Harry McCalmont, owner of Norelands Stud in Ireland, is set to succeed Michael Wates as chairman of the European Breeders' Fund Coordinating Committee on January 1.

Wates will step down after 18 years as chairman and 24 years on the committee, which injects substantial amounts of purse money into European racing.

McCalmont becomes only the third chairman since the EBF was founded in 1983 as the European counterpart to the fledgling Breeders' Cup Ltd. McCalmont’s late father, Victor, was the initial chairman.

 “I have been a governor of the Irish EBF for 14 years and chairman of the Irish EBF for eight or nine years so I have been on the coordinating committee for that time,” McCalmont said. “It is a very nice thing to be able to take up the chairmanship. My father, I believe, was a very well respected chairman and I'm delighted to be able to follow in his footsteps and also to be able to take over from Michael Wates, who has held the position for 18 years.

“Michael has been a very good chairman for the EBF. His contribution has been extraordinary and he has not missed a single meeting in the past 18 years. We have been through some ups and downs and have had some disagreements around the table and Michael has always conducted the meetings with skill and extra fairness.”

The original participating countries in the EBF were France, England, and Ireland. They were joined in 1986 by Germany and Italy, with Switzerland coming on board three years later. Further expansion is a stated goal.

“I am particularly looking forward to meeting and talking with the Breeders' Cup team—our counterparts in the USA—which is an extremely important facet of the EBF,” McCalmont said. “They are expanding the Breeders' Cup with a further three new races next year so I think it is very important that the EBF is seen to be a partner in the Breeders' Cup races and to be involved in the whole operation.

“I will also be reminding them of the enormous contribution that the Europeans have made to the Breeders' Cup over the years and that there has been something in excess of $4-billlion worth of yearlings imported from the U.S. by Europeans since the Breeders' Cup started.”