Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to perform the race meeting or trial duties of a clerk of the course. The unit covers the process of preparing for the race meeting, assisting in the start of races and trials, monitoring horses throughout all stages of the race or trial, and assisting in emergency and post-race procedures.

To undertake this unit the candidate will be able to demonstrate competent, high level horse riding and horse handling skills and apply workplace OHS standards.

This unit of competency operates in work environments of racing stables, paddocks, yards, racecourses and public areas.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Check with your State Principal Racing Authority for current license or registration requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports racing industry personnel and others authorised to perform clerk of course duties at harness or thoroughbred race meetings and trials.

Competencies attained in this unit apply to the harness or thoroughbred codes of the industry. Consequently when performance criteria are applied they will relate to the harness or thoroughbred code, and statements of attainment for this unit will reflect this distinction.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Prepare for race meeting or trial.

1. Horses are conditioned  and fed  to ensure their fitness to complete the duties of a clerk of the course mount.

2. Horses are presented clean, well-groomed, sound, and in good health  .

3. Horse gear is clean, well fitting and in good repair.

4. Personal presentation and dress is appropriate to the status of the race meeting or trial and compliant with racing protocols and procedures.

5. OHS and racing safety protocols and procedures  including the use, fit and maintenance of personal protective equipment are complied with.

Assist in the start of races or trials.

6. Race fields are verified with starter and/or stewards.

7. Identification of starters is confirmed.

8. Horses are escorted to start.

9. Starter and drivers or riders are assisted prior to start.

10. Effective strategies are employed  to assist strappers, drivers, riders, starter, barrier staff, farrier or veterinarian.

Monitor horses throughout all stages of the race or trial.

11. Opportunities for horses to escape and /or cause injury are assessed  and strategies applied to minimise risks during racing or trial activities.

12. Racing participants  are monitored and directed to comply with OHS and racing protocols and procedures to avoid incidents and injury during racing activities.

13. Racing safe operating procedures  are followed in handling, escorting and catching horses to minimise the risk of injury to horses and racing participants.

14. Loose and/or injured horses are restrained.

Assist in post-race procedures.

15. Winning driver or rider is met and escorted to entrance to mounting yard or birdcage enclosure.

16. Safe return of horses to stables is supervised.

17. Reports  are made to starter and/or stewards on outcomes of any race or trial incidents.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• applying safe handling and work practices when dealing with horses
• communicating with stewards, racing officials, licensed and registered personnel and others using assertive communication techniques to gather, interpret and relay information related to clerk of course duties
• completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures and nominated time frame
• evaluating risks associated with loading horses into barriers
• high level horse riding and handling skills
• identifying a range of horses
• identifying different items of approved gear
• judging situations and taking appropriate action to prevent problems arising or to overcome problems before they develop further
• relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• relaying messages to others
• responding to instructions promptly and safely
• responding quickly to requests from stewards or other racing officials
• teamwork skills to ensure completion of job tasks
• working in a high pressure environment.

Required knowledge 

• approved gear
• basic industry terminology related to handling horses during race meetings
• common horse illnesses and injuries
• commonly used health and fitness parameters for horses
• communication procedures within the race meeting environment and wider racing industry
• effective methods of controlling horses in a range of situations
• hazard identification and risk management
• horse identification features
• nutritional requirements with respect to the horse's age and needs while in work
• personal grooming and presentation requirements
• preparing and providing balanced diets for working horses
• protocols and procedures for communicating with licensed and other racing industry personnel
• racing industry animal welfare requirements
• racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures
• range of behaviour traits exhibited by horses
• relevant rules of racing
• reporting requirements for irregularities and problems.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply performing the duties of clerk of course at race meetings or trials
• demonstration of competent riding and horse handling skills in a range of situations relevant to clerk of course duties
• implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient application of clerk of course duties
• working with others to undertake and complete procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of racehorses of different ages and sexes, and at different stages of preparation in race meeting and trial environments.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to the required resources. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

• a variety of harness or thoroughbred horses
• materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to perform clerk of course duties
• safe handling areas and racetracks, including registered race meetings and trials
• work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to perform the duties of clerk of course at race meetings and trials. Workplaces include harness or thoroughbred racecourses, training tracks, administration buildings and public areas.

Horses are conditioned  by:

• planning a program taking into account the following:

• current fitness
• expected daily work routine
• term of duties
• types of work patterns, including slow foundation work and sprints

• determining or observing fitness indicators, including:

• recovery time after exercise
• brightness of eye
• appetite and general health and wellbeing
• muscle definition
• respiration and heart rate
• weight of horse.

Horses are fed  by:

• ensuring feed is of high quality, considering:

• absence of mould or rot
• age of material
• rodent or other spoilage

• providing a variety of protein and energy sources, including:

• prepackaged or bulk base feed
• varieties of grass, hays and fodders

• taking into account horse's individual aspects, including:

• age
• level of work
• individual taste
• metabolism
• gender
• water consumption

• using supplements, including:

• vitamins
• calcium
• electrolytes
• potassium citrate
• iron.

Regular action required to ensure a horse's good health  will include:

• hoof care
• identifying and reporting notifiable diseases
• illness and injury checks
• skin checks
• teeth treatment
• vaccinations
• waste removal
• worming.

OHS and racing safety protocols and procedures  may include:

• adhering to responsibilities under OHS legislation and workplace practices
• adhering to responsibilities under national and state codes of practice; federal, state and territory legislation; and local government regulations covering animal welfare
• adhering to rules of racing and rules of the race venue
• considering variables that influence behaviour of horses, such as:

• fences and equipment
• other persons or animals
• vehicles
• wind and noise

• contributing to development of risk control measures
• following safe work practices
• identifying and reporting unsafe work practices
• identifying and preventing hazards
• identifying emergency situations
• trial and race meeting specific health and safety procedures for the protection of others, including:

• all gear used on horses is approved and of good quality
• protective gear conforms to required standards

• understanding individual horse behaviour
• wearing approved personal protective equipment.

Identification of starters  will include:

• brands
• coat colour
• markings
• race colours
• race stall number
• race book directory
• sex.

Assistance to starter and drivers or riders  may include:

• assembling horses prior to going on to track
• responding to directions from starter
• moving horses to barrier
• assisting in controlling horses after the race
• assisting in adjusting gear.

Effective strategies employed  may include:

• assistance with:

• adjusting of gear
• leading or escorting horse
• catching horse that has lost driver or rider
• catching horse that is loose
• hazing horse that is loose.

Opportunities for horses to escape and /or cause injury are assessed  by:

• knowledge of racecourse layout, including access and egress points
• knowledge of expected changes in horse behaviour during race meetings, including:

• agitation and sweating up
• biting
• charging forward
• kicking
• pulling back or sideways
• rearing
• reluctance to move forward
• turning in circles.

Racing participants  may include:

• drivers (harness)
• jockeys (thoroughbred)
• punters and other racegoers
• race day staff
• strappers
• trainers.

Racing safe operating procedures  will include:

• procedures that are relevant to the range of race meeting clerk of course activities, including:

• catching loose horses
• fitting gear to horses behind the barriers
• escorting horses to mounting yard or birdcage enclosure.

Reports  are relayed to stewards or starter:

• courteously and efficiently
• maintaining confidentiality and discretion
• promptly
• using correct forms of greeting
• via verbal and/or written communication, including:

• describing actions
• giving and receiving clear, accurate and simple messages
• listening to and interpreting information and instructions
• written reports may include simple documents and notes.

Unit Sector 

Harness and thoroughbred racing codes

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing performance services