AgriFutures Research Seminar

A new pathway for young people to enter the thoroughbred industry has been established with Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) launching a graduate program. The scheme will give university- leavers the opportunity to learn from some of the biggest names associated with racing, breeding and wagering. Those accepted on to the course will undertake a two-week learning block based at Flemington racecourse, before starting an internship with a major employer. Among the companies supporting the program are Entain, Godolphin, Waterhouse and Bott Racing, Magic Millions, Melbourne Racing Club, Inglis, Yulong and the Victorian Racing Club. “This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone hoping to work in the thoroughbred industry,” says TBA chief executive Tom Reilly. “We have a huge industry, employing around 80,000 people, but until now there hasn’t been a pathway in place for us to try and recruit talented young people who can progress into leadership roles. The aim of the learning block is to open the graduates’ eyes to all aspects of the industry and show them the different career options open to them.” The learning block will feature lectures and workshops on everything from creating a wagering market, selecting a yearling, through to marketing a racing carnival and learning how the handicapping system works. In the UK the British Horseracing Authority has run a highly successful graduate program for 30 years, with many executives across the industry having completed the course. TBA aim to attract 10-12 graduates in the first year, with the learning block starting in late January 2025. After this fortnight, graduates will join an employer for a paid internship of at least six weeks. Entain Deputy CEO and CFO Lachlan Fitt said: “This program offers young people a unique chance to see every side of the racing industry, from breeding to race-day operations to wagering. At Entain, we know the value of fostering new talent, and this program is a real game-changer for anyone serious about a future in thoroughbred racing.” He added: “In today’s industry, hands-on experience and mentorship from leading organisations are key to building the next generation of racing professionals, and that’s exactly what this program offers.” Another supporting the initiative is Australian training legend Gai Waterhouse, who is well known for mentoring young people. She said: “We have to keep looking at how we bring young, talented people into the industry and I think this is a wonderful way to do it. We are very much looking forward to having somebody join our team on their internship.” The graduate program builds on TBA’s established education and training programs, such as the national breeding traineeship, Fast Track, and TBA Learning, a free online platform that has more than 1,000 students enrolled on its courses. “I’m very grateful to Kylie Rogers and the VRC for jumping on board and providing space for the learning block. I’m sure being based out of Flemington will be inspiring to the graduates,” added Reilly. Applications are open now and can be completed at tbaus.com . Those applying need to have graduated in 2024 or 2023.

