Dog and Horse Racing Official

A dog and horse racing official enforces the rules and regulations governing greyhound and thoroughbred racing events at Australian racecourses and racing venues. They monitor races, inspect animals and equipment before competition, investigate rule breaches, and ensure compliance with animal welfare standards and betting integrity requirements set by state racing authorities.

Monitor races in progress from the mounting yard, parade ring, or race control booth to detect rule violations, false starts, interference, or unsafe practices. Inspect horses or greyhounds before racing to verify identification, check for illegal equipment, assess animal welfare, and confirm compliance with veterinary clearance requirements. Examine racing equipment including saddles, bridles, muzzles, and weights to ensure they meet the relevant rules of racing. Investigate alleged rule breaches or incidents during or after races, interview jockeys, drivers, or trainers, and prepare written reports for racing stewards or adjudication panels. Enforce weigh-in and weigh-out procedures for jockeys to verify correct weight specifications as declared before racing. Record race times, photo finishes, and field positions using timing equipment and race control systems, and verify accuracy of official results. Lodge incident reports with state racing regulators (such as Racing Victoria, Racing NSW, or Racing Queensland) documenting rule violations, animal injuries, or welfare concerns. Conduct barrier trials or trial races in accordance with the rules of the relevant racing authority to assess horse or greyhound fitness and racing eligibility.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The racing industry is shrinking in Australia, so job security is shaky. You'll work irregular hours including early mornings, weekends, and public holidays. Pay is modest and won't increase much without moving into steward or management roles. You need state-specific licensing that requires connections in the racing world to get started.

Jobs are almost entirely metro-based at established racing venues. Remote work is not an option. Employment depends on the racing calendar and betting integrity demand in your state.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 4523, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Conflict Resolutioncore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Adapt teaching to student's capabilities
• Adapt teaching to target group
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Adjust sporting equipment
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Escalation Management
• Multitasking
• Quality Assurance and Checking
• Research and Analysis
• Verification and Authentication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026