Charlie Ferguson

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia’s (TBA) commitment to finding the next generation of staff for the breeding industry continues with applications for the 2023 Fast Track program opening this week.

Now in its sixth year, the national training scheme offers people with a passion for horses a pathway into the breeding sector.

Developed in response to the industry staffing shortage, the 12-month program is designed to target people from outside of breeding and racing and introduce them to Australia’s vibrant thoroughbred scene.

“Through Fast Track, we’ve been able to create a pathway for new people to enter our industry regardless of their background or level of horse experience and we know the formula works – close to 90% of our graduates have remained working in the industry after completing the course, which is really pleasing,” says TBA chief executive, Tom Reilly.

Among the diverse graduates are an electrician, beauty therapist and a cricket coach, all of who were looking for a career change.

The current crop of trainees also includes an army veteran who developed a passion for horses after taking part in an equine therapy program.

Successful Fast Track applicants commence a full-time 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, as well as take part in a variety of field trips and personal development workshops.

These learning blocks are designed to prepare the trainees for life working on a stud farm and provide them with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to build successful careers in the industry.

Employers from around the country have embraced the program.

“We can’t run the industry without staff and the better the staff we have, the better the industry will be,” says Twin Hills Stud principal Olly Tait.

“TBA is finding trainees who have got an enthusiasm and an interest in horses and/or racing and we’ve been very fortunate to have some good trainees come to Twin Hills”.

A number of graduates have gone on to excel in various roles within the industry.

Alyssa Pickels, two-time runner up in the Newcomer category at the Australian Stud and Stable Staff Awards, spent four years at Kitchwin Hills, working her way up to foaling manager.

Fellow Fast Track graduate Lachie Pethica is currently completing his second year of Godolphin Flying Start, while 2019 graduate Eliza Grantham is a rising star among South Australia’s thoroughbred ranks becoming one of the youngest stud masters in the country, standing Nostradamus at her family’s Springfield Farm.

Fast Track is open to anyone in Australia who is 18 years and over regardless of their level of horse experience.

Trainees have enjoyed placements on farms in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland and with planning underway for the 2023 intake, TBA are calling for farms from all states to get in contact if they are interested in taking on a trainee.

You can begin your application here.

Applications close March 12^th and you can email careers@tbaus.com to find out more information. 

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse recently released its annual strategy review. This report outlines key initiatives undertaken in 2022 and looks what the organisations will focus on in 2023.

Click here to view the online edition of the publication.

You can also request a complimentary hard copy by emailing member@tbaus.com.

Applications for the 2022 Nolan Scholarship are now open.

The Nolan Scholarship is awarded annually to a graduate of the TBA Fast Track program in memory of the late Basil Nolan Jnr, a highly respected and much loved member of the Australian breeding community.
 
The successful graduate will travel to Ireland for six months to take part in the Irish National Stud Breeding Course. Pictured is 2021 scholarship recipient, Tess O’Connor, receiving her certificate after successfully completing the course earlier this year.
 
The scholarship will be awarded to the student who best displays the qualities that Basil Jnr himself was so widely admired for.

The Irish National Stud Breeding Course

The Irish National Stud Course was established in 1971 and is regarded as the best-known equine training program within the thoroughbred industry. Many graduates have gone on to hold prominent positions on farms and within organisations around the world.
 
Unlike university based programs, the training is mainly of a practical nature and is designed to provide students with a hands-on approach to every aspect of horse breeding. The course is full-time residential and starts mid-January each year and runs for the Northern Hemisphere breeding season.

Learn more about the Irish National Stud here.

Scholarship Criteria

• Applicants must have successfully completed the TBA Fast Track program. This includes graduating with a Certificate III in Horse Breeding from TAFE and having their formal traineeship signed off by their employer. Students who were not eligible for formal traineeships (ie. those based outside NSW) must have completed a minimum 12 months employment with their farm.
• Prior knowledge and/or industry experience will not be taken into account during the selection process. The scholarship will be awarded based on what the individual has achieved since commencing the Fast Track program and the contribution they have made to their workplace and/or the industry during this time.
• Although academic ability isn’t the sole focus, applicants will need to have displayed a level of dedication and a positive attitude towards their studies, and have been a courteous member of the classroom during their time on the program.
• In the workplace they must have consistently demonstrated an excellent work ethic and have been a team player; someone who is kind and supportive and always willing to help others.
• They must demonstrate a genuine passion for the thoroughbred industry.

