- Strong, emotional talking points and topics:
- Is racing doing enough to show the public what really happens behind the scenes?
- Can you really love horses and still go to the races?
- Where do all the Melbourne Cup horses go after the races are over?
- Does Australia still want a racing industry?
- What does horse racing contribute to Australia?
- Have we turned horses into zoo animals for young Aussies?
- Kick Up for Racing and horse racing industry representatives available for myth-busting and commentary on racing’s biggest misconceptions.
- Timely hook: National Thoroughbred Week is happening two weeks after the Melbourne Cup, when racing is front-of-mind and the public is talking.
- We have spokespeople are available in every region for radio, print and TV interviews such as Gai Waterhouse (horse trainer), Vin Cox (industry representative), Steve Grant (Silverdale Farm), Toby Liston (Three Bridges), Susan Archer (Arrowfield), Tony Gollan (horse trainer), Claudia McDougall (Yulong), Aaron Morrison (CEO Racing Victoria), John Thompson (Rich Hills Stud), Scott Calder (Cambridge Stud), Brent Taylor (Trelawney Stud), etc. on a first enquire first served basis.
Key Facts
- National Thoroughbred Week will run from 20–24 November 2025 across Australia and New Zealand.
- More than 70 locations are confirmed, with public events at working breeding farms, training stables, and aftercare properties.
- Participating venues include major players such as Yulong, Coolmore, Arrowfield, Newgate, Cambridge Stud, Chris Waller Racing, Ciaron Maher Racing (Ballarat & Bong Bong), and many independent retrainers and regional farms.
- Thoroughbred breeding contributes over $1.16 billion to the Australian economy each year.
- The broader horse industry supports over 244,000 people in Australia, including breeders, vets, farriers, agistment providers, feed suppliers, transport companies, and more (Animal Health Australia).
- Around 12,000 Thoroughbred foals are born in Australia and 3,500 in New Zealand each year, with rural regions like the Hunter Valley, Victoria’s northeast, and New Zealand’s Waikato region acting as key breeding hubs.
- The event is not-for-profit and independently managed, with no cost for farms to participate and no public entry fee to attend.
- National Thoroughbred Week is timed to run two weeks following the Melbourne Cup, Australia’s most watched horse race, and one week after the New Zealand Cup, giving people a behind-the-scenes look at the horses who make it all possible.
- Thousands of horses transition into new careers each year - including in equestrian sport, therapy and police work.
New national initiative takes public behind the scenes of racing to show the care of the Thoroughbred
With the nation gearing up for Melbourne Cup Day, a new initiative is urging Australians and Kiwis to look beyond the glitz and glamour of the first Tuesday in November - and discover the real lives of the horses and people behind it.
For anyone with questions, concerns, or curiosity about how racehorses are treated, this is your invitation to see it for yourself.
National Thoroughbred Week, launching across Australia and New Zealand from November 20–24, invites the public to go behind the scenes of real racing stables, stud farms and retraining centres - many for the very first time.
“Racing isn’t just one day at the track,” said Vicky Leonard from Kick Up for Racing, one of several industry organisations behind the initiative. “It’s an agricultural industry, a regional employer, and a year-round commitment to the care of horses. We want people to see that for themselves - not through headlines, but with their own eyes.”
More than 80 venues are confirmed to participate across every state in Australia and throughout New Zealand, from elite breeding operations like Arrowfield, Yulong, Newgate and Coolmore, to Chris Waller Racing - trainer of the legendary Winx - and major training bases like Gai Waterhouse, and Ciaron Maher’s stables in Ballarat and Bong Bong.
The public can meet a Thoroughbred, tour the facilities, speak with the people who raise and retrain them, and get up close with everything from newborn foals to champion stallions.
“Blowing people’s minds”
Leonard said transparency and access are crucial in a time of increasing public scrutiny.
“There's a lot of misinformation out there about horse racing, and we know how damaging that can be,” she said. “This is our way of saying: come and see for yourself. We’re not asking for blind trust. We’re opening the gates.”
Visitors will see how paddocks are designed to enrich the lives of horses, how young Thoroughbreds are raised in herds with 24-hour care, and how the people who work with them dedicate their lives to equine welfare.
“It’s not all champagne and fascinators. The reality of the industry is mud, morning feeds and foal watch in the rain,” Leonard said. “But that’s where you’ll find the heart of horse racing and it will blow people’s minds.”
One of the breeding operations opening its gates is Silverdale Farm in the Southern Highlands of NSW.
“The moment people walk through the gates, they realise it’s not what they imagined,” said Steve Grant, owner of Silverdale.
“They see the facilities, the care, the way the horses live - it changes their view. If I had to come back as an animal, I’d be a Thoroughbred. They’re incredibly well looked after.”
All events are free to attend, but registrations are essential.
Visit www.nationalthoroughbredweek.com.au to find your nearest venue, book tickets, or learn more.
About us:
National Thoroughbred Week is a not-for-profit initiative driven by a partnership a leading industry bodies and breeders. It aims to give the public transparent, authentic access to the horse racing and breeding world through nationwide open days.
For a full list of participating venues or to book in a visit, head to nationalthoroughbredweek.com.au.
Contact details:
For interview bookings or more information:
Vicky Leonard
Kick Collective & Kick Up for Racing
[email protected]
0405601152
Tai Ryan
Kick Collective
[email protected]
0402 650 668