Dr. Ronald Jensen, who served 10 years as equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) through 2005, passed away at his home on Feb. 12, 2024.
Dr. Jensen received his DVM from Iowa State University in 1962 and MS in 1963. He worked as a racing regulatory veterinarian for 42 years, serving as a commission veterinarian for the Illinois Racing Board for 32 years and for 10 years with the CHRB under an agreement with the University of California, Davis. He then spent 10 years working with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Safety and Integrity Alliance Accreditation Inspection Team.
Dr. Jensen, an honour-roll member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), served on the AAEP Board of Directors, chaired the Racing Regulatory Committee, and was a member of the Ethics and Infractions Committee. He was the regulatory veterinary advisor for the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) when it was first formed, and he served as Chairman of the Veterinary Advisory Committee for the Association of Racing Commissioners (ARCI).
Internationally, Dr. Jensen was a founding member of the International Group of Specialists Racing Veterinarians (IGSRV), serving first as the North American representative, and later as president and then treasurer. He also was the IGSRV representative on the Scientific Advisory Council for the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). Dr. Jensen was a member of the Standing Committee, the Management Committee, and the U.S. Organizing Committee for the International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians (ICRAV).
Arrangements for a Celebration of Life are pending.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Ronald Jensen.
(California Horse Racing Board)