In the beginning, we’re all determined to carve out a career that we’re passionate about, however finding that dream job isn’t easy. When the stars align and we find our calling, we’re often able to achieve far more than we ever thought possible. Racing Victoria’s Equine Welfare team is doing just that.

Racing Victoria (RV) signalled its commitment to the welfare of racehorses leaving the industry when it launched its Off The Track (OTT) program in 2012. Since then, thousands of retired racehorses have gone on to participate in a range of equestrian sports.

RV has steadily expanded its welfare initiatives to become world leaders in making sure ex-racehorses have the best life after racing. It has accredited and supported more than 50 RV Acknowledged Retrainers, created a number of programs to assist horses with differing circumstances, built up an extensive OTT Community, and most importantly, is backing its ambitions with deep pockets. 

In 2019, RV released the industry’s ground-breaking three-year Equine Welfare Strategic Plan that included $25 million to be focused largely on the post-racing care of retired racehorses. To help deliver the programs and projects that underpin the action plan, a dedicated Equine Welfare team was formed. The seven-strong, all-women team have all loved horses as long as they can remember, and together they are channelling their passion into programs that are benefitting the lives of Thoroughbreds.

MEET THE TEAM

JENNIFER HUGHES, General Manager – Equine Welfare

At the core of the Equine Welfare team is Jennifer Hughes. “As long as I can remember I have loved horses,” says Jen, who received six riding lessons for her sixth birthday, was given her first pony at age 10 and hasn’t stopped since. Following school she completed a degree in Equine Sports Science in the UK. “Halfway through, I realised that if I wanted to work professionally with horses, racing was probably the way to go,” she recalls. Partway through her degree, she worked as an orthopaedic technician and an emergency veterinary nurse at Edinburgh Veterinary School, an experience she describes as one of the best years of her life. She also completed a two-week ‘College Conversion Course’ at the Northern Racing College, aimed at attracting equine students to the racing industry.

For eight years, Jen worked at the British Horse Racing Authority in the Integrity department and then the Projects department, both positions that included equine welfare aspects; part of the Projects’ role included working alongside an external charity, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR). The opportunity then arose to come to RV for a ten-week secondment: “I came over in 2014 to do a comparison study of anti-doping practices in RV versus the UK, and never left.” Jen stayed on in an intelligence and integrity role, which evolved to a licensing and compliance role, before she finally landed in equine welfare three years ago to lead the new team.

“I work very closely with the General Manager for Veterinary Services, Dr Grace Forbes. She’s focused on welfare during racing, such as injury prevention. And then our Equine Welfare team, we largely focus on post-racing – the traceability and visibility of horses, welfare standards, and engaging with the different stakeholders in the industry to promote the welfare message.”

Jen has two horses of her own – one she started herself and now has on retirement agistment in the UK, and an OTT in Australia, Agoodlookingbird aka Derby, who’s become the poster girl for the Off The Track Community page. She attends adult riding club and has a passion for eventing – and now living next to the Alpine National Park, she’s developed a love of trail riding.

Jen is proud of how RV has been able to manage horse welfare. “Having a healthy, sustainable industry is only going to benefit welfare,” she says, referring to the $25 million in funding made available in 2019 to implement the Equine Welfare Strategic Plan. “This wouldn’t be possible in the UK because the funding just isn’t there.” While this strategic plan is coming to the end of its three years, work is already underway to develop the next one and continue the momentum.

Over her years in the racing industry and working with horses in general, one thing Jen’s realised is the majority of the challenges faced by Thoroughbreds are not necessarily relative to being a racehorse. “They’re generally issues that affect all horses, and it’s just there’s a greater focus on Thoroughbreds due to the size and visibility of the industry.

“Sitting at my desk, I can see about 40 horses in neighbouring paddocks, and there’s nothing really governing them. I think there’s possibly a misrepresentation that Thoroughbreds are the horses we need to be worried about, when actually there are a lot of horses out there that could do with our concern. It gives me a little bit of hope in that with the regulation and the licensing within the racing industry in Victoria, we’re very well placed to lead the way not just in racing, but in equine welfare in general.

“We’ve got the perfect storm here, just now, in a positive way,” she continues. “We’ve got a really supportive board and executive, the funding’s there, the desire is there. We’ve got a great Equine Welfare team. It really does feel like we’re in a pivotal position to really make a difference.”

MELISSA WARE, Off The Track Program Manager

Melissa Ware was one of the first members of the newly created Equine Welfare team. Like many of her colleagues, she grew up around horses and received her first pony at a young age. “I’ve had a lifetime of horses… everything from a little Welsh pony through to OTTs,” she explains. Melissa went to Pony Club and was mostly interesting in showing and some dressage; competing at the Melbourne Royal and Barastoc HOTY, OTTs were naturally in the picture.

