Charlie Ferguson

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia’s traineeship program Fast Track is open for its second intake.

The training scheme was launched last year as part of TBA’s commitment to find and educate the next generation of industry talent.

The program works by finding young people who have a passion for horses and placing them with a respected farm where they will gain hands-on experience via a traineeship, while also completing a Certificate III in Horse Breeding through TAFE NSW Scone.

The TAFE component of the program includes two intensive learning blocks (6 weeks in total) and includes 16 formal study modules.

Among the modules they learn are:

• caring for broodmares
• foaling
• handling young horses
• mating procedures
• disease prevention
• horse behaviour

Applications are now open for 2019 and will close on March 31 ahead of the 12-month program that starts in late May. We encourage people from across Australia to apply and there is scope for placements on farms nationwide.

The program has received great support from the breeding industry in the past 12 months; not only from farms willing to take on trainees, but also people willing to share their time and experiences with those on the course. As well as teaching provided by TAFE, the trainees enjoyed a series of tutorials provided by experts from within industry.

“I would absolutely recommend to anybody to get behind this,” says Royston Murphy of Sledmere Stud, who have taken on a trainee.

“I think we really need to push these initiatives and we’ll definitely be taking on some more people every year.”

Cecelia O’Gorman of TBA, who co-ordinates Fast Track, is keen to hear from anybody who might be interested in applying for the course.

“It’s very important that we have quality people coming onto the program, so we really want to get applications from people that love of horses and have a strong work ethic,” she says.

“Applicants don’t have to have any prior experience with thoroughbreds, but it is important that they have the determination to succeed and get through to the end of the course – then hopefully they will go on to have a long career in breeding.”

Kitchwin Hills’ Mick Malone says the program would go a long way to ensuring long-term employment opportunities in the industry.

“Fast Track is a great initiative that will benefit farms all over the country as it provides a great introduction to breeding,” he said. “We are very happy with our trainee and are keen to continue our involvement with the second intake.”

Applicants can find out more about the program and apply here.

Farms who wish to be involved should contact Cecelia on 0411 696 036.

The Federal Government’s announcement regarding enhanced access to ‘Horse Breeder’ visas today is warmly welcomed by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA).

The decision follows a lobbying campaign led by TBA to put the ‘Horse Breeder’ occupation category on the medium and long term strategic skills list (MTSSL) for the purposes of 457 visas.

By putting ‘Horse Breeder’ on the medium and long-term list, visa holders can work in Australia for up to four years and also have a path to permanent residency – rather than being required to leave the country after just two years under existing arrangements.

“Access to skilled staff is one of the biggest issues in the Australian Thoroughbred breeding industry and that is why TBA has been closely engaged with the government and Members of Parliament to bring about this key decision,” TBA CEO Tom Reilly said.

“The number of staff recruited from overseas to fill these visa positions has been relatively small, but the value of these skilled and experienced staff is enormous.

“They fill key roles such as stallion managers, yearling managers and foal managers and are responsible for horses worth many millions of dollars. In addition, these internationally experienced visa holders undertake important mentoring roles of local staff.”

Emphasising the importance of access to skilled staff, in a survey of Australian breeders undertaken by TBA last year, 95% of breeders stated that the supply of competent staff is a critical issue in the Australian breeding industry. Some 85% of breeders also indicated that, compared to 10 years ago, it is much harder to find competent staff.

“TBA would like to thank Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, their advisers and other Members of Parliament who greatly assisted our industry on this issue.”

Mr Reilly said TBA undertook significant work, including with other industry stakeholders, to see this decision come to fruition.

“Our strong case was made in a detailed submission to the Federal Government late last year explaining how our industry could be negatively affected without access to long-term visa arrangements.” Mr Reilly said.

TBA is also mindful of opening up opportunities for local staff. At the end of last year Skills Impact Australia signed off on a new Certificate III in horse breeding, following input from TBA.

This new course will enable TAFEs to offer apprenticeship level programs in breeding which have not been available in some years.

“It is vital industry and training institutions now work closely together to ensure the new Certificiate III course is a success with strong enrolments,” said Mr Reilly.

