EXCERPT: Then and now; introducing the next generation of thoroughbred racing...

This excerpt, written by Kate Milliken, has been republished with the permission of Remix magazine. To view the full article, click here.

Whatever way you look at it, thoroughbred racing is, as it has always been, a cultural and sporting touchstone that combines spectacle, tradition, socialising and sheer grit that will make the likes of winning a heavyweight championship look… tame.

But, recent years has seen the racing industry come under assault from activists whose ideas have been picked up and disseminated by bloggers and columnists. When an event like the Melbourne Cup (which draws millions of casual fans who are otherwise uneducated in the world of racing to the television coverage) involves an incident, it attracts unwelcome attention indeed.

But, what goes on behind the scenes?

Imagery from LIFE at the Kentucky Derby: Classic Photos From the Run for the Roses

Like all sports, there is risk and reward involved, but unlike almost any sport in the world, nearly all that motivates those closely involved in thoroughbred racing is an indescribable love for an animal.

Excruciatingly early mornings, hours spent mucking out boxes, and individually-tailored feeding, grooming, training and “care” regimens (yes, there’s such things as horse physios, dentists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, osteopaths and more) paint a considerably less prosaic picture than what sensationalists would have you believe, and speak volumes to the amount of care required to own and race a horse.

Think thoroughbred racehorses are subjected to having to run around a track at full pace day after day? Think again! Their training regimes usually involve a lot of variety, and fun, like this little guy going for a swim below…

What’s more, the New Zealand thoroughbred, in particular, has an excellent reputation as a sports horse, with many equine owners clamouring to get hold of one once its racing career has finished… as Cambridge-based Gina-Lee Shick’s Event Stars’ thoroughbred rehoming Facebook page, with close to 20,000 fans, would attest.

I know what you’re probably thinking… what credentials do I have to be commenting on the life of a racehorse?

Well, for starters I grew up on a stud farm, where sleeping in the freezing cold barn or even a paddock during August and September in case a mare went into foal was commonplace. Where my mother would routinely stay out all night looking after a sick yearling, and, don’t even get me started on the work hours…

But despite all that, as soon as I turned 17, I knew my ideal summer job was just around the corner at Westbury Stud, where I completed three full yearling preps.

Article author Kate Milliken with her favourite yearling at Westbury Stud

Horse racing is an industry that often suffers from spectators not being able to see the whole picture. I’ve experienced first-hand horses in training, enjoying ranging motion, wandering freely in large paddocks often accompanied by friends, and exercising in water, grass, hills, and tracks. When the footing is hard, they slow, when something hurts, they rest.

So I sat down with a few likeminded people who know the gruelling dedication better than most, who are committed to preserving the decades of history, while also breathing new life into the world of racing. Here is the next generation of thoroughbred racing in New Zealand…

JULIA ROSE HAYES (nee Ellis)

Daughter of two of the biggest names in New Zealand thoroughbred racing, David Ellis and Karyn Fenton-Ellis, Julia-Rose knows her way around the races, and Karaka Yearling Sales, like the back of her hand.

Now, she is staking claim to a number of her own entrepreneurial endeavors, including Selfie Station and Neon Signs NZ, all the while remaining committed to her role as marketing manager for her family’s business, Te Akau Racing.

A busy mother of one, she stays true to her racing roots, and is shining new light on the way the sport is presented to the masses…

What is your earliest horse memory?

When we were four or five my mother and Trackside stalwart of 25 years, Karyn Fenton-Ellis, used to take my sister and me to the Trentham & Teranikau races while she was presenting.

We’d annoy the racecallers & the Trackside (then known as Action TV) team, have the odd “dollar each way” on a horse with a pretty name and feast on a sausage and punnet of chips.

Living the good life, some may say!

I hope to celebrate memories like this with our daughter Lucia-Rose.

What is your top raceday survival tip?

Doing the form with my husband Hamish who is a form pro (you would have to be to live in our house!) or asking David or Jamie Richards (our stable trainer) for a winner prior to the races.

Being in racing I constantly get asked what’s going to win by my friends – if I knew that every time I would be rolling in it, let me tell you.

The obvious ones like drinking plenty of water, having a big breakfast and having comfortable shoes as you will be on your feet dawn till’ dusk… never ever under any circumstances take off your shoes ladies.

Racing has come under some harsh scrutiny in the last few years… what’s one thing you’d like everyone to know about it?

Please know your facts before holding placards and obstructing people trying to enjoy a day at the races. Often the people protesting have never stepped foot in a stable or racing operation and generally the horses that need the biggest voice are the ones in backcountry paddocks around New Zealand that aren’t involved with the racing industry whatsoever.

We welcome any people with concerns to come and see our horses at Te Akau Stud or at our stable in Matamata. They are looked after impeccably well and all of our staff have a true love for these equine animals. They get up at 3am every morning and love these horses like their own pets, friends of family.

Animal welfare is massively important aspect of our training success and we work hard to help find new homes for our horses after they finish their careers as racehorses.

Like any industry it can often be the 1% that can let everyone down. NZTR and other agencies are working hard at developing strategies for minimising harm from that 1% – and we are massive supporters of this.

How would you like to see the industry portrayed in the future and how do you think those involved can make it happen?

Perception is everything and I think as an industry we need to be aware of that. We need to work hard to educate industry participants, the public and the mainstream media.

We need to continue to tell positive stories of people and horses – great things happen in racing every day and have done so for the past 100 years and this is what binds our community of people together.

Racing is a family, it was once known as the sport of kings and was very much elitist. We need to change these perceptions, continue to promote our sport to anyone and everyone with open arms.

This article continues and goes into further depth, but not here…

…to see what else Julia-Rose Hayes has to say to Remix, plus to read what Caitlin O’Sullivan and Gracie Taylor also had to say, click here.

This article was written by Kate Milliken at Remix Magazine.