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Hezel, Powell Join Together For Racing International

Rob Hezel, Racing Foundation CEO, and Anna Powell have joined Together for Racing International (TfRI) as Developmental Directors, the organisation announced on Wednesday.

TfRI, which was created following a Newmarket forum funded by Godophin in 2019 and facilitated by Chris Grant, aims to promote education, community engagement, and career opportunities that connect people with the Thoroughbred industry worldwide. At the forum, which welcomed industry participants from USA, Australia, Japan, Ireland, France, Dubai and the UK, the idea was the share, collate and deliver a global plan around three key pillars of activity-education, community engagement and workforce and careers.

Grant, the Deputy Chair of the London 2020 Olympic and Paralympic International Development Programme and past CEO of the UK-wide charity Sported, led the first two days of the forum, with ITV racing presenter Ed Chamberlin at the helm for the final day. Before the forum ended, a pledge was signed, a steering committee set up and the organisation's website was launched within a year.

Chris Grant, who will be stepping down from his role as TfRI Steering Group Chairman, commented, “As a relative newcomer to the industry, I was impressed by the passion and goodwill displayed by the participants at the forum, and very positively struck by the range and quality of great work already being done around the world. I believe that TfRI has a clear vision and strategy and a positive and growing reputation. I am sad to be stepping back but equally delighted at the appointment of Rob and Anna who have the skills and connections to take it to the next level.”

Hezel, who will continue as the Racing Foundation CEO, said, “Without the vision, support and funding from Godolphin to date none of this would have been made possible. It is now important to build on the legacy and to establish a structure, funding and governance model, to allow TfRI to contribute to supporting horseracing nations in meeting their social challenges. TfRI will help to facilitate the sustainability of the sport globally. We have already been able to support Australia with their first forum of this kind being hosted next Thursday, 22 and Friday, 23 April, which is really encouraging to see.”

“I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to work with Rob on this initiative,” the French-based Powell added. “One of our biggest priorities in developing the strategy is to engage and unite racing around the world in dealing with the sports' common social challenges and convince stakeholders of the need to act now to protect the future of our sport.”

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Moyross Gives Back To Community And Racing

Just over 12 months ago a forum was held in Newmarket to consider the opportunities and challenges facing the racing industry across the world in the areas of education and community engagement and development. In attendance were prominent industry figures from Britain, Ireland, France, America, Japan and Australia and the momentum created by this event, along with a shared mission to promote educational opportunities, has grown into a global initiative that now provides a platform and network for continuing the work, called Together for Racing International (TfRI). Evidence of tangible benefits of the alliance is mounting all the time and one such example emanates from the community of Moyross in Limerick.

Moyross has evolved over the decades into an area of the city known mostly for anti-social behaviour, crime, unemployment and a general lack of prospects for its inhabitants. However, excellent work has been going on for some time now by the Moyross Youth Academy in guiding teenagers towards a life that does not involve crime and that work is set to be highlighted further by TfRI. The common denominator in all this is the horse and the urban horse in particular, for so long a much-needed distraction for youths hailing from disadvantaged backgrounds. This innate interest in horses is the driving force that will hopefully lead to the Moyross Youth Academy acting as a pre-school of sorts for suitable candidates in the area who hope to gain a place in institutions like the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) and to ultimately forge a successful career in the racing industry.

Andrew O’Byrne is one of those working with children in the Moyross Youth Academy and he is looking forward to continuing on the great progress already made in the community. “It’s great for us that the racing industry recognises some of the work that is going on in the background which isn’t directly associated with the industry,” O’Byrne said. Expanding on the background of the academy, O’Byrne, whose roots are in the education industry, added, “I work for the Garda Youth Diversion Project in Moyross which is funded through the Department of Justice. Moyross has a history of social problems and our job is to engage with the young people in the area to try and keep them on the right track through education and career pathways. Horses are and always have been present in the area and we felt that utilising this interest in horses was the best way to engage with a large number of teenagers. However, we didn’t want it to be just about going horse riding for an hour, so the programme is also about fitness, nutrition, responsibility and a possible career pathway. We also put just as much emphasis on horse welfare because we all know that a few bad headlines can undo a lot of great work that goes on unreported so we are very mindful of that.”

