Racing into industry contention

By Katrina Partridge

Notice something different at the major Australian race carnivals? Ponies and young riders sporting some of the most recognisable silks in the country have suddenly made an appearance. Tomorrow’s future racing participants may well be amongst them. The Industry is banking on it.

It’s mid winter in Queensland and misty rain sweeps across Eagle Farm racecourse. In the shadow of the latest trackside multi-storey apartments, a cluster of pony club riders and their mounts congregate to practice something new: a two-point seat and bridged reins. The morning ticks on and small groups progress to cantering down the racetrack as trained observers monitor rider control plus pony movement and attitude. Speed is not the key to securing a spot in the final heats. Rider skill and the pony’s calmness under pressure is paramount. Parents watch on and iPhones are raised to capture the action for the all-important social media accounts. Above it all an authoritative voice suddenly rings out in a tone reminiscent of school ‘PLEASE remember everyone - a steady canter ONLY!’ (One pony takes the go slow order a little too literally and elects to drop his head to graze the lush turf rather than pursue the finish line; automatic disqualification alas but in the decision comes a little of what this sport aims to teach: the lessons of life.)

In its appealing combination of children and ponies that bring back so many treasured childhood memories for so many - as well as highlight a new way to engage with an entirely new audience of racegoers - it’s understandable why pony racing has ignited the imagination of race crowds across Australia. Popular in the UK and US, the sport gained traction in Australia via a small number of pop-up exhibition races in 2022; from there the National Series was formed. In 2023/24 participating clubs are the BRC, MVRC, WATC, the GCTC, the ATC and the SAJC before the Finals in Sydney over the Autumn. In total 120 riders aged nine to fifteen years will compete across 12 qualifying races [at six individual race days] with 10 riders in each race.

Catering for riders in two different age and height categories, the two finals will see the winners and runners-up from each state compete in their sponsor’s racing colours.

Whilst it is easy to get caught up in the jubilation of a child’s inaugural race win it is important to emphasise that pony racing is not actually about speed; rather the sport has been introduced to assist children in advancing their riding ability and horse husbandry skills, learn how to better control their pony, balance, and their fitness and well-being (mental and physical). It is also - and perhaps most importantly - a chance to learn about and explore the vast range of career opportunities available in the thoroughbred industry. These opportunities extend well beyond riding roles to all number of positions in the racing industry from bloodstock analysis, media and marketing, breeding and sales, hands-on horse care and veterinary to associated equine health services, nutrition, farming etc.

Staged under the banner of Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC) and Pony Club Australia (PCA), the brainchild for Australian Pony Racing is TIC Chief Executive Officer Lindy Maurice.

Like many in the Industry, Lindy grew up with and loved horses. Come the end of Year 12 however a meeting with her school’s careers advisor left her disillusioned with the lack of potential employment opportunities that combined with her first love: her horses.

“Here are all these young riders 30 years later and nothing has changed. What are we doing as this juggernaut - Racing - to engage these people in terms of careers? What are the pathways for these people?

We are crying out for staff and here are all these kids riding around so what are we doing to marry the two together?”

In 2019 Thoroughbred Industry Careers was born. The not-for-profit industry organisation aims to promote careers in the Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Industry by introducing grassroots programs. Adrian Bott/Gai Waterhouse Racing, Arrowfield Stud, the Australian Turf Club, Chris Waller Racing, Godolphin Australia, Lindsay Park Racing and McEvoy Mitchell Racing were the founding stakeholders of TIC and are amongst those providing the knowledge, expertise and investment necessary for the development of TIC.

One of the first things Lindy did when assuming her new role as TIC CEO was to meet with the CEO of Pony Club Australia and tell them that they were about to get a major sponsor. Pony Club had the one thing that Maurice wanted access to: large numbers of horse-mad youngsters.

Pony Club is no different to many things in life. Some children have wealthy parents, a string of five ponies and are - even from a young age - sponsored riders or school representatives. Others wear hand-me-down jodhpurs and boots and come to Pony Club mounted on a trusted 17 year old pony that taught their siblings to ride and who is wearily patient with proceedings having done it ten times before. These ponies are the ones that are never sure where their day will end up: showjumping, at the beach, out on a long lazy hack or plaited for a show. Today it’s all about them dipping their hooves into the world of thoroughbred racing; a world that precious few poniesor their riders - know much about.

“95% of kids at Pony Club fit the bill,” says Lindy. “These are hard-working, horse-loving people and I wanted this sport to be accessible to everyone from day one. You don’t need to come in with brand new gear that we have made you buy, you can use a saddle and pony that you already have. I didn’t want it to be elitist at all.

Pony Clubs raise their hand to host a taster day.

