Australia’s racing and breeding workforce encompasses a diverse range of specialist roles, each with distinct skill requirements, regulatory settings and career pathways.
Industry has identified the need for a national review of skills and regulatory alignment to ensure training reflects contemporary demands – including strengthening foundational capability for track riders, jockeys and those working in horse breeding.
Click across the tabs to view active and completed project stages. Consultation takes place at every stage of the project.
This project will examine racing and breeding skills needs to build an understanding of the complexities of these distinct industries and their training requirements.
Further to this exploration, qualifications for trackwork riders, jockeys and horse breeding will be revised to clarify their purpose, address safety requirements, duplication and gaps, and strengthen training pathways.
If you are interested in getting involved, please contact [email protected]
Project scope and design
Part 1: Skills Review
The project will be undertaken in two phases with Part 1 comprising a comprehensive Skills Review and analysis of jobs roles and functions related to the RGR Racing and Breeding Training Package. Working groups of subject matter experts will be formed for this stage of the project, with separate groups for racing and horse breeding, to guide consultation and Skills Review activities. Stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the Skills Review through site visits, workshops and other engagements.
Consultations during the Skills Review will:
- analyse current and emerging skills and regulatory requirements
- map workforce needs against existing RGR training products
- identify gaps, duplication, and structural issues
- recommend priorities for future work to review the RGR Racing and Breeding Training Package.
Part 2: Training package product review
Part 2 will draw on the findings of the Skills Review to revise qualifications for horse breeding, trackwork riders and jockeys, reflecting industry’s identification of these as a priority for review. A Technical Committee will be formed to guide updates to the qualifications and units.
Revisions will be made to the qualifications and associated units in line with the Training Package Organising Framework 2025.
Training package products for review include:
Four qualifications
Fifty one units
- RGRCMN203 Comply with racing industry ethics and integrity
- RGRCMN305 Participate in racing protests and inquiries
- RGRCMN402 Participate in media interviews for racing
- RGRHBR201 Assist with oestrus detection in mares
- RGRHBR301 Work effectively in horse breeding sector
- RGRHBR302 Carry out natural mare mating procedures
- RGRHBR303 Assist with artificial insemination of mares
- RGRHBR304 Assess suitability of horses for specific uses
- RGRHBR305 Handle young horses
- RGRHBR306 Raise young horses
- RGRHBR307 Carry out procedures for foaling down mares
- RGRHBR308 Care for broodmares
- RGRHBR401 Maintain horse stud records
- RGRHBR402 Manage foaling and post-foaling problems
- RGRHBR403 Handle and care for breeding stallions
- RGRHBR404 Oversee care and supervise staff raising young horses
- RGRHBR405 Supervise natural horse mating program
- RGRHBR406 Prepare horses for sale
- RGRHBR407 Educate stallions for breeding
- RGRHBR408 Collect, process and evaluate horse semen for artificial insemination
- RGRPSH201 Handle racehorses in stables and at trackwork
- RGRPSH202 Assist with transportation of horses
- RGRPSH205 Perform basic riding skills in the racing industry
- RGRPSH207 Perform racing stable duties
- RGRPSH209 Attend horses at race meetings and trials
- RGRPSH211 Work effectively in the horse racing industry
- RGRPSH301 Implement stable operations
- RGRPSH302 Supervise handling of horses
- RGRPSH303 Organise and oversee transportation of horses
- RGRPSH304 Identify factors that affect racehorse fitness and suitability to race
- RGRPSH306 Develop basic trackwork riding skills
- RGRPSH307 Exercise horses in pacework
- RGRPSH308 Provide first aid and emergency care for horses or other equines
- RGRPSH309 Implement feeding programs for racehorses under direction
- RGRPSH310 Prepare for self-management in racing
- RGRPSH401 Provide care and treatment of horses
- RGRPSH404 Ride horses at trackwork
- RGRPSH405 Ride horses in jump outs
- RGRPSH406 Develop riding skills for jumping racing
- RGRPSH407 Educate thoroughbred horses for racing
- RGRPSH408 Manage horse health and welfare
- RGRPSH413 Prepare for race riding
- RGRPSH414 Ride horses in trials
- RGRPSH415 Ride horses in races
- RGRPSH416 Perform trial and race jumping riding skills
- RGRPSH418 Set goals to improve racing performance
- RGRPSH419 Manage principles of sports science for jockeys
- RGRPSH420 Participate in implementing racehorse exercise programs
- RGRPSH424 Re-educate horses to manage behaviours and/or transition to new purposes
- RGRPSH425 Advise on transitioning and rehoming horses
- RGRTRK402 Relate animal welfare to track and environmental conditions
The racing and breeding companion volume.
Consultation approach
Key stakeholder organisations have been identified for this project, including industry associations, state and territory racing authorities, employers, employees, registered training organisations (RTOs) and the Australian Workers Union.
If you are aware of an organisation or key stakeholders who should be involved, please contact us at [email protected]
Timeline
The project timeline has been designed to account for busy periods for both the racing and breeding industries in March, April, September and early November, with key consultation periods scheduled outside those times.
Project team
Fatma Kirney
Project Manager
[email protected]
Christine Milner
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
[email protected]
This stage has not yet commenced.
During the development stage, key stakeholders, including subject matter experts, are engaged and consulted to gather further information and begin investigating potential solutions.
This stage has not yet commenced.
At the broad consultation stage, we present and discuss potential solutions, collecting feedback from a wide range of stakeholder across the country. It follows consultation with various stakeholders that has already taken place throughout the project.
This stage has not yet commenced.
As part of consensus gathering, we check our work with stakeholders to confirm that solutions are in line with expectations.
This stage has not yet commenced.
At the finalisation stage, final checks are conducted and the outcomes of the project are submitted to the Department for consideration. Following this, outcomes are published or enacted.
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