Although Melissa dreamed of working with horses, she studied a Bachelor of Marketing and then set about working to merge her career with her passion. “I was lucky enough to land a role at Thoroughbred Racing SA in Adelaide,” she says, explaining that while she was there, she completed her Masters in Business. After five years, she moved to the Melbourne Racing Club based in Caulfield, working as part of the sponsorship team. “I really wanted to work on a Melbourne Cup campaign,” she recalls, “After three Caulfield Cups, I moved to Tabcorp’s sponsorship and events team and worked on the Birdcage at Flemington!” This ticked off a career goal for Melissa, but she found herself too far removed from the animals she loved – ultimately taking up a role at the Arts Centre because it gave her more time to ride.

“Then I stumbled across the role at RV. All the stars aligned. I passionately love horse racing, but I also really love the equestrian side of things… this role just meshed my two loves together which is pretty unique,” she says.

Melissa has seen most of the team’s programs grow from their infancy, and she’s proud that they’ve been able to create a suite of programs that deliver solutions to the differing needs of horses. “I’m particularly proud of the relationship that we’ve built with the Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria and Equine Pathways Australia,” says Melissa, referring to organisations that work within a space that historically wouldn’t have considered Thoroughbreds as suitable mounts. “I really think diversity and inclusion and support for OTT owners is really, really important.”

Primarily in charge of the Equine Welfare team’s flagship Off The Track program, Melissa says that before starting the role she underestimated the program’s influence and importance. “I’ve really had my eyes opened to that; the Off The Track program is just so important. It’s important for the future of racing and it’s important for horses in their everyday care.” Melissa also says that working in the role has also been encouraging in the sense that she’s found that industry participants really do want to do the right thing by their horses – and she sees that every day with the racing stables she’s in contact with.

In terms of her current riding career, Melissa says she’s cut back on competing in recent years but remains a member of Hamilton Adult Riding Club and loves getting out and about with her OTT when time permits.

SAM DAVISON, Equine Welfare Officer

Sam Davison grew up in the UK and received her first pony at six because her parents thought it would “keep her out of trouble”; little did they know it would be the catalyst for her career. She’s since gone on to build a life around horses, graduating from Pony Club to showjumping and then entering the racing industry via Point to Point racing at 18. “I rode in a few races and worked in a flat yard for a number of years,” says Sam, explaining that her industry experience in the UK also included training Arabian racehorses. Ten years ago, she moved to Australia as a trackwork rider, and from there went on to become an RV Steward for three and a half years. Sam joined the Equine Welfare team when it was in its infancy, and has since gone on to help develop and coordinate RV’s “safety net” initiatives, which are designed to step in for situations outside the scope of the team’s primary programs and include Emergency Aid, Foster Care and the Onsite Humane Euthanasia program.

“I also provide information to trainers and owners regarding RV’s post-racing options, including rehoming and retraining pathways for their ex-racehorses and RV post-racing initiatives,” says Sam, adding that part of her role also involves investigating equine welfare breaches in relation to the rules of racing. She says that equine welfare is everyone’s responsibility – from industry regulators such as RV, to the owners, trainers and those involved in the horses’ post-racing careers.

Sam has four horses of her own, who she supports in their post-racing lives, and she loves to take them to adult riding club and out on trail rides. As someone who’s spent a lot of time riding at speed on the track, it’s little wonder her discipline of choice is eventing.

STELLA STEVENSON, Equine Welfare Officer

“What I love most about my role is being able to have a direct, positive impact on the welfare of Thoroughbreds in Victoria, whilst working with an incredibly talented and supportive team of likeminded and passionate people,” says Stella Stevenson. Stella became hooked on horses thanks to The Saddle Club and learnt to ride from age five at an establishment where many young Victorian riders began – Catherine Shelley’s Melton Equestrian Academy. By 11 she had her first horse, an OTT named Yelta Lad.

Despite her school career advisor warning her against it, Stella followed her passion for horses and enrolled in a Certificate IV in Equine Stud Management (specialising in Thoroughbreds). Three years in the Thoroughbred breeding world followed, and then Stella completed an Associate Degree in Equine Studies and worked for a very successful stable, Hawkes Racing, in Flemington. In 2015, she joined RV and worked in a variety of roles – including the Customer First Team, The Licensing Department, The Race Day Stewards Panel and the Compliance Assurance Team – before joining the Equine Welfare team early last year.

“My responsibilities are to govern the welfare of horses within our industry whilst investigating any potential breaches of the rules of racing as they relate to equine welfare. I have a passion for traceability and population dynamics, which has provided me with the opportunity to lead our strategic projects within this field,” she says, adding that she’s learned just how much integrity in the sport impacts animal welfare and a horse’s post-racing life. “It is essential to make all the right decisions and follow the correct processes in place for a Thoroughbred before and during racing, to ensure they can have a successful career post-racing.”