Deziree Roos is so committed to her coaching duties that she did not even consider cancelling on an annual pony club camp to attend the 2024 TAB Queensland Thoroughbred Awards. The Oakhurst-based retrainer was crowned the Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year – Thoroughbreds at last month’s awards ceremony. “I feel very excited, and appreciated,” Deziree said. “I do devote my entire life and my career into rehoming and retraining, so to be acknowledged for the hard work and the commitment that I give towards these thoroughbreds, it’s a nice feeling. “I’d love to thank the owners and trainers of these horses because I know that the equine welfare prizemoney levy does help us do our job and that’s important to remember. “My partner Cindy is also amazing - she’s the one who looks after 20-something horses when I go away for weeks at a time teaching kids. “I couldn’t honestly do this many horses if it wasn’t for her keeping everything together at home.” As well as retraining, Deziree runs competitions for retired racehorses, competes on them herself and coaches the next generation of riders. Such was her devotion, she could not attend the awards ceremony in person in Brisbane. Instead, she was busy educating future riders and industry participants at the Zone 15 Pony Club Queensland camp in Capella, north of Emerald. “I’m gutted I couldn’t be there in person,” Deziree said. “I had a four-day camp up there and I get rebooked every year so this was my fourth year up there, and it’s their 60th anniversary this year. “When you’ve got 140 kids from all over out west and you only have coaches that come to them once a year, it’s a pretty big thing for them to have this many coaches in a big week like that.” The 29-year-old has rehomed 31 horses since she came on board as an inaugural QOTT Retrainer in 2022. Deziree knows more than most the important role that pony clubs play in developing skills and abilities. Coming from a “non-horsing family,” she was a regular pony club attendee before her passion for the industry was ignited as a teenager, where she learnt a range of different disciplines. “When I was 14 and went to a Christmas party at Wattle Brae Stud, that pretty much ignited the fire with the thoroughbreds - I caught the bug and have been involved ever since,” Deziree said. “From then on, I worked either track work or stud farms and have been involved with the thoroughbreds whilst doing everything else. “I think you can learn from everybody and probably the most important advice would be to travel and learn in different disciplines. “When I was in Beaudesert, I worked with Brett Welsh at Allstars doing stock horses as well as riding trackwork, and I’ve worked overseas in America for hunters and jumpers - I have worked for every single discipline, and I’ve learnt something from all of them. “I think that really helps to be successful because not a lot of horses learn the same way or respond to the same technique either, so you learn from everybody and it’s important to go and travel and work within different disciplines and then put it all together.” Deziree’s favourite horse since entering the program has been Helsman, a gelding that came to her Carratum Park facility as a two-year-old. While she is currently only retraining two horses, Deziree is committed to helping foster the growth of the QOTT Program. “When I heard the QOTT program was starting, the first thing I did when I went home was started my application and that’s the fastest I’ve ever filled out paperwork,” Deziree said. “I think the best thing about the QOTT Program is that it’s made the general public and probably the rest of the horsing community a little bit more aware of the versatility of the thoroughbreds. “Not all of our retrainers are in Olympic disciplines and not all of us compete every weekend - we do have thoroughbreds doing everything from dressage and trail riding to cow horse, they’re useful for anything.” RQ Senior Animal Care Manager Kim Duffy said that Deziree had made a remarkable impact with assisting retired thoroughbreds transition from racing to their post-racing lives. “Deziree has a genuine love and passion for thoroughbreds and is a fantastic advocate for the breed - we are incredibly honoured to have her as a QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer,” Ms Duffy said. “Not only is she a fantastic horsewoman, it’s also important to recognise Deziree’s continued efforts to educate trainers, owners, the equestrian community and the general public about life after racing opportunities for racehorses. “I would also like to congratulate Amanda Benson who is a very worthy recipient of the runner-up award. “Amanda joined us as a QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer in 2023 and hit the ground running, implementing a successful retraining model that is a true credit to her experience, professionalism and dedication to finding suitable homes for retired racehorses. “It is incredibly important for the racing industry to recognise and celebrate our network of Acknowledged Retrainers that work tirelessly to improve aftercare outcomes for retired racehorses.”

As part of NSW’s efforts to strengthen protection of NSW’s cattle industry from its most serious external parasite, cattle tick, NSW DPI has upgraded the Record of Movement for Cattle Tick Carriers to a new digital platform, streamlining the process for applicants. This system replaces the PDF/paper form, bringing it up to speed with some of the latest technology used to support border surveillance of livestock movements. Anyone transporting cattle tick carriers (cattle, bison, buffalo, deer, equine, sheep, goats, camelids) is required to complete the online record of movement form before planning interstate transport, or moving off a restricted holding within NSW I’m a livestock owner – what do I need to do? You will be asked to create a login, then provide information regarding your proposed movement including: • Select the overview options of your movement • Verify you meet requirements and mandatory measures • Provide a description and quantity of the cattle tick carriers that are being moved • Origin and destination locations including the property identification code (PIC), address and contact information • Attach written verification of low-risk land status for movements under self-certification • Vehicle/trailer registration and driver’s name • Attach the Biosecurity Certificate issued for the movement (if applicable) Once the form has been submitted, a full digital copy of the completed form and a summary report is sent to your email with a confirmation reference number for your records. This new Record of Movement process supports DPI’s biosecurity border surveillance capability and ongoing efforts to prevent cattle tick from becoming established in NSW. Should you have any feedback, please contact the NSW DPI Biosecurity hotline on 1800 084 881. More detailed information here Record of Movement Form How to use ROM form

