Why officiating is a competitive necessity in horseracing

For decades, EVS has stood at the forefront of global sports broadcasting, its name synonymous with reliability and technological innovation. Through solutions like Xeebra, EVS continues to shape how critical moments are captured, analyzed, and shared, ensuring that every decision on the track is supported by the same world-class systems that support the world’s biggest sporting events.

In modern horseracing, trust is no longer built solely on tradition, reputation, or regulatory frameworks. It is increasingly built on visibility.

Every race is now viewed through multiple lenses and instant replays shared globally within seconds. Officiating decisions are no longer assessed only in the steward’s room; they are scrutinized publicly, frame by frame, by owners, trainers, bettors, and fans alike.

As broadcast quality, wagering technology, and digital engagement continue to advance, scrutiny of officiating has intensified. Close finishes, interference claims, and riding incidents are replayed repeatedly, and when a decision cannot be clearly demonstrated with objective visual evidence, doubt emerges quickly. Once introduced, that doubt erodes confidence not just in a single ruling, but in the integrity of the sport itself.

For racecourses and racing authorities, the implications are significant. Disputed outcomes can delay official results, disrupt betting settlements, and place stewards under unnecessary pressure. Over time, repeated uncertainty damages trust in the credibility of the entire racing operation. In this environment, transparency in officiating is no longer a “nice to have” — it has become a critical operational and reputational requirement.

The role of stewards has therefore evolved. Experience, expertise, and judgment remain essential, but they are no longer sufficient on their own. Modern officiating requires advanced visual tools that allow them to make confident, consistent, and defensible decisions under pressure.  Without synchronized, multi-angle video replay, even the most experienced officials face inherent limitations.  The consequence is not poor officiating, but unnecessary uncertainty. And in a sport so closely tied to wagering, uncertainty is costly. 

Today’s leading racecourses are converging around a clear set of requirements for officiating technology:

• Broadcast-level clarity, matching what viewers see on-air
• Synchronized multi-angle review, covering the entire race
• Frame-accurate analysis for photo finishes and interference
• Rapid access during live racing, without disrupting broadcasts
• Comprehensive post-race reporting, backed by video evidence

This level of visual authority transforms officiating from a subjective process into a defensible, transparent, and repeatable operation. 

EVS Xeebra has emerged as a reference standard for racing authorities worldwide. Built on EVS’s long-standing leadership in live sports broadcasting, Xeebra brings broadcast-grade video review directly into the officiating domain. By combining multiple synchronized feeds from the existing broadcast infrastructure, it gives stewards complete visual command of the track.  

Through its intuitive interface, officials can examine incidents from every available angle, slow down critical moments frame-by-frame, and isolate the precise sequence that defines a ruling.

Xeebra’s dual monitor setup can be operated using a touch pad, mouse and keyboard, or controllers such as BEPLAY or Shuttle Pro. Stewards can zoom in instantly, mark events for later review, and compare multiple angles in seconds.

This multi-camera clarity is invaluable for today’s horseracing officiating demands. It ensures millisecond-accurate photo finishes, supports the detection of ghost riding, and allows dangerous overtakes to be reviewed with exceptional precision. What once required subjective interpretation can now be verified with objective, high-definition evidence.  

From an operation point of view, Xeebra is designed for efficiency. Unlike systems that rely on dedicated officiating cameras, it takes the ISO, full multi camera perspective from the broadcast feed, allowing stewards access every available angle.  This keeps installation simple and cost-effective while providing a familiar visual environment for officials transitioning to digital review.  

Throughout the race day, Xeebra serves as a vital operational tool. Stewards can monitor horses and jockeys in the parade ring before the start, review incidents instantly during the race without interrupting coverage, and generate comprehensive post-race reports complete with metadata, audio, and video evidence.  

In doing so, Xeebra not only strengthens the credibility of officiating decisions, but also reinforces confidence among owners, jockeys, betting operators, and spectators — ensuring that transparency is built into every stage of the race. 
 

