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Celebrating its 11th anniversary, the Stud and Stable Staff Awards recognised the winners of seven categories at The QT Hotel on the Gold Coast on Monday, 26 May. The ceremony hosted by Ally Mosley and James Tzaferis honoured the exceptional contributions of staff across the Australian thoroughbred industry with winners representing five different states, highlighting the national breadth of talent within the industry.

The highlight of the evening was Paul Reid from Godolphin, who received the Leadership Award and subsequently the coveted Thoroughbred Excellence Award. Described as the backbone of Osborne Park as the Assistant Trainer since 2012.

Tracy O’Hara was awarded the Dedication to Racing Award with over 25 years as a track rider, jockey and now mentor to the children of Thoroughbred Industry Careers National Pony Racing Series. Julie Bramucci was honoured for her work with Off the Track (OTT) thoroughbreds – this being her third year as a finalist earning her the Thoroughbred Care and Welfare Award.

With three Awards remaining, Ellen Hodge from McEvoy Mitchell Racing won the Administration and Ancillary Services Award, described by Tony McEvoy as a fundamental part of their operation. From Widden stud in NSW, Matt Comerford took home the Dedication to Breeding Award and Denis Gilmanov of Segenhoe Stud NSW won the Horsemanship Award.

The Newcomer Award category was particularly exciting with all seven shortlisted finalists receiving recognition for their contributions to the thoroughbred industry. Olivia Klug Michael Kent Racing emerged as the overall winner in this highly competitive category.

Applauding all winners at the Awards ceremony was Senator The Honourable Anthony Chisolm and special guests Julia Battams and Kate Nipperess from Equine Pathways Australia.

Marking a eleven years of these Awards, we extend our thanks to the Judging Panel for their invaluable and voluntary services: Johan Petzer, Melissa Weatherley, Basil Nolan, Jenny Watson, Mary Capuano, James Tzaferis, Troy Corstens, Trevor Lobb and Hazel Fertier.

We also wish to extend our sincere thanks to all our sponsors and media partners for their ongoing support and commitment. Without the backing of these key industry participants, an event of this magnitude would not be possible.

Breeders are invited to take part in a free webinar showcasing groundbreaking research on the equine microbiome and its influence on a horse’s development, performance, and long-term soundness.

Led by Professor Chris Proudman of the University of Surrey (UK), the session will delve into the latest findings on how the microbiome affects lifetime performance, soft tissue injuries, and respiratory health. The research is expected to reshape how the global thoroughbred industry approaches horse development from the earliest stages.

Professor Proudman’s work was recently featured in The Trainer Magazine and highlights how understanding the microbiome can help breeders optimise outcomes in young horses. His insights will be of interest to anyone involved in raising or managing thoroughbreds.

📅 Webinar Details
Topic: The Equine Microbiome – Unlocking Peak Performance
Date/Time: 10:00am AEST (timed for a US audience)
Register: webinar.poseidonanimalhealth.com.au/microbiome

Even if you can’t join the live session, registering ensures you’ll receive access to a recording.

This is an important opportunity for breeders to stay informed on cutting-edge science that could help shape the future of thoroughbred health and performance.

The Australian Stud and Stable Staff Awards have been a beacon of recognition, appreciation and motivation for industry professionals over the past 11 years. Racing Australia, Thoroughbred Breeders and Godolphin are pleased to announce the 14 finalists for the 2025 edition.

These 14 finalists embody the dedication and passion that define the backbone of our industry and the spirit of our great sport. Each finalist has demonstrated exceptional commitment and expertise in their respective roles, upholding the highest standards of professionalism and care for the thoroughbred, staff and fellow colleagues.

“The calibre of nominees this year reflects the depth of talent and commitment within our industry. Selecting the two finalists in each category was incredibly challenging, yet it was great to see the passion that everyone brings to the table,” remarked Johan Petzer, Chair of the Stud and Stable Staff Awards judging panel.

The finalists for each category are as follows:

Administration and Ancillary Award – sponsored by Yulong Stud

· Ellen Hodge – McEvoy Mitchell Racing, VIC

· Kathie Bakker – Yulong Stud, VIC

Dedication to Breeding Award – sponsored by Magic Millions

· Verna Metcalfe – Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, NSW

· Matthew Comerford – Widden Stud, NSW

Dedication to Racing Award – sponsored by Australian Turf Club

· Jack O’Neill – Thoroughbred Racing NT

· Tracy O’Hara – Thoroughbred Industry Careers, NSW

Horsemanship Award – sponsored by Inglis

· Arda Tascioglu – Freelancer, NSW

· Denis Gilmanov – Segenhoe Stud, NSW

Leadership Award – sponsored by Victoria Racing Club

· Paul Reid – Godolphin, NSW

· James Manning – Godolphin, VIC

Thoroughbred Care and Welfare Award – sponsored by Queensland Off-The-Track

· Julie Bramucci – Rafiki Equestrian, VIC

· Lauren Abbott – LA Racing, QLD

Newcomer Award – sponsored by Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders & Thoroughbred Breeders NSW

· Nushish Mungur – L & T Corstens & W Larkin, VIC

· Olivia Klug – Michael Kent Racing, VIC

Congratulations to all the finalists of this year’s Stud and Stable Staff Awards, along with the individuals who put forward their nominations.