Wellbeing Webinar that we will be running next week on Thursday 3rd October from 6.30-7.30 pm? This session will focus on wellbeing, specifically during the busiest time of year, the breeding season. A qualified mental health educator, Pippa Baker, will present these free workshops. It will aim to help develop the practical skills and knowledge to help enhance the wellbeing and performance of those working in the thoroughbred industry. It will be available to all TBA and Next Crop members across the country. Topics that will be covered include: Growth Mindsets Burnout and Managing Burnout Contentment vs. Happiness Anger Iceberg and Understanding Anger Pippa will also be talking about the Stud Staff Support Line (SSSL), including how to use the platform and the benefits of the service. The SSSL was launched by TBA in 2021 and offers free, confidential counselling to anyone working in the breeding industry. To access the service, phone 1300 822 935 and let them know you are calling from Thoroughbred Breeders Australia. To register to attend the webinar or find out more information, please click the link below: https://www.tbaus.com/welfare/stud-staff-support-line-copy/

A partnership four years in the making paid dividends for Makaylah Fenwick in Monday afternoon’s Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) Program Showjumping Showcase at the Ekka. The 17-year-old took out top honours on the back of retired thoroughbred Grace And Glory in the 120cm class in the Main Arena. “It feels amazing and I’d just like to say thank you to the Royal Queensland Show and Queensland Off-The-Track for running such an amazing event and a thank you to the thoroughbred industry,” Fenwick said post-event. “I got Grace when I was 13, she was my first straight off-the-track thoroughbred. “She’s a bit cheeky, a bit naughty…but we get along pretty good.” Grace And Glory had only four starts on the track in regional New South Wales but has gone on to carve out a successful career in the showjumping arena. The competition had been tough in the opening round, with the top 6 progressing to a jump off. It was there that Fenwick and Grace And Glory beat out some more seasoned competitors to take out the $10,000 top prize. Hailing from the Newcastle area, Fenwick paid tribute to former Olympic equestrian showjumper Ron Easey for his coaching and support ahead of lining up in her first Ekka competition. “I’d just like to say a big thank you to my parents for bringing me up here to Queensland to compete and to Ron for training me too,” she said. “Ron’s taught me a fair bit - he’s taught me how to carry my hands, leg on…just a lot of training and hard work. “I think it’s great to see retired racehorses out and about in showjumping. “It’s really good for the horses and it feels good after you’ve trained them up all by yourself, and you come here and get a good experience.” One of the nation’s most lucrative showjumping events, the QOTT Showjumping Showcase also included a new 105cm class on Sunday. That event was taken out by Jaime Page aboard Travelogue, competing as Whizkey N Diamons, in a 19-strong field with a $25,000 prize pool in place. Earlier on Monday, rain did not dampen the spirits of competitors featuring as part of the prestigious Thoroughbred and Standardbred Day. The recently retired and two-time Rockhampton Cup winner Master Jamie was one of the record 195 entrants who took part in the show’s 18 Led and Under Saddle classes. “Record-breaking participation in this year’s Thoroughbred and Standardbred Day just shows that the interest and demand for retired racehorses is increasing year on year,” RQ Senior Animal Care Manager Kim Duffy said. “To see the horses presented so well with their owners and handlers out in the ring and showcasing the versatility of what they can achieve in their lives off the track is incredibly important. “We’ve seen horses here today that excelled in their careers on the track, such as Master Jamie, but you’ll also see horses that were bred for the racing industry who might have been too slow and not suited to a racing career, but are now excelling in their careers off the track. “The QOTT Program’s premium event partnership with the Royal Queensland Show has been developed to create an exciting competition opportunity, with significant prize money available, to support those who retrain retired thoroughbred and standardbred horses.” Rachel Millard had travelled all the way from Inverell in New South Wales to compete Go Missy, competing as Diamond Park Khaleesi and Artistic Flite, competing as Diamond Park Artistic Flite in the Standardbred Led and Under Saddle classes. While taking out Reserve Champion Standardbred, first place Standardbred Under Saddle and third place in Best Presented Standardbred with Go Missy, Artistic Flite also took out a prize on the day, placing second in the Standardbred Gelding Led class. With the high standard of competition across the various Standardbred classes, Millard recognised the significance of showcasing the standardbred breed to the public at the Royal Queensland Show. “There’s a bit of stigma for standardbreds, but having these types of events is essential for us and life after racing,” Millard said. “They’re not just racing horses with a cart behind them - they’re beautiful and beautifully presented. “They can have a life after racing, at big prestigious shows like the Ekka, or any other Royal and that’s really important. “I’ve dealt with a lot of different breeds, but standardbreds have a great work ethic, they’re nice and quiet and they suit any discipline, they’re not just for racing. “We are seeing increased numbers each year and the support we get from Racing Queensland and all those industry bodies, we’re so grateful for it.”  Head to ekka.com.au to see the full results from the QOTT Showjumping Showcase and Thoroughbred and Standardbred Day.

