The 34th National Equine Forum will run as a hybrid event on Thursday 05 March 2026 (#NEF26).
The sessions to be presented are listed below - please note, they may be subject to change.
10:00 OPENING - MORNING SESSION
10:10 THE EQUINE INDUSTRY IN A CHANGING WORLD
Session Chair: Roly Owers MRCVS, Organising Committee Member, National Equine Forum
Speakers: Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animal Welfare), Defra; Dr June Fanning, Chief Veterinary Officer for Ireland, Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine; Dr Katie Williams, Technical Manager, Dengie Horse Feeds
11:00 BEYOND CAVEAT EMPTOR: LOOKING UNDER THE BONNET OF MODERN VETTINGS
Panel Chair: David Mountford, Chief Executive, British Equine Veterinary Association
Panellists: Dr Sam Cutts MRCVS, Director, Hook Norton Veterinary Group; Dr Mark Georgetti MRCVS, Clinical Director, Three Counties Equine Hospital; Dr Lucy Grieve MRCVS, Veterinary Projects Officer, British Equine Veterinary Association; Julia Martin, Owner, Kings Hill Equestrian
11:55 ON THE BRINK: EQUINE HEALTH CONDITIONS WE CANNOT IGNORE
Session Chair: Dr Richard Newton FRCVS, Director of Epidemiology & Disease Surveillance, University of Cambridge
Speakers: Dr Hattie Bell MRCVS, Veterinary Epidemiologist, University of Cambridge; Prof Jane Hodgkinson, Professor of Veterinary Parasitology, University of Liverpool; Dr Philip Ivens MRCVS, Director, Buckingham Equine Vets
12:35 LUNCH
14:05 OPENING - AFTERNOON SESSION
14:10 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: THE FUTURE IS HERE
Session Chair: Prof Tim Parkin FRCVS, President, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Speakers: Dr Liz Cresswell MRCVS, Veterinary Lead, Vet Vision AI; Pip Young, PhD Student, Bristol Veterinary School; Maj Graham Harvey MRCVS, Royal Army Veterinary Corps, jHubMed Scout & Project Lead; Prof Sarah Freeman FRCVS, Professor of Veterinary Surgery, University of Nottingham
15:05 BITE-SIZED SLOTS: SPECIAL INTEREST TOPICS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW ABOUT
Session Chair: Sarah Jenkins Editor-in-Chief, Horse & Hound
Speakers: Abbie Bevan, Insight & Research Manager, British Equestrian; Helen Whitelegg, Campaigns & Policy Manager, Redwings Horse Sanctuary; Sally Foskett, Horse Operations Manager, Blue Cross; Cheryl Johns, Founder, LiveryList & the Yard Owner Hub
15:45 MEMORIAL LECTURE: THE HORSE IN CHINA
Session Chair: Dr Naomi Mellor MRCVS, Chief Executive, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association
Panellist: Prof Chris Riggs FRCVS, Hong Kong Research Foundation Director, Equine Welfare Research Foundation & Chief Advisor, Mainland Veterinary Engagement, The Hong Kong Jockey Club
16:20 SIR COLIN SPEDDING AWARD
16:30 CLOSING
FAQ's
When can questions be submitted?
Questions can be submitted after the event on Slido goes live, on Thursday 05 March 2026.
How do I submit a question
- Log into Slido;
- Go to Q&A (usually the screen you log into);
- Insert your question under the Q&A heading, in the box where it says "Type your question";
- TIP: if you are viewing through a browser on a mobile and not through the app, you need to make sure you scroll down the embedded screen - you might only be able to see the National Equine Forum logo;
- Click "Add label";
- Select the relevant session or speaker you would like to answer your question (please see the list of sessions above);
- TIP: information, including a summary of each presentation, will be added to the the #NEF26 page in due course
- Click "Send".
How long can my question be?
Questions can be up to 300 characters long - the maximum allowed on Slido.
Can I submit a question anonymously?
No, questions cannot be submitted anonymously.
Are questions moderated?
Yes, all questions are moderated. Questions should relate to the subject being discussed, and not be personal. Questions unrelated to the subjects being discussed, or of a personal nature, will not pass the moderation process.
Will all submitted questions be asked?
No, unfortunately we will not have time to ask all submitted questions.
What will happen to my question?
Moderated questions will be viewable on Slido. Questions will be archived following the completion of the session they relate to.
How do I view the programme?
The full programme will be available on the Forum 2026 page from the morning of Thursday 05 March 2026. You can see details of our speakers here.
Who can access Slido?
Only delegates who have purchased a ticket for the face-to-face event or registered for the live streaming, will be able to access Slido. This access will be granted via the email address that you have registered with.