One way to measure the success of a programme is to monitor the progress of its alumni and the Moyross Academy is looking forward to one of its former proteges Wesley Joyce making his debut as a jockey in 2021. Joyce was accepted into RACE via the Moyross programme and is now signed on as apprentice to Johnny Murtagh.

“We are delighted with the progress Wesley has made and he is the ninth young lad from here to have been accepted into RACE,” O’Byrne said. “However, we have had a number of other candidates who didn’t fare as well and it’s from looking into the reasons why they may not have succeeded that we can improve the way we can prepare these young people for the challenges they will face. Whether it’s preparing them to be away from home, developing independent living skills, or improving their overall awareness of the racing industry. As a result, part of the programme now includes access and insights into the industry through trips to RACE, to race meetings, to point to points, to the National Stud and meeting various people who can give insight into their particular field of expertise, whether its jockeys, farriers or stud staff. We have a great picture of Wesley back in 2015 when he was 12 and Johnny Murtagh is talking to him. Now five years later Wesley is working for Johnny and that is very rewarding for us.”

Such is the regard the Moyross project is held that the Irish Department of Agriculture is now providing funding for the academy to be rolled out to include other parts of Limerick city.

“We are now working with 10 schools in the city incorporating six-week programmes that culminate with industry visits while there is also a focus on animal welfare and what it actually takes to look after a horse from a nutritional point of view as well as basic husbandry. If students show an interest in taking things further after this six week programme we can then engage with them regarding their future options.”

In a time when finding good staff to work in studs and training yards can be quite difficult, the work being carried out in Limerick dovetails very well with the role played by RACE within the industry and it would appear the two organisations will be working closely over the coming years.

“Our connection with the Moyross Academy goes back about 10 years and it began with just a few visiting groups who were keen to get an insight into racing and then it progressed to where there were some students who showed an interest in forging a career in racing and it was felt a more structured environment like RACE would provide them with the best opportunity of developing that career, whether it was as a jockey or a work rider or a groom,” said Director of RACE Keith Rowe. “There were a number of students for whom it didn’t work out for different reasons so we have tweaked the approach over the years to give those interested a more extensive grounding through the Moyross pathway before they get accepted here into RACE. We realised a few years ago that the earlier you can engage with these kids from disadvantaged areas the better chance they have of going the distance. Andrew and the team in Moyross are excellent and they get to know the kids very well. Apart from introducing them to the industry on the away days they make sure the kids work on their own personal development and show a commitment to turning up for continuous training and coaching. So it is through this commitment also that the kids earn their place on each subsequent round of education. This gives those kids who are serious about grasping an opportunity to go down a more fruitful and meaningful life path a chance to do just that.”

Of Joyce, Rowe said, “Young Wesley [Joyce] had been coming up to us on and off for about five years before he started the trainee jockey course. In fact, when he first officially trialled for the course he didn’t get accepted. While no doubt disappointed at the time it gave him the opportunity to work on a few things and then when he was accepted the following year he was more mature and better prepared. He is a great example of someone who has walked the pathway from the beginning and has shown all the attributes of someone who will have a successful career in racing.”

Joyce said, “RACE is where I felt the plan to become a jockey got very real for me. They set me up on placement with Johnny Murtagh and that’s where I work now. It’s the best yard in the country at the moment. We’re turning out winner after winner so it’s a very exciting place to be. The work is hard but very rewarding, there’s a real team spirit there. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, I’m learning my trade from one of the best.”

While the link-up between Moyross and RACE has been ongoing for a number of years it has taken time to bed down and is probably only now beginning to gain the traction that should lead to a greater number of students gaining access to RACE. One reason for this is the inspiration bestowed to prospective students by some Moyross natives who have graduated from RACE and have gone on to work in racing yards. “We had a very good lad who came through RACE who although he didn’t apply for a jockey’s license he became a great role model for the kids at home in Moyross,” Rowe said. “The kids who would come up for the day trips used to be in awe of him and he was treated like their local hero who had broken out and done something worthwhile with his life.”

