Since the inception of Fast Track in 2018, we have welcomed a diverse cohort of graduates from various backgrounds, including individuals with experience as baristas, retail assistants, school leavers, veterans, and racing stable workers.
We take great pride in the commitment and hard work exhibited by each graduate throughout the program, and as they develop their careers within the industry, we remain open to offering any advice, assistance, or guidance. With a vast majority of students choosing to either remain on the farm or continue their education we have a whole range of exceptional graduates.
Want to know where Fast Track could take you? Check out where its already led some of our graduates:
Lachie Pethica completed the Fast Track program in 2018 while undertaking his traineeship at Yarraman Park Stud. Since graduating, he has continued to build a successful career within the thoroughbred breeding industry and now works as a Bloodstock Manager and Technology Consultant.
Lachie credits Fast Track with providing valuable industry exposure, practical experience and opportunities to grow within a professional workplace environment. He says the farm placement component was particularly influential, allowing him to develop hands-on skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the day-to-day operations of a leading thoroughbred stud.
Reflecting on his experience, Lachie highlights the program's strong industry connections and the relevance of the trainers and course content to current industry practices. He believes Fast Track strengthened his understanding of thoroughbred breeding workflows and helped establish the professional networks that continue to support his career today.
Having remained in the industry since graduating, Lachie is an excellent example of how Fast Track can provide a pathway to long-term career opportunities within the Australian thoroughbred sector.
Alison Grooby completed the Fast Track program in 2024, undertaking her traineeship with Godolphin. While she entered the program with a passion for the thoroughbred industry, it was her farm placement and industry exposure that helped shape her future career path.
Alison says one of the most valuable aspects of Fast Track was the tailored learning provided before commencing on farm. The combination of practical training and industry knowledge gave her the confidence and excitement to begin her journey in the thoroughbred breeding industry and make the most of her placement opportunity.
Following graduation, Alison made the transition from hands-on stud work into the corporate side of the industry, securing a position as a Bloodstock Intern with a thoroughbred auction house. She credits her time at Godolphin and the relationships built through Fast Track with opening doors and helping her identify the many career pathways available within the industry.
Reflecting on her experience, Alison believes greater awareness of the diverse career opportunities within thoroughbred breeding is key to attracting and retaining young people. She is passionate about showing future trainees that careers can extend beyond farm-based roles into areas such as bloodstock, sales, administration, marketing and management.
Her journey highlights how Fast Track can provide not only practical skills and industry connections, but also a pathway to a wide range of rewarding careers across the thoroughbred sector.
When Celeste Kruger joined the Fast Track program in 2020, she was passionate about the thoroughbred industry but had little understanding of the many career pathways available beyond working directly with horses.
Through placements at Lyndhurst Stud and Yarraman Park, combined with the structured learning and industry exposure offered through Fast Track, Celeste gained valuable insight into the breadth of opportunities within the thoroughbred breeding sector. She says one of the most valuable aspects of the program was meeting people from a wide range of industry roles and learning how the different parts of the industry work together.
Today, Celeste works in an administration role within the thoroughbred sector, demonstrating that a career in breeding is not limited to hands-on horse work. From administration and finance to nominations, sales, bloodstock, marketing and management, the industry offers a diverse range of opportunities for people with different interests and skill sets.
Reflecting on her experience, Celeste believes the connections she made through Fast Track had the greatest long-term impact on her career. The program not only helped her establish a professional network across the industry but also broadened her understanding of the many pathways available within thoroughbred breeding.
Celeste's journey is a reminder that Fast Track is more than a pathway to working with horses—it can be the first step towards a rewarding career across many areas of the thoroughbred industry.
Tess O'Connor completed the Fast Track program in 2020 while undertaking her traineeship with Godolphin Woodlands. Six years later, she remains with the organisation and has built a successful career within the thoroughbred breeding industry as a Nominations Sales Consultant.
Tess credits Fast Track with providing the practical skills, industry knowledge and professional networks that helped shape her career pathway. The combination of hands-on experience on farm and structured learning blocks gave her a strong understanding of both the practical and theoretical aspects of the industry, while exposure to different career opportunities helped guide her move into nominations and sales.
One of the highlights of Tess's journey was being awarded the prestigious Basil Nolan Junior Scholarship, which enabled her to travel to Ireland and further expand her industry knowledge and experience.
Reflecting on her time in Fast Track, Tess says the program's greatest strength was the opportunity to learn from experienced industry professionals while developing practical skills in a real workplace environment. She also values the friendships and connections formed through the trainee cohort, which helped her settle into the industry despite being away from home.
Today, Tess is a strong advocate for Fast Track and believes the program provides an outstanding foundation for young people seeking a long-term career in the thoroughbred breeding industry.
Jamie is a 2022 Fast Track graduate who conducted his placement at Yarraman Park Stud. Demonstrating his commitment to growth and a passion for work, he continued his journey at the farm for a second season after graduation.
Jamie's dedication and passion for learning led him to apply for the 2023 Nolan Scholarship, an opportunity that has now taken him to complete the 20224 Irish National Stud Course.
In 2022, Ivy was sponsored by Agri Futures, enabling her to undertake the Fast Track program within her home state of South Australia. The sponsorship included accommodations and flights, for the three separate intensive learning blocks held in the Hunter Valley.
Ivy entered the Fast Track program with a passion for horses but no prior thoroughbred experience. Since then she has showcased the remarkable outcomes achievable through hard work and a willingness to embrace new experiences. Since graduating, Ivy has advanced to the role of yearling manager at Cornerstone Stud, rapidly developing her professional journey within the thoroughbred industry.
Martin Parsons completed the Fast Track program in 2019 while undertaking his traineeship with Coolmore Australia. Although his long-term career path ultimately led him into the racing sector, Martin says the knowledge and experience he gained through Fast Track provided a strong foundation for his ongoing career in the thoroughbred industry.
Following graduation, Martin returned to Sydney to support family during the COVID-19 pandemic and pursue opportunities within racing. Today, he works as a Senior Stablehand while also contributing to social media and racing management activities within the stable, giving him experience across both horse care and business operations.
Reflecting on his Fast Track experience, Martin credits the quality of the teaching staff as one of the program's greatest strengths. He says the industry knowledge and practical experience shared by trainers gave him valuable insight into the workings of the thoroughbred sector and helped build skills that continue to benefit him today.
Martin's journey highlights the close connection between the breeding and racing sectors. The knowledge, horse handling skills and industry understanding gained through Fast Track have supported his career progression and enabled him to contribute across a range of roles within racing.
His story demonstrates that Fast Track is not only a pathway into thoroughbred breeding, but also a valuable stepping stone to a wide variety of careers throughout the broader thoroughbred industry.
