When the year kicks off with the excitement of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in Queensland, you know it's going to be a busy one for Madison Tims (Harington 2015 – 2017). Serving as the Education & Project Manager at Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA), Maddy oversees the development and implementation of educational programmes that benefit the second-largest thoroughbred breeding industry in the world. 

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) is the national peak body for the Australian thoroughbred breeding industry. "Our industry is second only to America in terms of our thoroughbred horse population, with 19,000 mares and 500 stallions," Maddy explains. TBA represents over 4,500 individual breeders and industry participants, significantly impacting rural communities through employment and investment. 

Maddy’s pathway to her career began with studying Agribusiness at St Paul’s. She then completed a Bachelor of Business at the University of Waikato, majoring in Digital Business and minoring in Agribusiness and Leadership Communications. 

The Fast Track programme launched by Thoroughbred Breeders Australia aims to create a pathway for talented horse enthusiasts to enter the industry. This 12-month programme offers participants employment and mentorship on respected stud farms, a formal qualification, and opportunities to learn from global leaders in the horse industry. "If you are passionate about horses, this is an incredible opportunity," Maddy says. The programme provides an accelerated introduction and learning experience, helping Fast Track graduates progress quickly in their breeding industry careers.

"We had the largest intake ever this year with a class of 20 students," Maddy notes. The students, aged 18-30, come from various backgrounds and levels of experience with horses.

Maddy takes great pride in the success of her 2023 students, all of whom graduated and chose to remain in the industry. "We’re very proud of the trainees who have all worked really hard to complete their studies and successfully carry out their work commitments on the farm," she says. Reflecting on her time at school, she finds her role extremely rewarding but has a new appreciation for how her high school teachers managed a class of teens for many years. 

While managing the TBA Fast Track programme, Maddy has also overseen the launch of the Stud Start program, a new initiative aimed at creating a pathway for people seeking a change in their careers. Supported the online learning platform TBA Learning and the extended edition of the platform, translating the content to Chinese to meet the global demands of the online resource. Organises management skills workshops in states across the country which are essential for the development of the industry.

Plus has a major role in the running of TBA Next Crop, a group created to provide those aged 36 and under the chance to network with their peers in a rural industry and continue their professional development and education. Based on the pillars of meet, grow, and lead, this initiative has grown within the twelve months to over 600 members and has provided over twenty events throughout Australia. 

Thoroughbred breeding and racing support 80,000 full-time jobs in Australia; the opportunities are many and varied. Reflecting on her educational journey, Maddy shares, "I grew up on a dairy farm and still didn’t know about the wider career opportunities available in Agriculture besides milking cows. This is why I’m so passionate about showing people the endless possibilities within the thoroughbred industry even if you don’t come from a horse background.” It all started with studying Agribusiness at St Paul’s," she says.