In today’s horseracing landscape, transparency in officiating is inseparable from the credibility of the sport itself. Advanced video review systems like EVS Xeebra do more than assist stewards. They protect racecourses, racing authorities, and stakeholders by ensuring that every critical decision can be reviewed, verified, and trusted.

What was once a matter of interpretation is now a matter of evidence. And in an industry built on integrity, that shift is not simply an upgrade; it is an imperative.

Around the world, racing authorities rely on Xeebra as the officiating interface that delivers transparency, consistency, and confidence in race-day decisions. In many leading markets, Xeebra operates within a broader EVS production ecosystem, ensuring that stewards, broadcasters, and stakeholders reference the same synchronized, high-precision video environment.

Asia: At the Hong Kong Jockey Club, one of the world’s most prestigious racing organizations in the world, EVS systems form the backbone of both live broadcast and officiating operations. Fifteen XT-VIA servers capture every angle of each race, with orchestration through Cerebrum, EVS’s control and monitoring system, which provides a unified interface for managing camera sources, routing, and playback. The result is a fully integrated ecosystem where broadcast and officiating share the same synchronized, ultra-low-latency video environment—setting a benchmark for efficiency and precision in race management.

EVS equipment being used to broadcast and review races at the Hong Kong Jockey Club
 

Australia: Thoroughbred Racing Australia uses Xeebra systems with eight camera inputs to support transparent and efficient officiating across its racecourses. Designed for on-premise deployment, these setups give stewards broadcast-level replay capabilities optimized for the pace and demands of regional race operations.

Middle East:  The Saudi Equestrian Club uses a similar Xeebra configuration to support its growing calendar of high-profile racing events. Its reliability under demanding conditions prove critical, reinforcing both transparency and trust in one of the region’s fastest-growing racing markets.

Europe: France Galop integrates EVS XT-VIA production servers across its renowned courses to strengthen officiating consistency. From Longchamp to Chantilly, stewards rely on synchronized, high-quality video review to ensure that decisions are fair, transparent, and defensible, blending tradition with modern officiating requirements.

Scandinavia:  Norway’s trotting industry has embraced a fully modernized broadcast ecosystem through NEP Norway’s end-to-end production infrastructure, designed to support both live wagering and extensive race coverage. Fibre-connected venues, ultra-low-latency IP workflows and centralized production  in Oslo allow NEP to deliver more than 430 broadcasts per year with precision timing essential for betting audiences. Rikstoto is the company responsible for carrying the broadcast to fans.  XT-VIA, LSM-VIA & IPDirector work together in a centralized/remote production to support both the broadcast output and video officiating. By combining scalable remote-production technology with real-time delivery and robust content management, NEP is helping one of Europe’s most established trotting markets move confidently into the future. 
 

As racing operations become increasingly dynamic, officials and teams require access to the same high-quality review capabilities wherever the action unfolds. Xeebra Insight extends the power of EVS’s multicamera review system beyond the control room, offering mobile, field-ready access to synchronized video feeds on tablets or lightweight laptops.

With Xeebra Insight, stewards and technical teams can review incidents directly from the paddock, starting gate, or winner’s enclosure without waiting for centralized replay stations. The mobile platform connects securely to the main Xeebra server, allowing users to browse synchronized angles, scrub through footage, and mark key moments in real time. This agility transforms how races are managed on-site, empowering officials to make preliminary assessments on the spot and accelerate the overall decision-making process.

Also new this year is Xeebra’s Unblur feature. With a press of button, apply a deblurring effect to a still frame to better verify photo finishes:

Just as EVS technologies revolutionized the way the world watches football, tennis, and motorsport, Xeebra now stands ready to redefine video assistance in horse racing. By bridging the worlds of broadcast precision and sporting integrity, it offers track owners a solution that not only meets today’s expectations but anticipates tomorrow’s. Whether deployed at an iconic international event or a local racing venue, Xeebra ensures that every decision, every replay, and every moment reflects the true prestige of the sport.

For those who aspire to deliver racing at its highest standard, EVS Xeebra is more than the logical choice; It is the trusted partner for the next era of horse racing officiating.