When she’s not working, Stella loves spending time with her pinto Warmblood, Roxbury Melcome Park; she competes in showing and hopes to turn a hoof to dressage next season.

CARA HOLLAND, Equine Welfare Coordinator

Cara Holland counts herself lucky to have discovered her dream, job. “I love that I am involved in most of the programs – such as the Off The Track program – in some way but, I have really loved delivering the OTT Community,” says Cara, referring to RV’s new platform that provides OTT owners with a central hub to register and record their horses’ post-racing careers. “Before joining RV, I didn’t realise that there wasn’t an easy and accessible way for OTT owners and riders to update themselves as having an OTT in their care,” she says. The OTT Community platform, launched this year, already has 3,700 members and growing – with thousands of off-the-track horses now claimed in the system and their post-racing careers documented.

Cara brings with her a love of horses that began growing up on a high country station in New Zealand’s South Island. She was surrounded by horses – including OTTs – that were used for stock work. “I was just another horse-obsessed girl… apart from the slight issue of severe allergies where I would regularly break into welts and have asthma attacks!” she laughs. Not to be deterred, Cara received her first pony when she was nine, and competed across a range of disciplines. “I was happy riding around the farm or a cross country course but I never had the patience or attention to detail for dressage or showing,” she says. Leaving school, she completed a Certificate IV in Equine Studies and Stable Management. “At 21 I bought and retrained my own OTT, before selling him to buy a plane ticket to move to Perth,” explains Cara. Her dream job didn’t arrive immediately, but sure enough a role in RV’s Equine Welfare Team materialised and she was finally able to merge her passion with her career.

Cara says that while she doesn’t have her own horse at present, she’s working towards the goal of buying land and having horses again… and her next equine partner will definitely be an OTT.

EMILY AITKENHEAD, Racehorse Transition Coordinator

Like Cara, Emily Aitkenhead is involved in a number of the Equine Welfare team’s programs. “My role incorporates everything to do with racehorses transitioning from racing to post-racing careers, which includes coordinating the RESET Program and RV Acknowledged Retrainer Program,” she explains.

Emily’s experience with OTTs dates back to her childhood; her mother trained racehorses and although Emily started her riding career on a Shetland pony, by 14 she was riding trackwork. “I started retraining OTTs as a teenager and have retrained countless since,” she says. From trackwork, she progressed to being an assistant racing manager and eventually took out a trainer’s licence (and obtained a Certificate IV in Racing), all the while pursuing equestrian sports for recreation. “Over the past decade I have mainly focused on show jumping and dressage. I spent three months riding in stables in Belgium and Germany, which was amazing!”

Six years ago, Emily developed Trafalgar Lodge, where she offered equine rehabilitation and racehorse pre-training and listed Michelle Payne as a client. Mid last year, she joined the RV Equine Welfare team, a role that allowed her to draw together her vast experience across various aspects of the racing industry. “I love helping these beautiful animals get the opportunity to show off their versatility and go on to have successful competitive or non-competitive careers outside of racing,” says Emily, emphasising her pride in the RESET Program and its importance in ensuring the less straightforward OTTs don’t slip through the cracks and are instead afforded good welfare outcomes.

At present, Emily rides her homebred Thoroughbred x Warmblood, Ruby Shiraz, and is currently retraining an OTT, Temple of the Sun, whom she hopes to compete with.

LAURA REID, Post Racing Administrator

Laura Reid is the most recent addition to RV’s Equine Welfare team, and she’s still pinching herself that she’s working with the animals she adores. “If you had told me as a horse-obsessed teenager that this is what I would be doing for a living I never would have believed you,” she says. “It’s a dream to be part of this team and contribute to the equine industry.”

Laura has been blown away by the number of people who just love and adore OTTs. “There is a huge appetite for more recognition for the breed,” she says. Not that it comes as a surprise to her personally – she’s loved OTTs ever since she first sat on her dad’s ex-eventer, Red, as a child. Laura was lucky enough to have a number of cracking ponies growing up, and eventually she found herself partnered with a Thoroughbred of her own. “I purchased my first OTT, Only He Knows aka Sam, at the end of university with not a lot of experience in retraining green horses. It was a big learning curve for both of us,” she laughs, noting that Sam has a forever home with her family and now at 20 years of age is her baby niece’s newest obsession.

Previously, Laura was a veterinary nurse at a mixed practice where there were many racing clients – and so she learnt a lot about the Thoroughbred industry. “I was really interested in equine surgery and I loved being part of the horses’ rehabilitation.” Her role at RV means she’s now taking the next step in helping horses flourish in their post-racing careers, and sees her providing support to all areas of the Equine Welfare team – from attending events and working with RV Acknowledged Retrainers, to assisting with the development of the OTT Community platform and even developing merchandise. “The OTT is a duck to water in disciplines like eventing and showing, but these days their representation in sports like barrel racing, stockman’s challenges and even therapy programs is growing – it’s great to see.” EQ