It’s important to highlight that the Stud and Stable Staff Awards are designed to amplify your voice and showcase exceptional talent within the thoroughbred industry.

The ceremony to announce the winners of the 2025 Australian Stud and Stable Staff Awards will take place on Monday, 26 May at the QT Hotel Surfers Paradise hosted by Ally Mosley and James Tzaferis.

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse have appointed Andrew Hore-Lacy as its next Chief Executive Officer.

Following a comprehensive international search, Hore-Lacy, who currently is the head of horse racing at the Seven Network, emerged as the preeminent candidate to lead both organisations, owing to his vast experience and profound knowledge of the thoroughbred industry.

In his role at Seven, Hore-Lacy leads a team of 15 full-time staff, responsible for the creation, development, and production of all horse racing-related content and programming. His tenure at the network has been marked by a series of innovative and successful initiatives that have significantly enriched the network’s horse racing portfolio.

Aushorse Chairman Antony Thompson said Hore-Lacy’s previous experience and passion for the industry made him the ideal candidate for the role.

“Andrew has an authentic commitment for the entire racing industry and a deep understanding of the breeding sector’s pivotal importance, alongside the many challenges faced by breeders. His robust background in communications, media and stakeholder engagement equips him with a diverse array of skills. We are excited to welcome him as the new CEO of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse,” Thompson said.

“I am confident that Andrew will leverage his expertise, leadership acumen, and strategic foresight to not only advance the interests of TBA and Aushorse on both domestic and international stages but also to reinforce Australia’s vibrant and robust breeding industry, which is revered globally.”

TBA President Basil Nolan said the selection panel had been impressed with Hore-Lacy’s energy and commitment to building on the programs and initiatives run by TBA and Aushorse.

“Andrew demonstrated a clear understanding of the work undertaken by the team, particularly in areas of education and training, as well as marketing initiatives such as the Investor’s Guide. He conveyed a compelling vision for enhancing these established foundations, and I am confident he will introduce innovative perspectives that will enable TBA and Aushorse to continue to thrive,” Nolan said.

Before his appointment as Seven’s Head of Horse Racing, Hore-Lacy distinguished himself as a Senior Producer across a spectrum of sports, including AFL, horse racing, tennis, and the Olympic Games, further underscoring his versatile and comprehensive expertise in the sports and media industries.

Hore-Lacy thanked the TBA and Aushorse boards for the opportunity.

“I am honoured to take on the role of CEO and lead these organisations into the future,” Hore-Lacy said.

“Working for Seven for 15 years has been an incredibly rewarding experience, filled with personal growth, meaningful challenges, and the opportunity to collaborate with an incredible high performing team.

“I believe that the thoroughbred industry is a vital part of Australia’s cultural and economic fabric. My goal is to foster growth and innovation, ensuring that we continue to thrive both domestically and internationally.

“I look forward to getting started and building upon the strong foundation laid by Tom Reilly and driving these organisations forward to new heights.”

Hore-Lacy will succeed Tom Reilly, who was appointed CEO of the Melbourne Racing Club in January.

Both Thompson and Nolan gave thanks to Reilly for his work leading the organisations for a decade.

“It’s important to state how grateful I am to Tom for his work. Under his leadership the TBA started a host of education and training initiatives that have worked wonderfully,” said Nolan.

Thompson added: “Tom has really driven the breeding industry forward in many areas. From an Aushorse perspective, he has really given the Australian industry huge recognition on the international scene and we’ve seen significant international investment as a result. I am sure he will do a great job at the MRC and everyone wishes him all the best in the future.”

Hore-Lacy will commence his role with TBA and Aushorse in June.

The Stud And Stable Staff Awards are excited to announce the shortlist of nominees for the 2025 edition. These individuals have been carefully selected by the shortlisting committee led by Mary Capuano for their outstanding contributions and commitment to excellence within the thoroughbred industry.

In certain categories, the quality of nominations was so high that the Shortlisting Committee decided to include additional nominees: six in Admin & Ancillary, six in Horsemanship and seven in the highly competitive Newcomer category.

On behalf of Racing Australia, Thoroughbred Breeders and Godolphin, we extend our congratulations to the following nominees for each category:

“Once again, the quality of nominations for the Awards has been exceptional, with a particularly high standard across all categories. Notably, the Newcomer category stood out, as many of the nominees were of school age.” remarked Mary Capuano, Chair of the Stud And Stable Staff Awards shortlisting committee.