There is no doubt racing can provide a way of life for someone who through no fault of their own was not offered the chances early in life that the majority of us often take for granted. And as well as being a great initiative for disadvantaged teenagers, the Moyross/RACE association also has the potential to help provide a much-needed workforce for the racing and bloodstock industry.

“Racing suffers from perception issues sometimes so it’s definitely a win-win situation,” Rowe said. “Historically, racing wouldn’t be renowned for social inclusion but that is changing and at the same time racing is struggling to attract people to come and work in the industry. So we need to throw the net wider but we need to offer people more and provide not just a job, but also a path to career progression. Between ourselves in RACE and the guys in Moyross hopefully we are providing hope for a disadvantaged community while at the same time developing future fans and people who will work and contribute to our great sport.”

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Together For Racing International Promotes Thoroughbred Education, Community Engagement, Workforce Development

Together for Racing International (TfRI) – a global alliance to promote and progress education, community engagement, and career opportunities in the Thoroughbred industry – has launched the website togetherforracinginternational.com.

TfRI resulted from a 2019 education forum hosted by Godolphin in Newmarket, U.K. This event gathered Thoroughbred breeding, racing, and education professionals from six countries who addressed challenges to inclusion, attracting newcomers, supporting education, and workforce enrichment. Forum attendees collaborated on a global vision and strategy to grow and sustain the thoroughbred industry. The outcome was Together for Racing International, which focuses on three pillars for development: education, community engagement, and workforce.

TfRI is a platform for connecting the world with the racehorse. The resources and inspirational content on the website will inform students, educators, parents, and industry members about available opportunities for learning and involvement. It also serves as a networking medium for countries to collaborate and support the progression of emerging programs.

TfRI is chaired by Chris Grant and developed through a network of global steering committee members from Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, and the United States.

Grant was vice-chair of London's ground-breaking 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Legacy International Development Program, International Inspiration, and has moderated several editions of the global Beyond Sport Forum.

TfRI global steering committee members represent the following educational and workforce organizations: AFASEC (FR); France Galop (FR); Godolphin (Globally); Horse Racing Ireland (IRE); Irish National Stud (IRE); Kentucky Equine Talent Pipeline Project (US); North American Racing Academy (US); Racing Together (GB); The Racing Foundation (GB); and Thoroughbred Industry Careers (AUS).

“TfRI is a global connector designed to educate people about the many programs and initiatives within the worldwide thoroughbred industry,” said Erin Crady, executive director of Thoroughbred Charities of America. “It is inspiring to see the efforts in education and community engagement, as well as the various career opportunities within our industry.”

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The Next Generation with Annise Montplaisir

Annise Montplaisir has come a long way from her childhood racetrack, North Dakota Horse Park. The 25-year-old is a Godolphin Flying Start graduate and is now pursuing her passion for educating newcomers in the industry. Montplaisir is the co-founder of Amplify Horse Racing, broadens her outreach through a Spanish racing talk show, and is the project manager for a new educational alliance called Together For Racing International. TRFI is an initiative which came out of the 2019 Godolphin Forum for Education, where attendees worked on developing strategies to grow and develop the Thoroughbred industry. The initiative launches later this week, when more details are expected to be revealed.

KR: How did you first get interested in horse racing?

AM: I guess I became interested in the industry when I was around 12 or 13 years old and I saw the movie Ruffian. I was really captured by the emotions of the story and just how incredible of a horse she was. I actually was fortunate to live very close to a tiny racetrack called the North Dakota Horse Park. All of my summers were spent going out and volunteering there and then eventually I got my first job in racing at the North Dakota Horse Park.

KR: What drew you to the sport?

AM: The thing that probably drew me the most to horse racing was the stories and the personalities behind the sport. I think there’s something really inspiring and capturing in that. You know, the horse is at the center of all of this, but it’s really the horse-human connection that keeps it going and there’s the different backgrounds of all the people involved at the different levels.

KR: Could you take us through your career path in the industry?