“A Taster Day is the first step,” explains Lindy. “They are really relaxed and fun. The riders do half a day on horse health and half a day riding. Half a day they are off the horses learning how to take a temperature, how to know if their horse is sick, all the vital signs, electrolytes, and recovery. They learn more about horse health there than they otherwise would in their lifetime. The other half day is teaching them about balance and control, bridging of reins, a two-point seat which they can use in eventing and showjumping as well. There is no racing on that day. They also learn about careers, we touch on everything.”

The majority of people who live and work in the horse industry can sometimes forget that those who reside outside our familiar boundaries often have little understanding or appreciation of what is involved. Industry names and faces that are so familiar to us are in fact strangers to everyone else. Not surprisingly then, when allocated their racing silks and told who they represent the children look bewildered then almost relieved when asked to go and ‘google your sponsor’; an amusing anecdote for those of us standing in the crowd but a salient message nonetheless and one that touches the core of what this race series is about: enhanced knowledge and making connections.

“By the end of those taster days, we would have hosted around 350 riders across Australia. Those kids will then know all the different careers they can do, whether it’s a journalist, whether it’s a bloodstock agent, a trainerwhatever it may be.”

Next step is the training days. Riders and ponies are selected from the taster days (and have expressed interest) to further their skills towards displaying their ability and control on a racetrack. Race day fields of ten are selected from these training days (in two age/height categories) to compete on a racetrack in a qualifying race. With each passing hour, gear check, in hand and under saddle parade, and with every canter down the racetrack you start to appreciate what is involved in getting these kids to the races.

“Training Days go for the whole day now and we split the groups so little kids are in the morning and the older ones are later on. Eagle Farm was the first one we did. That’s all about assessing the horse in that environment and seeing if they want to just stop and pick the grass or shy at the finishing post. The riders will all be ok on that day but it’s about assessing whether the ponies will be ok in that environment. That’s where you select your final fields. It’s very different from when we were young. We have noticed that a lot of these kids are arena riders. They don’t get out in the open and ride like we did when we were kids.”

Leading into race day there are vet checks, the children have to record their pony’s temperature for the three days prior to the race and Ariat sponsors a pick of the yard on race day so children and parents are encouraged to go to a lot of effort with their plating and presentation. Children are also expected to have researched the trainer, stud, auction house, owner or breeder behind the race silks they are wearing as they may be asked about them on the day.

On the day of their qualifying race at a racecourse along with its brimming grandstands, a barrage of media and lights, on-course signage, a race caller, loudspeaker announcements and the noise of large cheering crowds can be exciting for a child never exposed to racing previously.

On the day of their qualifying race at a racecourse along with its brimming grandstands, a barrage of media and lights, on-course signage, a race caller, loudspeaker announcements and the noise of large cheering crowds can be exciting for a child never exposed to racing previously.

“The kids love it beyond love it!” says Lindy. “If anyone feels anxious we ask them to talk to us. You have some kids that get very nervous in sport in general and that’s why I purposefully brought Lisa Coffey on board as an ambassador as she is a psychologist and will be at the race days with us to assist any children feeling nervous. Kids bury a lot of that stuff so having a professional on the team is great. Lisa will be giving the kids strategies for dealing with nerves. That’s just another element of the programme. We talk a lot about horse health and now we are also bringing in the people’s health side of things as well.”

The sport may be in its infancy, but the children are already demonstrating a highly strategic approach to race day tactics.

“The kids love it beyond love it!”

“They all have tactics which I didn’t realise they would do. So they have all started clueing into that. Do I get a good start? Do I start quickly? Do I start slowly and then improve? I didn’t realise they would strategise so much. I guess I am always amazed at how much they just love it, and how happy it makes them. I love seeing those kids like a little girl at Moonee Valley this year. She got there really early and her pony was all ready so she spent the rest of her time helping everyone else with their ponies and finishing their plaits. You really do see some lovely things, particularly that bond between the kids and their ponies.”

TIC is also finding ways to involve children who didn’t qualify for the race (due to a pony misbehaving for example) in the wider race experience.

“You can’t be what you can’t see,” says Lindy. “And the beauty of social media is that other children can see that 8-year-old Georgia just commentated on Sky on a race day so they start thinking ‘I can do that too’. They love horses. So what else are they good at? And I can almost guarantee you that you can combine those skills with a job and you’ll then give that child a good life as they are doing what they enjoy every day.

“This is not about racing. This is about exposing a future generation to all the different careers. It’s an educational program, more than a pony racing series. The reason we are doing this is to engage with the world which we hope will be our future staff. We employ 75,000 people in the industry but we didn’t have a grassroots strategy on how to engage that future workforce.”

Thanks to the work of a very determined Lindy Maurice, they do now.