“Now, the judging panel is diving into the tough job of going through the shortlisted nominees to pick out the two finalists. It’s a thorough process because all the nominees are so impressive.”

With the recent passing of Peter Heagney – an avid advocate and judge of the Awards since its inception the Steering Committee welcomes Mr Trevor Lobb to the judging panel.

The two finalists for each category for the 2025 Stud And Stable Staff Awards will be announced early April and the ceremony to celebrate these finalists will be on Monday 26 May 2025 at QT Hotel Surfers Paradise.

These Awards are proudly sponsored by Victoria Racing Club, Australian Turf Club, Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT Program), Inglis, Magic Millions, Yulong, Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders and Thoroughbred Breeders NSW.

They come from a wide array of backgrounds with degrees in finance, animal science, international relations and law with hopes they will be the future of the Australian thoroughbred and breeding industry.

For the first time, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia has helped mould the next generation of industry stars by taking on university graduates in an intensive training program to harness their interest in horse racing and breeding.

The group of 10 students has just finished an intense two-week course in which they heard from more than 30 guest speakers about the opportunities to work in the industry, which remains one of the biggest employers in Australia.

The course was housed out of the Victoria Racing Club’s Flemington headquarters and has been designed to fill a gap for university graduates with little or no connection to the racing and breeding sector.

“It’s a huge variety of students and some have never touched a horse in their life, but they’re so passionate about the industry and wanting to get involved,” said Maddy Tims, the education and project manager for Thoroughbred Breeders Australia.

“I’ve never seen a group so engaged with the speakers. Every speaker we had would say, ‘it’s such a great class’. I think it’s quite exciting for what the future holds for this group.”

The students were taken on tours of stud farms in Victoria’s Nagambie region including Darley, Yulong and Swettenham, visited the Racing.com studios, the home of the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley as well as Melbourne’s Inglis complex.

They also had the benefit of listening to talks from an adviser to Anthony Carbines, the Victorian government’s racing minister, and Racing Victoria integrity officials.

“The two weeks basically gave an overview into every part of the thoroughbred racing industry to give these students the best base and foundation for their six-week internship,” Timms said.

“TBA has a lot of pathways now for career progression within the industry, but that graduate level for people who might not have that horse experience but are really keen on the industry, it was almost a gap the entire industry was missing.

“It was something that was needed in the thoroughbred sector.”

Since finishing the training program, the graduates have now begun traineeships with some of the most recognisable brands in the industry, including stud farms Widden and Yulong, with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, auction house Magic Millions, bookmaking giant Entain and Stable Financial.

TBA has also taken on a graduate, and they will continue to help the students find employment in the industry beyond their traineeships.

Applications for Thoroughbred Breeders Australia’s (TBA) latest Fast Track program are now open. 

The course offers a pathway into the breeding sector and the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification, while being paid full time. 

Developed in response to industry staffing shortages, the 12-month course targets people from outside breeding and racing and introduces them to Australia’s vibrant thoroughbred sector. It gives them the foundational skills and knowledge needed to build successful careers. 

Now in its eighth year, the program has proved to be a successful pathway, with 90 per cent of trainees continuing to work in the industry after completing the course. 

TBA’s education and projects manager, Madison Tims, said: “This course is great because it doesn’t matter whether you’ve experience with horses or not, on this course you get a chance to learn those skills from some of the best in the thoroughbred industry. We’ve had people from all types of backgrounds on the program before who’ve gone on to great things with their career. 

“Fast Track is also unique in that the trainees are working on a farm, so receiving a wage, while also studying for a Certificate III.” 

Among the diverse occupations of students from previous intakes are electricians, a beauty therapist, an army veteran, a cafe barista, and a cricket coach, all looking for a career change.  

Graduates have gone on to take up management roles on thoroughbred breeding farms, travel to Ireland to take part in the prestigious Irish National Stud course and participate in the Northern Hemisphere breeding and sales seasons. We’ve also had a student graduate from the Godolphin Flying Start course.

Successful applicants commence a full-time paid traineeship with a stud farm while studying for a Certificate III in Horse Breeding – a nationally recognised formal qualification. 

To complement the on-the-job learning, students attend two intensive learning blocks in Scone (six weeks in total), where they receive a mix of practical training and classroom theory and participate in various field trips and personal development workshops. 

Employers around the country have embraced the program. We are incredibly grateful for the support of Australian thoroughbred breeders, who have ensured the success of the Fast Track program over the last seven intakes.  

Any farm that is interested in taking on a trainee can get in touch directly with TBA.  

Applications close March 10th, and you can head to tbaus.com or email madison@tbaus.com for more information.  

You can begin your application here.