The successful applicant will be the person who best fulfills the above criteria and who the interview panel believe will be a great ambassador for the Australian breeding industry and honour Basil Jnr’s legacy.
 
The following attributes were central to Basil and what he most looked for in staff members of his own:

• Honesty
• Enthusiasm
• Motivation
• A strong work ethic
• A passion for learning more on the job

The Application Process

To apply for the Nolan Scholarship, you must complete an online application form.

You are also required to upload a Letter Of Support from your employer and/or an industry referee (someone who currently works in the thoroughbred industry).

The letter should outline why they think you are a deserving recipient of the scholarship with particular focus on your attitude towards learning, contribution to the workplace, your relationships with your peers and colleagues, and your passion for horses.

Only shortlisted applicants will be invited to sit an interview via Zoom, with a panel of TBA representatives and members of the Nolan family. 

Successful Fast Track graduates are eligible to apply for the scholarship at any time. You are not restricted to applying in the year that you graduate and if unsuccessful, you can always reapply the following year. There is no limit on how many years you can apply. 

Click here to begin your application.

Applications for this year’s scholarship close on Monday 10th October at 11.59pm. Those shortlisted will be contacted shortly after to arrange a suitable interview time. 

The successful applicant will need to arrive in Ireland in early January 2023 and remain there until the end of June, when the course finishes.

The full cost of flights and tuition will be covered by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia.

This is an incredible opportunity for anyone looking to develop their career in the thoroughbred sector. The Irish National Stud Course is world renowned and many of Australia’s industry leaders are successful graduates of the program. 

For more information, contact Madison Tims at madison@tbaus.com.

From July 1st, thoroughbred breeders will have access to the loans offered by the Regional Investment Corporation. Gaining this access was something that Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) had lobbied governments for two years.

The loans are offered at a concessional rate – currently 2.31% – which is likely to remain lower than commercial lenders, as it is calculated on the back of the federal government’s bond rate, rather than that of the Reserve Bank of Australia.

While there are four types of loans available, the three most likely to be accessed by breeders are:

Farm Investment Loan: This is the most popular of the RIC’s loans and is typically used by farmers to refinance existing debt.

Agristarter Loan: Aimed at helping people obtaining their first farm business or buying relatives out of their farm businesses.

Drought Loan: To help farmers recover from drought or prepare for future climactic events.

All three of these loans have a 10 year loan term, with the first five years at interest only. The remaining debt at the end of the loan term can be refinanced with a commercial lender.

While these loans sound very attractive, there are some really important caveats to eligibility. For example, for the Farm Investment Loan a business has to demonstrate they have been adversely impacted by an event outside their control for two in the past five years; this may be drought, floods or disease outbreak.

For many breeders this will be relatively easy to prove given the recent drought, but people applying will need to be able to show this through their financial records.

Another criteria for eligibility is that applicants will be asked to demonstrate they intend to sell their products into supply chains that are mainly interstate or overseas. Again, given the national nature of horse racing, this is something that many breeders will be able to show; for example, NSW breeders selling stock at the Magic Millions interstate, or horses sold at auction being sent to interstate stables.

The feedback TBA has received from other farming groups is that the RIC approval process is slower and more bureaucratic than with a commercial lender, and that the eligibility criteria is strictly enforced. Anecdotally, other agricultural sectors have said the Farm Investment Loan is the most valuable and this is best used when refinancing.

For those considering whether RIC finance might be suitable for their business, TBA strongly encourages reading the loan guidelines (links below):

Farm Investment Loan

Farm investment loan guidelines: loans for farm businesses (ric.gov.au)

Agristarter Loan

AgriStarter Loan – Regional Investment Corporation (ric.gov.au)

Drought Loan

Drought loan guidelines: loans for farm businesses (ric.gov.au)

Those wanting to discuss the RIC Loans further should contact Craig Turner, who is a RIC business development manager and also has an understanding of the thoroughbred industry having been involved in ownership for many years.

However, TBA strongly encourages reading the loan guidelines before reaching out to Craig. He will then be able to provide further guidance on how an application could be progressed and how a farm could demonstrate its eligibility.

