Rakti, Tayasu Tsuyoshi, Durbridge, Chosen Light, Dash for Cash and Rory's Jester are names many won't easily forget after today!

Seymour Racecourse was the departure point this morning for a unique mix of industry, education and local government representatives attending a district-wide tour of the region's rapidly expanding and world-renowned thoroughbred studs.

A truly first-hand and up-close look at some of this country's best thoroughbred breeding operations was an opportunity not to be missed. The North East of Victoria is home to some of Australia’s finest thoroughbred properties and has been home to some of this countries finest thoroughbred stock. The region has produced Melbourne Cup winners, Champion Stallions, Leading Breeders and is renowned for raising, preparing and selling some of Australia’s best racehorses.

Special recognition goes to the operators of Chatswood Stud [Greg Willis], Avenel Equine Clinic [Robyn Hyland], Holly Lodge Thoroughbreds [Christine & Terry Nevill] and Swettenham Stud [Ian Rimington] for the generosity and direct support of the day.

Opening access to their operations at such a busy time is always difficult but the group attending the tour were able to see a broad range of world-class operations and activities across the entire spectrum of the industry. A special thanks also to Peter Laughlin and Stuart Locke from Seymour Coaches for their support of the day.

Over fifty people attended the day, focussed on building better links between industry, goverment and education sectors.

Mitchell and Strathbogie shires were well represented with councillors in attendance, as well as guests from South Loddon Local Community Partnership[LCP], Regional Development Victoria and schools from the Mitchell [Seymour] and Murrindindi Shires [Yea] as well as School cluster leaders from the Seymour and Broadford "clusters" of primary and secondary schools.

Job network providers and Regional Industry Careers Advisors [RICA's] were also in attendance.

The Central Ranges LLEN was pleased to be one of the supporters of the day, and genuine credit should go to the small consortium of partners that helped devise and stage the industry tour.

Sally McDonald from the economic development group of Strathbogie Shire, Christine Cox, Carmen Fifield and Gerard Hard from the Apprenticeship Factory and South West Goulburn Local Community partnership[LCP], Glenn Barry from Racing Victoria, Ian Rimington from Swettenham Stud and Adam Cockerell from Cutting Edge Uniting Care should all be congratulated for the quality of the day.

A network lunch at the wonderful Mitchelton Winery also gave participants an opportunity to make links across sectors and consider plans for taking the next steps in developing parterships to promote possible further connections across all sectors, including the North East Thoroughbred Industry Alliance [NETIA] .

Full details of the day and a picture gallery can be found by following this link.

www.centralrangesllen.org.au/equineindustry2006