Richard Young on Bravery, Education, and the Bigger Picture at Forte Healthcare

At Naas Racecourse, the CPD sessions were finished, the racing was underway, and the Forte Healthcare team had quietly pulled off one of the most informative days on the veterinary calendar in recent times. But for Richard Young — CEO of Forte Healthcare — it wasn’t about scale. It was about purpose.

“I own Forte Healthcare,” he said simply. “We set it up back in 2001. Pharmaceutical company, but very innovative, very entrepreneurial. We like to work at the edge — as opposed to doing what everybody else does.”

That edge was visible in everything about the day: a blend of clinical science, soft connection, and a gathering of 45 vets from across Ireland. They came to hear talks on oxidative stress and sudden death in racehorses — but stayed to connect, collaborate, and ask questions. For Richard, that was the point.

“I always think if you bring in a good speaker, you’re not here to flog them something. You’re here to give them some education. Then you talk with them afterwards, collaborate — that’s how good ideas happen.”

The speakers were exactly that: Dr. Sarah Woods, speaking on the emerging science around oxidative stress, and Dr. Celia Marr, delivering an international-level keynote on cardiac events in sport horses. Both held the room. Both made an impact.

“You could have dropped a pin when Celia was speaking,” Richard said. “She’s a world-renowned internal specialist, but also approachable. She doesn’t speak over people’s heads — she’s very digestible. She makes it stick.”

But this wasn’t just a CPD day. It was part of a broader relationship between Forte and Naas — one that’s been building over years. Richard and his team have been sponsoring at the venue through Ark Equine, one of Forte’s sub-brands, for four years now. And their approach has always been different.

“One of the things we started with was sponsoring the Groom’s Canteen,” he said. “It was almost about the unsung hero. The guy who never gets seen. Last off the lorry, last out of the yard, washes the horse when they get home. That’s the kind of thing I love — not just doing an ad or sponsoring a race, but looking after the people who make it happen.”

That sponsorship even extended to supporting grooms observing Ramadan. “They could go onto our website and order their food,” he said. “So during Ramadan, we were respecting their traditions and making sure they had food on the way home.”

Forte has since passed that sponsorship to a partner company, choosing instead to focus on races — and now, on pairing them with structured CPD events like this one.

And when it comes to the science, Richard is clear: they’re not just in the mix — they’re leading.

“Nobody’s really talking about oxidative stress,” he said. “But all of these horses — or athletes in general — go through huge oxidative stress. And when that happens, lots of systems shut down.”

Forte’s product, Viacis, is designed to tackle that head-on. But the motivation isn’t commercial hype — it’s scientific grounding.

“We love being in that space where not everybody’s brave enough to put their toes in,” Richard said. “Sarah — Dr. Sarah Woods — had left us to do a PhD on oxidative stress. Now she’s back with us, because we’re taking this seriously. We want to lead it.”

And as for the future?

“We’re running a 10-stop roadshow in the UK for small animal vets — we were the first to bring Prozac for dogs. Sixty vets turned up last night. Two more events in the next three weeks.”

At home, the wheels are already turning.

“This was our first vet-led CPD event at Naas,” Richard said. “But I think we can see a series in this. More speakers. More education. Not just flogging products. Something that’s actually beneficial.”

Before stepping away, he offered two final thoughts.

First, a shout-out: “To Kirstie McCann, who organised the whole night — she looks after all our equine business — and to our two speakers, Dr. Sarah Woods and Celia Marr.”

And second, a message to anyone watching, wondering, or ready to step in:
“Let’s go on the journey together.”

This article was brought to you by The Grassroots Journo.