Horseracing Industry People Board releases strategy to support racing’s workforce

13 Feb 2025

The Horseracing Industry People Board (HIPB) has published its workforce strategy to improve industry recruitment, training, employment practices, inclusion and wellbeing in British racing.

Our People, Racing’s Future aims to secure a brighter future for everyone working in British racing and breeding by addressing the most pressing challenges facing the industry, while looking at how racing can evolve to meet the changing needs and expectations of a modern working environment.

Starting in 2025, the strategy will prioritise immediate action to support those in horse-facing roles, addressing critical staffing shortages and reducing pressure on those in the most demanding positions. Work is already underway in several key areas.

“The publication of the strategy is an important milestone for the sport,” said Julia Tyson, interim Chair of the HIPB.

“We are an industry driven by the passion, dedication and expertise of our people – and we must do more to support those at the heart of British racing and breeding.

“We know that working in our industry can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be demanding. We are acutely aware of the challenges people face, especially in horse-facing roles. To ease these pressures, we need to recruit, develop and retain more people with the right skills and do more to prioritise people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“This workforce strategy builds on the vast amount of existing good practice while thinking about how we can do things differently, setting new standards for the future and doing so in a more coordinated way. It will take time to deliver, but we are encouraged by the willingness of the industry to get behind the plan.

“We all have an important role to play in ensuring the strategy’s success and securing a more prosperous future for British racing and breeding – and the people who make it all possible.” 

Our People, Racing’s Future has been approved by racing’s leaders, with the Industry Programme Group – which includes cross-industry representation – and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) Board endorsing the findings and recommended programme of meaningful activity, to be delivered over an initial three-year period.

The HIPB is currently in discussions with the industry’s principal funders, the Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Racing Foundation, to finalise the full programme of activity and secure further funding for 2025.

Our People, Racing’s Future – A Workforce Strategy for the British horseracing Industry is available here.

A shortened summary of the strategy can be found here and a frequently asked questions document is available here.