Barry Bowditch was born into racing, and while there was never any parental pressure for him to carve out a professional path in the industry, there was little doubt in his mind where his career was headed.
Racing was Bowditch’s playground from a tender age and with an ever-growing passion for the sport he ably turned his love of horses into a career that now has him at the top of his craft.
As Managing Director of the Magic Millions sale company, Bowditch rubs shoulders with racing royalty and business movers and shakers, but he’s also never lost sight of an early lesson from Reg Inglis, an early bloodstock mentor.
“One thing I did learn from Reg was how to handle people, whether you’re talking to the most important man in the room or the guy that’s doing all the hard work at the bottom,” he said.
“He made me learn to respect everyone and treat them the right way and that’s something I’ll remember forever.”
“He [Reg Inglis] made me learn to respect everyone and treat them the right way and that’s something I’ll remember forever.” – Barry Bowditch
Bowditch is grateful for expert advice and guidance throughout his career following his first introduction closest to home.
“I was born into racing through my parents' being horse trainers and jockeys so I was around thoroughbreds from a very early age and that instilled horsemanship into me,” he said.
“I was going to the races every Saturday and loved having my dollar each way and it got me particularly interested in the game.
“Other than going to school and playing footy, racing was the only thing I really knew.”
Bowditch's love of horses has never changed
Bowditch said his parents never tried to influence him either way, as far as thoroughbreds were concerned.
“They didn’t discourage it and didn’t encourage it, they let me run my own course and whether it be on the farm or at the racetrack or at the stables I just really enjoyed being around horses.
“That’s something that has never changed, it’s a love of mine and growing up it was second nature and why I still love them as much as I do today.”
Helping hand
After completing his education, Bowditch was given a helping hand by astute breeder Ron Finemore, later to enjoy further fame and fortune as a part-owner of the influential stallion Not A Single Doubt.
“The next part of my journey was after I left school, and I wasn’t lost, but I just didn’t really know where I wanted to go and through the help of Ron and my family I got engaged in the bloodstock world,” Bowditch said.
“I was given the opportunity to attend the sales and through that I applied for a job at William Inglis, Reg Inglis and Jonathan D’Arcy employed me.
The late Jon Kelly, and Reg Inglis
“My first bloodstock mentor in the game was Reg Inglis, who instilled into me that first and foremost was integrity and the second thing - the memory will stick with me forever, was culture.
“We had a great office and I worked with some great, great people and it created an awesome culture to be around. For a young guy that started with the company when I was 17, it was a great way to walk into the world of bloodstock.”
“We had a great office and I worked with some great, great people and it created an awesome culture to be around.” – Barry Bowditch
Bowditch began his Inglis tenure as a pedigree consultant.
“I worked behind the computer doing the pedigrees for the catalogue. At that time, all the pedigrees for Inglis were done in-house so we had our own system and it was a great way to learn something I wasn’t that familiar with, the breeding of the horses.
“I could read a form guide, but the pedigree side was a little bit new to me so I got my head around that and got out into the field with the likes of Vin Cox, Richard Haynes, Dean Harvey, Tara Madgwick and Rick Connolly and learned so much about conformation.”
Bowditch started at Inglis in 2000 and in 2005 decided it was time to move on and the chance to join Magic Millions was accepted.
Barry (left) with Katie Page and Gerry Harvey
“By that stage I had met my now wife and she is Bryan Guy’s daughter, so another racing family I walked into and obviously learned a lot more from,” he said.
“I had the inkling that I wanted to move back to the Gold Coast, to be closer to Katie as well as a greater opportunity. David Chester and Paul Knight offered me a position and I jumped at the chance to move home.
“I was a bloodstock consultant and that meant getting out on the road and looking at horses and liaising with all the clients, both vendors and buyers and that’s when my next mentor came along in David Chester.
“I don’t think there’s a man that has done as much as he has. His work ethic is unbelievable and what he’s done for the Australian bloodstock industry internationally is very, very significant.
“Any salesman who wants to come and learn something could learn a hell of a lot from David Chester.”
David Chester (middle)
Major influence
Bowditch was subsequently to work closely alongside the person he describes as his most important mentor.
