On his way to compete in the inaugural Scone Pony Race, 11-year-old Nikko Anderson received a fateful good luck from none other than Hugh Bowman, the jockey of Australia’s famous race mare Winx. It worked like a charm and a few hours later, in their debut race, Nikko and his pony Tricky Ricky found themselves in front with 100m left to run. A lack of racing experience proved no hurdle for Nikko, who kept his mare up to her work to win in convincing style.Running into Winx’s jockey was far from a complete coincidence because Nikko’s pony came to the Anderson family from Hugh’s father. On their way to the races, Nikko and his father Chris had stopped in Murrurundi where they saw Hugh who, like Nikko, was racing at Scone that day. With typical generosity, Hugh sent Nikko off to the races with more than just his best wishes – a pair of his goggles and one of his whips now decorate Nikko’s bedroom. Pony racing is essentially an amateur version of the thoroughbred racing we see every day on the TV, albeit with a smaller animal and over less distance. But it is far from an established sport in Australia and the handful of exhibition events that have taken place in Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales so far are a result of a determined effort from Lindy Maurice, CEO of Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC).
Since establishing TIC in 2019, Lindy had pony racing firmly on the agenda, having seen the role it plays in supporting racing industries in countries such as the UK and Ireland. However, with limited resources and an incredible pragmatism (which evidently underpins her success), she says they were forced to prioritise the training of staff to fill pressing vacancies on breeding farms and in racing stables across Australia. This was done by establishing the Explorer Cadetship Program, for which TIC has now become well known. The ‘gap year program’ is open to anyone between the ages of 18-24 and combines residential training and hands-on work placements to kick-start young people’s careers in the thoroughbred industry.
When asked about why pony racing is important, Lindy explains that “as we’ve become more professional as a sport, we’ve become less visible to the grassroots.” Through partnering with Pony Club Australia, TIC has been able to recruit children from areas surrounding each of the pony races they’ve run. Lindy points out that “it’s not just country kids”, saying that “they come from a variety of backgrounds and different equestrian disciplines”. When asked if she’s seen any future superstar jockeys she’s quick to give great credit to the children, saying “absolutely, there’s been some really capable riders.”
The value Lindy sees in pony racing was confirmed when talking to Nikko. Despite having experienced all the thrills which come with growing up in an equestrian family (both his parents are polocrosse players), not least representing NSW at polocrosse himself, Nikko says “winning the Scone pony race was the biggest thrill I’ve had with horses”. Lindy reports that this has been a common response: “many of the children say ‘this is the best horse event I’ve ever done’.”
Despite being such an experienced rider, the thought of her son going faster than he’s ever been, in a new environment and on a pony that is apparently named Tricky Ricky for a reason was not one that eased the mind of Nikko’s mother, Skye, who admits to being a helicopter parent. However, she’s quick to remark on “the professionalism of the whole event” which allayed her fears. She gives particular credit to Lindy, saying that with so many elements going into the raceday “she made sure everything was really well prepared.”
The more that Nikko and Skye talk, the more it becomes clear how much impact just one race can have. Skye reports that since returning from Scone the TV in their house has been playing racing films near-daily and that Nikko is now following the sport. And that might not be the height of it for Nikko; Hugh Bowman also played polocrosse in his youth and when the suggestion of a future career as a jockey for Nikko was put to Skye, “I certainly wouldn’t put him off it” was her response.
Written by Oz WedmoreScone P0ny Race Photo credit – Ashlea Brennan Photography
Nikko Anderson playing polocrosse for NSW under 12’s. Photo credit – Catherine Rae
Category: Uncategorized
The Valley Next Stop on the Pony Racing Express – Friday 25 March 2022
For Immediate Release – 11 March 2022
Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC) is proud to announce that the next Exhibition Pony Race, held in conjunction with Pony Club Australia (PCA), will be in Victoria. The event will be hosted by the Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) on the last night of the Ladbrokes Friday Night Lights season headlined by the Group One 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes.