We are excited to announce the 2024 Broodmare of the Year at the prestigious Racing Queensland Thoroughbred Awards on Sunday, 22 September. Once again there was an outstanding selection of broodmares, with this year's noiminees: * Wilrace Pty Ltd’s Cellargirl (dam of Gr1 Queensland Oaks placed Miss Joelene) * Hutchins Thoroughbreds’ Gaudeamus (dam of Gr 1 Hong Kong Golden Mile winner Golden Sixty) * Yarramalong Stud’s New Wings (dam of Gr 2 Callander-Presnell winner Chrysaor) * Daandine Stud’s Ready To Rule (dam of Gr 1 Australian Guineas winner Southport Tycoon)  Who will win?

With the breeding season almost upon us and with many new staff on farms, it's a great time to remind your team about the online education platform TBA Learning. Thoroughbred Breeders Australia launched TBA Learning to allow everybody to learn the basics of horse care from industry experts. The platform—hosted at TBALearning.com —has over 20 online modules covering areas such as conformation, checking horse health, safely loading a horse for transport, and holding a horse for a vet or farrier. Importantly, all courses are available for free. Each bite-sized module features video, audio, and written content, allowing students to learn in a way that suits them. The modules are expected to take between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. They can be undertaken individually or tackled as a larger course in which related modules are linked together. The current courses are Horse Health, Horse Handling, Biosecurity, as well as a Foundation course. At the end of each module there is a test, with students receiving a certificate of completion when they successfully get to the end of a module. These certificates can then be presented to an employer. Among the experts sharing their knowledge are Mick Malone (North Bloodstock), Peter O’Brien (Segenhoe Stud), Kellie McCarthy (Mill Park Stud), Fiona Lacey (Mogumber Park), Cameron Bond (Kenmore Lodge), Angus McAlpine (Eureka Stud), Michelle Maidment (Coolmore), Barley Ward-Thomas (Godolphin) and Dave White (Vinery Stud). To access the modules and courses, students must complete a simple registration. This will allow them to complete their studies at their own pace. TBA Learning was developed after breeders told TBA there was nowhere to direct new staff where they could learn the foundational skills needed for work in the breeding industry. A grant from the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Levy assisted this education project. More than 40 farms from across the country were consulted as part of the site's development, and breeders gave their feedback on what subjects were important to cover. To contact us about the platform, please email madison@tbaus.com or call us at 0405 535 436.