“Vin Cox has probably been the most significant mentor in my career, from the time I was at Inglis and when he became a bloodstock agent we kept in constant contact and we would look at horses a lot together,” he said.
“He got given the opportunity to become Managing Director of the company and I became Bloodstock Manager.
“He gave me the confidence to grow and become a better person, whether I was dealing with clients or selecting catalogues or travelling the world and creating a database of agents and trainers I had to deal with.
“He was responsible for that and he’s been a huge part of my career. When he left I was given the opportunity to step into his shoes - they were big ones to fill.
Vin Cox (left) with Barry Bowditch
“The company was at that stage all owned by Gerry (Harvey) and Katie and her vision from a carnival perspective, from an event perspective and branding perspective went to a whole new level.
“It created a great culture and gave our clients the confidence that Magic Millions was going places whether that was a buyer coming to buy a horse or as a seller.
“The company was in great shape and it was mine to take to another level and I’m very pleased that in recent years it’s had the opportunity to do so.”
“The company was in great shape and it was mine to take to another level and I’m very pleased that in recent years it’s had the opportunity to do so.” – Barry Bowditch
However, Bowditch said there was never any complacency as far as the business was concerned.
“The results of our sales, the breeding stock or yearling sales, continue to go to another level. Our yearling sale in January has continued to increase for the past eight or nine years straight and is the highest-grossing yearling sale in this part of the world,” Bowditch said.
“That’s a huge part of what Vin created and what I’ve done with the team around me and the vision of Gerry and Katie, two of the greatest business minds in Australia.
“I can call them anytime and run things by them. There were lots of things when I took the role on I wasn’t so familiar with and they have helped me along the way and given me great advice.”
Steering the ship
Bowditch has also steered the Magic Millions ship through the stormiest of waters and with great success, set up with confidence instilled by his strong mentors and tapping into advice from a wide range of people.
“I find myself in a very lucky situation in this industry that you can always call on anyone in this game, and we’ve got fantastic businessmen and women in this industry and great horse people who are willing to offer advice on any situation.
“Our industry has handled COVID-19 extremely well, whether that be the racing side or sales or breeding side. We’ve kept things going and it’s been incredibly important.
“Our industry has handled COVID-19 extremely well, whether that be the racing side or sales or breeding side.” – Barry Bowditch
“The sales have held up extremely well under the circumstances and in some instances the industry has gone to a new level with new technology, the online bidding and the way we engage with our clients.
“It’s a lot better than what it was pre-COVID-19 so there’s always positives you can take out of these disastrous situations and that’s obviously one of them.
“There’s not a day goes by in this industry that you don’t learn something from someone else and that’s what I love. No two days are the same and you have the opportunity to speak to a lot of powerful people and the opportunity to learn from them as your mentors. "
Barry Bowditch on the floor of the Gold Coast Magic Millions auditorium
Bowditch also paid tribute to the team he works with.
“One thing I have learned is you have to have a great team behind you and I’m very lucky that is the case,” he said.
“One thing I have learned is you have to have a great team behind you and I’m very lucky that is the case.” – Barry Bowditch
“We’ve handled the sales through COVID-19, and in particular a huge National Sale which went off without a hitch in extremely trying circumstances.
“That couldn’t have happened without the outstanding team at Magic Millions, and to work with them each and every day and to have their trust and respect is obviously very important to any leader. They are a huge number of reasons for the success of the company in recent years.”
The other hat Bowditch wears with pride is as that of Keeneland’s Australasian representative.
“It’s another set of shoes I filled from Vin and a role I really enjoy. It’s one of the most prestigious sales companies in the world and to get over there and meet their clientele and to engage our clientele in the American product is extremely important,” he said.
“The American bloodlines have worked so very well here for decades now and to be part of bringing those bloodlines into Australia, is something I really enjoy doing.”
Bowditch has been a regular visitor to Lexington until the impact of coronavirus halted travel.
“I generally go over in September and November and the G1 Kentucky Derby back in May,” he said. Predominantly, I am there to market the American horses to the Australians and I take a good contingent of Australians there for the November Sale.
“When I go for the Derby I’m promoting our breeding stock sale back in Australia so it works both ways, and the two industries were built on speed and breeding fast horses and diverse bloodlines and they work hand in hand with each other.”