The announcement follows the recent success of the inaugural TIC Pony Race, held at Brisbane’s Doomben racecourse to launch the Magic Millions carnival, as well as the Australia Day Pony Race with the Australian Turf Club and the Magic Millions Classic Day at Murray Bridge in with Racing SA.
“TIC is looking forward to partnering with the MVRC, to not only bring the Exhibition Pony Races to a Victorian audience but also to showcase the next generation at a feature Group 1 meeting,” said TIC Chief Executive Officer, Lindy Maurice.
As one of TIC’s main operating pillars, Pony Racing is aimed at generating industry engagement and interest at a grassroots level to educate young riders on the many career opportunities the industry offers.
MVRC CEO Michael Browell is looking forward to hosting the event on Friday 25 March. “The ponies have been well-received around the country, so we’re excited to be the first Club in Victoria to showcase an exhibition Pony Race here at The Valley on our last feature Group 1 meeting for the season.
The exhibition race will see up to 11 ponies race around the famous bend and down the home straight at The Valley. The riders and ponies are sourced via the Pony Club Australia (PCA) network, of which TIC is a major sponsor.
CEO of Pony Club Australia, Dr Catherine Ainsworth said, “Our member who have participated in the other demonstration races have described it as one of the greatest thrills of their life, so we are delighted to continue these events in Melbourne. These races allow riders to demonstrate their skill and the partnership they have with their ponies to a broad audience.”
Formed in 2019, TIC is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to provide a centralised platform to promote racing and breeding industry careers options, introduce grassroots programs, facilitate best practice education pathways, and assist in developing staff retention and welfare strategies for career longevity.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Lindy Maurice, Thoroughbred Industry Careers – Chief Executive & Founder
M: 0488 066 604
E: lindy@tbindustrycareers.com.au
Rozalee Erceg, General Manager, Moonee Valley Racing Club
M: 0402 445 992
Pony Racing Heads to South Australia
23 February 2022
For Immediate Release
Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC) is excited to announce that an exhibition pony race will open the card on a big day of racing at Murray Bridge Race Club Gifford Hill track, which features the richest juvenile race in South Australia, the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic on Saturday 5 March 2022.
TIC, together with Pony Club Australia (PCA), Racing SA, Magic Millions and the Murray Bridge Racing Club (MBRC) are collaborating to put on the pony race following the recent success of the inaugural TIC Pony Race, held in conjunction with Magic Millions and the Brisbane Racing Club at Doomben racecourse, as well as the Australia Day Pony Race at Warwick Farm with the Australian Turf Club.
As one of TIC’s main operating pillars, Pony Racing is aimed at generating industry involvement and interest at a grassroots level.
“The best way to know a sport is to participate in it, and our goal is to reach as many young riders as we can so that they will be able to understand all the career opportunities the thoroughbred industry offers. In turn, we hope this assists to alleviate the nationwide staff shortages in the long term,” said TIC Chief Executive Officer, Lindy Maurice.
“Katie Page was instrumental in making the first Pony Race get off the ground in Brisbane, so it is a nice fit to have another Pony Race on Magic Millions showcase raceday in South Australia.”
“We have seen the positive reaction the TIC Pony Race has had on raceday patron’s interstate, so we jumped at the chance to support Lindy and bring a race here to South Australia so our locals can also join in the fun,” said, Racing SA CEO, Nick Redin.
“The Magic Millions SA Raceday is a highlight on our calendar, and the 2022 edition features the running of not only the 2YO Classic but the new $120,000 3YO & 4YO Classic. The addition of the TIC Pony Race and the involvement from the local Pony Club Australia (PCA) members only adds to the thrill of the day,” said Redin.
The exhibition race will see up to 11 ponies race down the Murray Bridge home straight. The riders and ponies are selected by PCA, of which TIC is a major sponsor.
CEO of PCA, Dr Catherine Ainsworth said, “PCA provides riding and horsemanship education in a broad range of horse sports, and we are pleased to offer this additional opportunity to our riders at such a big event. Selected riders will be able to demonstrate their partnership with their pony and their riding skills to an audience of horse-lovers.”