The partnership between the Queensland Off-The-Track Program and Polocrosse Australia has been developed to stimulate demand for retired racehorses in the sport of polocrosse. Held in Chinchilla, the 2024 Australian Polocrosse Nationals hosted the Polocrosse Australia World Cup Display on Friday, June 28 as part of its competition schedule. The event featured the 2024 Goodline Australian World Cup Polocrosse team, who each presented a retired racehorse they had personally retrained to participate in a polocrosse demonstration to showcase the versatility and suitability of retired racehorses for the sport. All eight horses performed extremely well in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd, with QOTT Board Chair Dr Christine Johnson impressed to see how far the horses had progressed in their retraining programs since their retirement from racing. “The riders were able to show the athleticism and temperament of the horses to a big crowd, who could really appreciate how suited thoroughbreds are to the sport,” Dr Johnson said. “Prior to, and at the end of the demonstration, there were many people asking about the QOTT Program and commenting on what a great initiative it was to expose the athleticism, trainability and temperament of retired racehorses. “To have the knowledge, expertise and experience of the 2024 Goodline Australian World Cup Polocrosse team retraining these horses created a lot of positive exposure that will create new pathways for retired racehorses in the sport of polocrosse.” The eight retired thoroughbred racehorses that participated in the Polocrosse Australia World Cup Display were: · Faithful Maryanne (retrained by Team Captain Jimmy Grills) · Crackle Cause (retrained by Vice-Captain Lucy Grills) · Maddison’s Missile (retrained by Sam Allen) · Evanescent (retrained by Corey Buys) · Glacier Princess (retrained by Matt Davison) · Avid Diva (retrained by Lindsay Doolan) · Groovy Playmate (retrained by Beth Hafey) · Straight Alphas (retrained by Tom O’Neil) The sport of polocrosse Polocrosse is an Australian-made globally played team horse sport that can be played by the whole family. Unlike polo, polocrosse players are allowed only to play one horse, except in the case of injury. There are no restrictions on the horse's height, although polocrosse horses are generally smaller than 16hh. Horses of all breeds play polocrosse including thoroughbreds - who have the athleticism and stamina to excel in this fast-paced equine sport. Each polocrosse team has six players, separated into two sections of three players each. Members of each of the two sections can choose to play two, three or four chukkas of six to eight minutes each, in line with the rules of a particular tournament. The two sections from each team alternate on and off the field each chukka. For every match, there may be four, six or even eight chukkas. Players in each section take on the respective roles of - number one (attack), number two (a combination of defence and offence) and number three (defence).

Top Performer: Chrysaor (g. 2020 – New Wings). 8 starts. 1-1-0. A$668,775. Better Than Ready has gone back-to-back by being crowned 2024 Queensland Champion Stallion. He sired 141 winners of 237 races and $9,396,662 in the season. Runner-up was his keen rival Spirit Of Boom whose progeny earned $9,200,085. Better Than Ready’s highest earning competitor was the Chris Waller-trained Chrysaor which won the Group 2 Callander-Presnell Stakes at the Randwick Spring Carnival. As the 2023-24 season came to a close, earnings by Better Than Ready’s progeny soared above $44 million on the back of 350 winners of 995 races. Chrysaor became his 10th black-type winner following the earlier Group and Listed successes of Apache Chase, Alpine Edge, Tiger Legend, Skirt The Law, The Vowels, Better Get Set, The Odyssey, Better Reflection and Jagged Edge. Better Than Ready was foaled in 2009, sired by the shuttle stallion More Than Ready who was leading sire of 2YOs in the USA in 2010 and leading sire of 2YOs in Australia in 2007-08 and 2008-09. Trained by Kelly Schweida in Brisbane, he won one from two as a two-year-old before a remarkable season at three when he won five races including the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes at Randwick in a track record 1.08.19 for 1200m and the Listed Falvelon Handicap and Mick Dittman Plate at Doomben before finishing third in the Group 1 BTC Cup at Doomben. At four, he won two of three starts including the Listed Keith Noud. He was retired to stand at Lyndhurst Stud, Warwick, in 2016 in syndicated ownership managed by his largest shareholder Richard Forster of Yarramalong Stud and Jeff and Griff Kruger of Lyndhurst Stud. To date, he has earned six Queensland Stallion awards: Champion First Season Stallion and Champion 2YO Stallion in 2018-19, Champion 2YO Stallion again in 2020-21and 2022-23, and now for the past two years Champion Stallion.