AM: My pathway in the industry started with my first volunteer role as a racetrack ambassador at the North Dakota Horse Park. They had a retired racehorse named Barracuda Boy who was their track mascot. I would stand by the front gates as people would come into the track with his past performances and people would come up and pet him.

Then from there, I was able to do a little bit of everything. I’d say that’s the value of tiny racetracks like that is I started working as a pony rider, and then I assisted the director of media relations, I learned to gallop, I was the official clocker one year and then worked my way up to becoming the director of communications one summer. Whatever I wanted to get me hands on, they threw me right in.

Then a big step along the way was interning for the Saratoga Special newspaper as a staff writer. During my time in Saratoga, I was introduced to everyone at Fasig-Tipton. When I moved down to Kentucky after graduating from North Dakota State University, I interned with Fasig-Tipton and then for Keeneland in the Communications department.

Another great experience I had was doing yearling sales as Mill Ridge Farm before I was accepted into the Godolphin Flying Start program which I spent the last two years doing and I graduated remotely this July.

KR: What was the most challenging part of being a newcomer in the industry?

AM: I would say the greatest struggle for most newcomers to the sport is finding information about the industry. It’s pretty spread out. We have a lot of amazing educational and workforce training initiatives, but if you didn’t grow up in the industry it can be difficult to figure out how to get started.

That was what spurred the start of Amplify Horse Racing, which I co-founded in 2019. It’s meant to be an education platform for a newcomer that googles how to get into Thoroughbred racing, so they can find organized lists of resources and initiatives about careers that might not be what most people think of, but some that are more on the periphery like benevolence, marketing or media.

Last year we had a chance to do some pretty cool pilot projects- doing some enhanced educational tours, collaborating with a few different initiatives to enhance their programming and expand the promotion of it.

This year has been a bit different for everybody in terms of in-person engagement, so as everyone has we had to pivot. I’ve been hosting monthly virtual hangouts. Every month is focused on a different sector of the industry. We host a panel of industry professionals and they talk about their own educational pathways in the industry and what their current job entails.

KR: Could you tell us about your current position?

AM: Amplify has been a great launch point for my current role working as the Project Manager for Together For Racing International (TFRI). This is a global alliance to promote and progress education, community engagement and workforces that connect people to the Thoroughbred industry around the world. TFRI has been developed through a network of global steering committee members from Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan and the US, who represent a multitude of educational and workforce organizations.

The launch of the TFRI website will be on Nov. 20, which we’re very excited about.

It will be an amazing platform to showcase the stories and the positivity that is coming from these programs. It really speaks to a wide array of audiences. Industry members and stakeholders can come to this and learn about some of the programs that even they might not know about. Students, parents and educators can come and see how the Thoroughbred industry is assisting with educational attainment and how different regions are engaging with their communities to solve different issues.

KR: If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?

AM: If I could change one thing about the industry, and actually this is something that I feel like is already in progress of being changed, it would be improving the number of Spanish resources that we have within the US industry. We have a large population of immigrants working in the industry, specifically Hispanic immigrants, so I think we need to provide more for them to consume within the sport to learn about the industry.

One of the projects I’ve been involved with for the last few months is co-hosting a web show called La Trifecta with Claudia Spadaro and Darwin Vizcaya. We talk about horse racing in Spanish and English and it’s really the feeling of three friends who are getting together to talk about racing. We’ve had viewers from all different countries across Central and South America and Mexico, so it’s really fun.

KR: What’s your all-time favorite racing moment?

AM: I think one of my favorite moments in racing was when I was on Flying Start in Australia, my externship was with Chris Waller, which was pretty cool. I had never really worked with a trainer before and so a moment that really stood out to me was when I had the opportunity to saddle a horse named Mister Sea Wolf (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}) before he went on to win a million-dollar race called The Gong at Kembla Grange. They threw me right in and let me get my hands on as many things as possible, so to saddle a horse for a million-dollar race was pretty cool.

The Next Generation is an ongoing video series featuring young people who were not born into the Thoroughbred business, but are now excelling within the industry.

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