About: Formed in 2019, with support from Adrian Bott & Gai Waterhouse Racing, the Australian Turf Club, Arrowfield Stud, Chris Waller Racing, Godolphin, Lindsay Park Racing and McEvoy Mitchell Racing, TIC is a not-for-profit organisation. TIC aims to provide a centralised platform to promote racing and breeding industry careers options, introduce grassroots programs, facilitate best practice education pathways, and assist in developing staff retention and welfare strategies for career longevity.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Lindy Maurice, Thoroughbred Industry Careers – Chief Executive & Founder
M: 0488 066 604
E: lindy@tbindustrycareers.com.au
or
Pony Race on show for Australia Day at Warwick Farm
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EXPLORER CADETSHIP LEADING THE WAY
For Immediate Release
Applications are now open for the Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC) Explorer Cadetship for 2022, a 12-month program of stud and stable horsemanship and industry training.
The Explorer Cadetship is the only entry-level education program of its kind and has quickly cemented its place as the pre-eminent pathway in Australia, providing training in both the thoroughbred racehorse breeding and racing sectors, giving participants a holistic view into one of Australia’s largest industries.
Industry leader John Messara AM stated, “the Explorer Program is the best initiative Arrowfield has ever supported, because of its exceptional value to the industry and the immensely positive impact it has on the lives and aspirations of young people who want to work with thoroughbreds.”
As well as a three-month ‘boot camp of theory and practical learning (whilst residing at WSU’s Hawkesbury Campus), cadets complete nine months of paid work placements with several leading employers including Godolphin, Chris Waller Racing, Arrowfield Stud, McEvoy Mitchell Racing, Lindsay Park Racing, Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, who, in conjunction with the Australian Turf Club, are the founding stakeholders of TIC. Program applicants do not need to have a background in the industry or an equestrian background to apply.
Run by Chief Executive and founder Lindy Maurice, TIC is a not-for-profit organisation that funds the cadetship program. Developed to fill a marketplace gap, the organisation aims to provide a centralised platform to promote racing and breeding industry careers options and to facilitate best practice education pathways.
Since its inception in 2019, just under 90 students have been through TIC programs, with an 89% success rate.
An avid supporter from the outset, Godolphin Managing Director Vin Cox is still excited by the growth of the program and its provisions to the industry’s long-term staff shortage crisis.
“Despite our size and the contribution our industry makes to this country’s economy, our industry was, and still is, in need of a program like the Explorer Cadetship to assist in opening the doors and attracting new people,” said Cox.
“I continue to be amazed by the calibre, enthusiasm and skills of program participants, whether they have industry experience before starting or they’ve come in as a complete newcomer. As an employer, it is comforting to know that thanks to their experiences with the program, we’re getting a well-rounded employee who also appreciates the fantastic opportunities they are presented. The graduates are a testament to Lindy and her team, and I know I’m not the only employer eager to employ Program graduates.”
Australian Hall of Fame horse trainer Chris Waller is another employer impressed by the program and echoes Vin’s sentiments on its benefits to the racing and breeding community.
“Our industry has been in desperate need of highlighting the career opportunities available within it for some time now,” said Waller.
“The work of TIC and the Explorer Cadetship Program goes a long way to bridging that gap. My participation with the program has had a big impact on our stable in a very short time. I encourage anyone with even a hint of interest in working in our industry to apply.”
2021 Program graduate Bella Anderson completed her work placement with auction house Magic Millions and was recently recruited by Racing.com as a Mounting Yard Analyst and Presenter.
“I fell in love with the sport of racing as a child through the influence of my father, and now, through my time on the Explorer Cadetship Program, I’ve had the incredible experience of working at one of Australia’s biggest horse auctions and my newest adventure has bought me to Melbourne. The networking opportunities made possible by TIC are so beneficial and valuable when starting out in this industry,” said Anderson.
