Horserace Betting Levy Board

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Current Document: Training & Education
The racing industry operates a comprehensive scheme of vocational training for industry staff through the British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust (BHEST). The BHEST also provides the industry's education programme, which opens racing to school pupils through education activities based on the National Curriculum.

For the Thoroughbred breeding industry, the National Stud runs central training courses to prepare people for careers in this sector and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association operates the Stud Staff Project that is implementing the recommendations, as they concern the breeding industry, of the British Horseracing Board's Stable and Stud Staff Commission, which reported in 2004.

The HBLB supports all these activities with annual grants.

Click here to visit the British Horseracing Authority's Careers in Racing web page.


Training for Racing

£695,000 is awarded to the BHEST in 2010 to support:

• training of 16-18 year old potential stable staff to NVQ level 2 at the British Racing School in Newmarket and the Northern Racing College in Doncaster;
• recruitment initiatives;
• jockey training, in the form of continuation courses for apprentice and conditional jockeys and the Hand 'n' Heels race series;
• intensive short courses for equine college students to prepare for employment in racing yards on graduation;
• health and safety updates for trainers and breeders.


Education Programme

This programme open horse racing to a new, young audience through the use of exciting and informative education activities based on the National Curriculum. Subjects covered include maths, science, literacy, history, art, geography, business studies, leisure and tourism, hospitality and catering, health and social care, design and technology, information technology and sports tourism.

Since its roots as a pilot project in 2000, the programme has gone from strength to strength. It enjoys enthusiastic participation by schools and racing alike, and excellent feedback from teachers, pupils and others in the education sector. In 2009, it will involve over 8,000 pupils aged 4-19 from over 180 schools. It will support delivery of applied learning in 13 National Curriculum areas to school pupils from a wide range of geographical areas and educational needs based on activities at 26 racecourses and in trainers' yards and stud farms.

The HBLB’s support in 2010 is included within the BHEST award of £695,000.



Stud Staff Training

The National Stud in Newmarket provides specialist training for careers in the Thoroughbred breeding industry.

The Modern Apprenticeship scheme, supported by the breeding industry, provides training for 16-19 year old potential stud hands leading to an NVQ 2 qualification. The apprentices complete a nine-week learning programme at the Stud before embarking on the work-based learning phase on another commercial stud for a nine-month period.

The world renowned Diploma course prepares people for careers in Thoroughbred stud management. The students study all aspects of the breeding industry, gaining hands-on experience and making external visits, e.g. to other studs, training yards, Weatherbys and equine hospitals and training yards, as part of the programme. The course includes attendance at the Stud's annual evening Lecture Series, which is open to others in the breeding industry.

In 2010, the Stud will continue with the Stud Secretaries' course, successfully introduced in 2006. The Stud also provides short-term work experience for school pupils, college students, veterinary undergraduates and breeders.

The grant to the Stud in 2010 is £228,000.



The TBA Stud Staff Project

In 2003, the British Horseracing Board (BHB) set up a Commission, chaired by Lord Donoughue, to investigate the recruitment, training, employment and career development of stable and stud staff and to make recommendations for the future. The Commission reported in 2004, making a broad range of recommendations to which the racing and breeding industries were invited to respond.

In response, the TBA established the Stud Staff Project, which is addressing the key recommendations for the Thoroughbred breeding industry. This long-term project began in February 2005. Initial priorities are the establishment of a database of studs to enable the collection of reliable data on employment in the industry, voluntary registration of studs, a training needs analysis and enhancement of advice to breeders on employment and health and safety.

Funding for the first year was made available as a “top slice” of the funds approved for the 2005 Breeders’ Prizes Scheme. For 2010 the HBLB will make a direct grant of £56,000 with a further “top slice” of £24,000 from the funding for the 2010 Breeders’ Prizes Scheme.