NOTE:  This meeting will be held at the Honeywell Boardroom at Ottawa City Hall (2nd floor).  Also note the date – this is the third Wednesday, not the usual second Wednesday of the month.

Horse racing is an international sporting industry with deep roots in Canadian culture, yet it is relatively little known to the general public. Because of its association with gambling and potential for fraud, it is one of the most heavily regulated sports in the world.

Adrienne Stevenson will be talking about the forensic science of equine drug testing, touching on historical aspects, what is regulated and why, current challenges, international issues and links with human sports medicine. The world of horseracing offers writers many  opportunities to tell interesting stories in a variety of settings. You may be surprised by how much the sport has influenced our language and history.

BIO:

After getting degrees in Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Adrienne Stevenson spent 6 years as a Forensic Toxicologist with the RCMP, analysing over 500 cases for drugs and poisons in humans.

Adrienne then transferred to the Race Track Division of Agriculture Canada, which is now the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency. For 26 years she managed the Equine Drug Control Program. She retired in 2009 and is now an occasional consultant to racing industry regulators.

During her time with the CPMA, she was active in the international Association of Official Racing Chemists and the Canadian Society of Forensic Science, of which she is a Past President.

Adrienne is also qualified as a Technical Assessor for the Standards Council of Canada’s Lab Accreditation program, and was a member of their national oversight committee for the program for over 10 years.