Numerous other graduates have also gone on to secure other life-changing roles in the industry including GSSSA Newcomer Award winner Jack Cripps (McEvoy Mitchell Racing – Sales and Syndication Manager), Leigh Allen (Ciaron Maher Racing – Communications), Marley Mezi (Chris Waller Racing – Trackwork Rider), Kaitlyn Summers (Bellerive Stud – Foaling Manager).
“The TIC program is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get a solid grounding in the racing industry,” said trainer Annabel Neasham.
“We recently had one of their cadets, Amy, on placement with us for four months and she was a great asset to the team. It was incredibly rewarding to be able to give Amy the exposure of what life is like in a racing stable, which will help her, in the long run, decide which area of the industry she would like to focus on. I am also a big supporter of what TIC has set out to achieve for the betterment and longevity of racing, and we are currently supporting them by donating 10% of every ANR merchandise sale that we make.”
Applications for the 2022 February intake of the Explorer Program can be made via http://tbindustrycareers.com.au/overview/.
The program is open to young people across Australia (18-24yrs), with or without industry or horse experience and applications close mid-November 2021.
Thank you to the following supporters who generously donated in 2021 to allow this work to continue: Racing Victoria, Ciaron Maher Racing, Ranvit, Woppitt Bloodstock, Grant Bloodstock, Newhaven Park, Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, Racing SA, Racing Queensland, Racing NT, Racing TAS, Carl & Lorraine Holt, Inglis, Magic Millions, Spendthrift Australia, Kick Marketing and TDNAUSNZ, along with our foundation partners.
ENDS
For further information and/or interviews please contact:
Lindy Maurice
Thoroughbred Industry Careers – Chief Executive & Founder
M: 0488 066 604
E: lindy@tbindustrycareers.com.au
Images below: GSSSA Newcomer winner Jack Cripps, Kaitlyn Summers (Arrowfield Stud), Bella Anderson bid spotting for Magic Millions, Leigh Allen (right) Ciaron Maher Racing with Jasmine Ritter.
The Lexus Melbourne Cup
Graduation of Cadets – Royal Randwick
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and her team at Richmond for their continued support as our training partners and Tracy O’Hara for her hard work with both TIC and Karlie’s team to deliver our students to the industry with the skills they need to succeed.
Australian Workforce Development Forum – POST FORUM COMMUNIQUE 30 April 2021
POST FORUM COMMUNIQUE 30 April 2021
Australian Thoroughbred Workforce Development Forum
The Australian Thoroughbred Workforce Development Forum was held at Royal Randwick Racecourse, on the 22nd and 23rd of April 2021 with a focus on Obtaining, Training and Retaining the Thoroughbred workforce and addressing the increasing skills shortage felt across the industry.
With a theme of ‘Together for Racing’, the Forum hosted some 100 racing and breeding stakeholders from across Australia who collaborated to identify ways in which the industry can better Obtain, Train and Retain a workforce now and into the future.
The two days were split into four sessions comprising a mix of Panels, Presenters and Workshops:
▪ Grassroots and Youth Engagement ▪ Retention ▪ Recruitment ▪ Education
Panelists and presenters included individuals from both inside and outside the industry including; Ben Buckley, Geoff Bloom, Vin Cox, Myles Foreman, Andrew Gee MP, Tim Gilbert, Amanda Good, Cecilia O’Gorman, Natasha Hamilton, Lisa Hocking, Lizzie Jelfs, Toby Liston, Ciaron Maher, Lindy Maurice, John Messara, Greg Nichols, Katie Page, Brett Parbery, Stuart Rich, Tom Riley, Chris Waller and Steven Wright.
John Messara AM (Chairman Arrowfield & former Chairman Racing Australia & Racing NSW) opened the forum with a call to arms, stating that the current state of the workforce is the only limiting factor to the industry growing even further than where it is today.
Katie Page (Harvey Norman CEO & Founder of Magic Millions) emphasised that retaining the industry’s current domestic workforce has never been more and that Australian industries will all be competing for a domestic workforce over the coming years due to the COVID pandemic.
