• 175
    Learners enrolled in the Equine, Dogs and Racing specific programmes/qualifications in 2021
  • 1640
    Total filled jobs in Horse and Dog Racing Activities for June quarter 2022
  • 4,689
    Individuals worked in Equine, Dogs and Racing industries across 2021
  • $11,110
    Median earnings in Horse and Dog Racing Activities for June quarter 2022

Overview

Horses first arrived in Aotearoa in 1814, when they were introduced by missionary Samuel Marsden. Horse races began with ordinary riding horses, but with the importation of Thoroughbreds, the breeding and racing industry began. The concept of racing horses was imported from England with the first Thoroughbred meeting taking place in Auckland in 1842, followed by the first trotting meeting in Wanganui in 1881. Māori took an early interest in racing, and races held almost exclusively for Māori started in Ōtaki in 1854. Of the small number of Māori clubs that were formed, only the Ōtaki-Māori club remains today.

By 1911, there were over 404,000 horses in Aotearoa – the highest number ever. This began dwindling out, and by 2004 there were fewer than 77,000 horses.

The Equine, Greyhounds and Racing industry contributes about $1.6 billion to GDP annually. In 2021, we counted 4,689 people in the workforce, made up of three racing codes which include Thoroughbred racing, Harness/Standardbred racing and Greyhound racing. Each code has its own governing body.

Betting has always been an important part of the racing industry, but as it grew throughout the first half of the 20th century, illegal bookies turned over millions of pounds. The Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) was set up by the government in 1950 to try and put some conditions around betting. However, New Zealanders have continued to do some betting or gambling with overseas wagering operators or online casinos, which has meant that not all of the revenue goes to TAB NZ. One of the biggest struggles for the industry is the ability to remain sustainable, with the future of the industry depending on its ability to remain economically viable. This is because most of the revenue for the industry currently comes through TAB NZ, which is used for both prize money and infrastructure investment.

Find out about our work to assess the quality of programmes delivered by providers for this industry here.

A snapshot of the Equine, Greyhounds and Racing workforce development plan is available for download here. Please note that this reflects a point in time (July 2024). The most up to date information is on the workforce development plans website.

2025 Investment Advice

Muka Tangata provides advice to TEC on investment in vocational education to influence funding decisions that considers industry needs, to help match skills and workforce demands with supply.

Learn more

Projects

In developing the Equine, Greyhounds and Racing workforce development plan, we asked industry stakeholders what the top opportunities were for the industry group. Staff retention is a big challenge and may be connected to minimal vocational education opportunities.  In the Thoroughbred sector, the existing licensing system doesn't align with qualification requirements, which makes it hard to attract young people to become trainers when transferable qualifications are not recognised. The nature of the work, which includes long and unsociable hours, and relatively low remuneration, are some of the factors contributing to staff exit. A change to immigration settings has also had an impact on the availability of a skilled workforce. These challenges are all impacting on the ability of the industry to attract and retain staff.  

This is our plan to address the vocational education and training opportunities that arose from our engagement, research and analysis. It includes real projects that we are committed to delivering, with most of these spanning across some or all Muka Tangata industries. Our Projects have replaced our previous “Roadmap Actions” and present a consolidated view of our mahi. Some of the previous roadmap actions have been completed or closed out following a review of our work programme and engagement with industry on the priority of these actions. 

Training that works
Simplify qualifications
Insights for industry
Success for learners and workers

Highlights