Racing Victoria (RV) has announced the introduction of mandatory accreditation of all persons who ride trackwork in Victoria from 2022.
With the support of the Victorian Jockeys’ Association (VJA) and the Australian Trainers' Association (ATA), all trackwork riders will need to be accredited by August 2022 to ride work in Victoria beyond that time.
There are three levels of accreditation – (1) Slow Work; (2) Fast Work and (3) Jump Outs – to ensure all trackwork riders are ‘fit for purpose’ and have the ability to carry out their work in a safe and competent manner.
Each of the top two levels incorporates the approvals of the lower levels. For example, trackwork riders accredited at the highest level, Jump Outs, can ride Slow and Fast Work also.
The assessment process for track riders will be conducted by registered training organisations from now up until August 2022.
Any new participants entering the industry from July 2021 will need to be assessed before being registered to ride trackwork in Victoria.
RV CEO, Giles Thompson, said this is an important step for the industry to further protect the safety of participants in a sport that isn’t without risk.
“Everyone should view this as playing their part in setting standards in trackwork riding now and for the future of our industry. This means that everyone in Victoria who intends to ride trackwork will need to be assessed.
“It is great that we have the support of the VJA and ATA, who join us in identifying this as a necessary step for the industry. This aligns us with the vast majority of industries that require assessment and accreditation before being able to enter the workplace.”
VJA CEO, Matt Hyland, said accreditation provides a means to assess the competency of all track riders in Victoria.
“What we currently have is a system whereby people can ride trackwork with no formal assessment of competency.
“Formal recognition and certification will help us build safer and more professional workplaces.”
ATA CEO, Andrew Nicholl, said most industries these days have accreditation requirements for skilled roles, especially those that carry higher risk.
“Certification says to new trackwork riders entering Victorian racing that they are joining a professional environment, which values their skills and safety.
“It’s a course which becomes a passport to job opportunities here in Victoria, and will greatly benefit our talent pipeline now and in the future”.
Trackwork riding courses are part of the vocational education and training sector and as such government funding is available for those undertaking training and assessment. The courses will provide trackwork riders with formal recognition of their skills.
Enrolments for the initial trackwork riding courses to be conducted by Skillinvest commence on 30 November 2020. Enrolment days will take place across the state with workplace assessments to commence at trackwork venues in early 2021.
For further information on mandatory trackwork rider accreditation, including course information and FAQs, visit the RV website by
clicking here.