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Ciaron Maher (Ciaron Maher Racing) and Chris Waller (Chris Waller Racing) provided an insight into operations and referenced the importance of creating an environment where people want to come to work.
Ben Buckley (Former CEO Football Federation Australia, Executive Director of Sport Foxtel) and Steven Wright (Former CEO Big 4 Holiday Parks, Australian Grand Prix, Tourism & Events Queensland) both brought non-Thoroughbred industry experience and insights to the Panels helping to stimulate discussion about how the Thoroughbred Industry is perceived and common challenges across multiple industries to Obtain, Train and Retain a workforce.
During a number of breakout sessions attendees split into smaller working groups to identify and suggest approaches to:
▪ Minimizing barriers to entry.
▪ Improving upskilling and retention of staff.
▪ Providing attractive, accessible and affordable educational and training outcomes.
The key themes to emerge from the Forum requiring further development included:
- Increased focus on better identifying and articulating career pathways supported by skill development and training.
- Improve and co-ordinate marketing to better address awareness and perception of the industry as a career of choice.
- Increase emphasis on, and improvement of workplace culture and working conditions.
- Improve the collection of data and subsequent reporting of robust data – this includeddata on staff registration, retention and the horse population.
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The Working Group has now begun work on consolidating the considerable content of ideas and information shared and to commence the process of continuing the great work of the Forum.
Over the coming weeks the Working Group will share the Forum outcomes with the appropriate industry bodies with the objective of providing a further update on progress and future collaboration by mid-2021.
The Working Group would like to thank participants and panelists for their time and contributions over the two days and commitment to working in a spirit of goodwill together for racing.
This work will also be shared with Together for Racing International (TFRI), and Australia will continue to collaborate with TFRI on industry education, workforce and community engagement needs.
http://togetherforracinginternational.com.cpl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/development_forum.pdf
IMPORTANT INDUSTRY SURVEY
TIC to Sponsor ‘Coona’ Interschool Event
Fondly known as ‘Coona’ due to the event’s location in the NSW North West Slopes town of Coonabarabran, 550 students and more than 700 horses compete at the North West Equestrian Expo held in June each year.
Event Secretary Rebecca Moxham welcomed TIC’s ongoing support of what is Australia’s largest interschool equestrian competition.
“They have recognised the value of the type of person that comes to this type of event as being suitable to go far in the industry.
“We have riders from all over NSW now and from such a broad spectrum of disciplines. Often, they are quite natural riders and horsemen and women. They realise that they don’t just have to become a jockey and that there are many other opportunities in the industry for them,” said Moxham.
The North West Equestrian Expo was cancelled last year for the first time since 1992 due to COVID-19.
“We are all very much looking forward to hosting the event and the town is too. We are overwhelmed by the number of schools that have already signed up to take part,” she added.
Entries are now open for the 2021 North West Equestrian Expo and TIC CEO Lindy Maurice is thrilled to be supporting the event once again.
“This event is truly unique, school teams travel from right down in the Snowy Mountains through to Coffs Harbour on the north coast, to further west than Bourke, with some students competing who are from Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
“Most camp at the showground, ride from dawn to dusk and at night the parents, teachers, and riders chat around the campfire. Coona is an event which has taken on a life of its own,” said Maurice.
The 2021 North West Equestrian Expo will be held from Friday, June 4 to Tuesday, June 8.
TIC will again host an evening by the fire on Sunday 6th June after the final of the Polo Cross to enable participants to discuss careers options in the thoroughbred industry and explore what sort of education and training is available to them.
Entries will open on the 22nd of March close on April 28 or prior if capacity is reached.
www.nwequestrianexpo.com.au
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact: Rebecca Moxham (North West Equestrian Expo) on 0427 426 228 or Lindy Maurice (Thoroughbred Industry Careers) on 0488066604, Thoroughbredindustrycareers.com.au
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