Thoroughbred breeding plays a vital role in the rural economy and Australian society: that was the message echoed by Federal Government ministers and senior politicians at an event in Canberra last night.

Defence Minister Marise Payne and Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten traded stories of their interest in breeding and racing, while training identities James Cummings and Peter Moody spoke of how the broad Thoroughbred industry had shaped their life.

“We held our first Thoroughbred Breeders Australia event in Canberra last year and got a great turnout, but tonight surpassed our expectations,” said Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) chief executive, Tom Reilly.

“We had our pitch prepared to sell our industry: jobs in the regions, investment from overseas, export opportunities, but, by the time we got up to speak, leading politicians from all sides had made the point for us. It was very gratifying that so many politicians were so well informed that they advocated so strongly on our behalf.”

Defence Minister Payne, who herself has an avid interest in racing and breeding, said the TBA forum was “a really important event on the parliamentary calendar” and politicians thanked breeders for their event.

“Thank you for what you contribute to the economy in Australia. Thank you for what you contribute, because your industry is a vital one to Australia,” Minister Payne said.

Breeders representing every state in Australia were in attendance including Tom Magnier of Coolmore Stud, Antony Thompson of Widden Stud, Ron Gilbert of Highgrove Stud, Chris Watson of Mill Park, as well as Mark Webster of Inglis and Vin Cox and Barry Bowditch of Magic Millions.

Significant foreign investors Zhang Yuesheng of YuLong Park, China, and the head of Aquis Farm, Justin Fung, were also part of the breeding delegation.

Bill Shorten told how he had worked on behalf of jockeys as a union rep, and that he now lived within walking distance of both Moonee Valley and Flemington racecourses.

“Racing has events that create great interest and put us on the map, especially in Melbourne during spring. But without breeding, without the hard work that goes on at farms across Australia we don’t have those races which are such a part of Australian society,” said Mr Shorten.

“Rest assured, we (Labor) are very interested in the industry. We are very interested in what we can do for you,” he added.

Politicians who attended the event included Trade Minister Steve Ciobo, Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan, Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastucture Anthony Albanese and Small Business Minister Michael McCormack among others.

Government Chief Whip Nola Marino, a co-convener of the Parliamentary Friends of Primary Producers, which hosted the event with TBA, also breeds and races horses in her electorate of Forrest, south of Perth.

“What an extraordinary job the breeding industry does in rural and regional Australia. It underpins, like so many agricultural industries do, so much of our regional economies,” Mrs Marino said.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon, Shadow Agriculture Minister and also a co-convener of the Parliamentary Friends of Primary Producers, emphasised the importance of the industry to local towns and regions.

“This event is a great opportunity to give parliamentarians a fuller appreciation of the breeding industry. The sector is a very, very important part of the agricultural industry,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.TBA representatives have spent several days in Canberra this week meeting one-on-one with Ministers, Opposition representatives, key advisers and senior bureaucrats briefing them on key issues in the industry.

Guest speakers Peter Moody and James Cummings spoke passionately about breeding.

“Whenever you’re in at the ground level of something it’s satisfying and that’s what breeding involves,” said former trainer and leading breeder Peter Moody.

“Being a breeder is a bit like being a parent, it involves a lot and your not always pleased with how it turns out!”

Cummings, who is head trainer for Godolphin in Australia, added: “My grandfather Bart said that all breeders thought they had a champion until a trainer got involved! Luckily he was able to breed a horse called Saintly, which he also trained, to win a Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

“I always admire the commitment breeders make to this industry and all the work that goes into making the champions of the future. Nobody knows whether a horse is a future champion as a foal, but breeders commit to giving all horses the best start in life from an early age.”

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) is the national peak body established for the benefit of the Australian thoroughbred breeding industry, which is the second largest in the world.

TBA has a membership base of 4,200 individual breeders and other industry participants, and is also the parent company of the six state breeders’ associations.

These members make up more than 60 per cent of individual breeders, who are responsible for about 90 per cent of thoroughbred production in Australia.