as well. Equine MediRecord are based out of the Curragh, co. Kildare, and has been strongly supported from its foundation by the Kildare Local Enterprise Office. While representing Kildare in Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition in 2019 the company won Irish Midlands Best Startup Award.

For more information about Equine MediRecord, see: https://www.equinemedirecord.com/