Craig can be reached at craig.turner@ric.gov.au or on 0466 515 307.

Sixteen new trainees began their Fast Track journey last week with the aim of building successful careers in the industry.

Launched by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) in 2018, the Fast Track program offers passionate horse people a pathway into the breeding sector, as well as the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised formal qualification.

Over the next 12 months, trainees will study for a Certificate III in Horse Breeding, while working full-time for some of the country’s most respected stud farms.

The 2022 crop is made up of trainees from five of the six states with students taking up placements on farms in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland – the widest representation of states since the program’s inception.

Expanding the number of interstate trainees was made possible thanks to funding secured through the AgriFutures Australia Capacity Building Program.

Separate to the Thoroughbred Research and Development Levy, the Capacity Building Program awards grants for projects that specifically focus on helping levied industries develop their skills.

This year’s cohort includes a pilot, a veteran and a childcare worker, all of who were looking for an opportunity to turn their passion for horses into a new career.

Former soldier, Jimmy Clarke, developed an interest in horses while working with them in a veteran therapy program.

“When I was transitioning out of the army, I started working with horses in the program and just really loved it”, says Clarke. 

“From there I spent time with an organisation in the Northern Territory that worked with kids in detention doing equine assisted therapy. I decided I wanted to pursue a career with horses and someone suggested I take a look at Fast Track.

“I thought I had no chance of getting selected because of my limited experience but I got the call up and here I am. I’m really excited to get stuck in and make the most of the opportunity. ”

TBA’s newly appointed Education and Projects Manager, Madison Tims, says Jimmy’s story highlights the important role Fast Track plays in bringing new people into our industry.

“Without pathways like Fast Track, people like Jimmy would be lost to us. You don’t need to have grown up in breeding and racing to succeed. If you’ve got the right attitude and are willing to get in and work hard, you can achieve great things.”

The trainees continue at TAFE in the Scone for the next three weeks before joining their farms to prepare for the breeding season.

Phase Two of the Post-Mortem Of Late-Term Pregnancy Loss Project is set to commence at the start of June.

This project is funded through the AgriFutures Australia Thoroughbred Horses Program and aims to determine the causes and trends of late-term pregnancy loss in Australia.

The initial phase took place in the Hunter Valley and involved the development of a confidential database, as well as the creation of training manuals to ensure a standardised procedure for conducting foetal post-mortems and the collection of results.

Phase Two will now pilot the most effective way to expand this research nationally. As a result, breeders in New South Wales, Northern Victoria and Southern Queensland will now have access to fully funded foetal post-mortems. However, it is important to note that there is a cap on the number that will be conducted in each state and foetuses must meet specific eligibility criteria.

The veterinary clinics taking part in the pilot are:

• Scone Equine Hospital (New South Wales)
• Darling Downs Vet (South-East Queensland)
• Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital (Northern Victoria)

Each clinic has its own specific procedure for dropping off a foetus but as a general rule you must:

• Contact the clinic first to make sure they haven’t exceeded their quota for funded post-mortems and that your foetus fits the eligibility criteria.
• Sign a consent form – a vet will not start a post-mortem without this.
• Double-bag the foetus using heavy duty garbage bags.
• Keep foetus at a temperature between 4-10 degrees Celsius. To do this, it is recommended that the double-bagged foetus be placed in a large plastic container or bin with ice beneath it and on top.
• Deliver the aborted foetus within 24 hours of discovery.

Breeders will be provided will a full set of results following the post-mortem. These are expected within five working days, but the EHV PCR will be sent as soon as it’s available, usually within 48 working hours.

For the purpose of the broader research, all details will remain strictly confidential and the data will have no direct link to any horse, farm or breeder; the only people who will have access to the results are the mare owner, the vet who conducted the post-mortem and the lead researcher.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please contact James Murray at TBA on 0407 137 032 or james@aushorse.net.au.

James will be able to provide you with the detailed information specific to your state, including the relevant consent form, eligibility criteria, and transport and drop-off instructions.

You can also access the Frequently Asked Questions for each state via the links below:

NSW Frequently Asked Questions

VIC Frequently Asked Questions

QLD Frequently Asked Questions