The International Havemeyer Foundation Horse Genome Workshop is returning to Lexington, Kentucky, for its 15th installment. The meeting is set for August 16-19, 2026, at The Club at the University of Kentucky Spindletop Hall.

The first meeting in the series was held in Lexington in 1995. That meeting brought together scientists from around the world and they began a productive collaboration focused on genetics and genomics of the horse.

Early on, this produced a number of valuable discovery tools and later a reference genome for the horse (one of the first and best for animals), and many other genomics resources that have kept equine genomics researchers in the vanguard of animal genomics research. Over the years, this workshop has also led to fruitful collaborations around the globe that have advanced the health and wellbeing of horses.

This return to Lexington, the horse capital of the world, is an opportunity for the equine research community to engage stakeholders from horse farms and breed associations, both in Lexington and afar. This workshop will assist the broader horse industry to identify areas of common interest and plan projects to further improve the health and wellbeing of horses. The outcomes will benefit both horses and those who care for them.