Cover image supplied
The Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia (FBAA) held its fourth annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Day on Tuesday, March 31, at the Owners Pavilion at Randwick Racecourse. Hosted by Vin Cox, the event drew bloodstock professionals and industry figures from across Australia for a structured program of expert-led sessions spanning commercial, regulatory, and analytical disciplines.
It’s a milestone that underscores the FBAA’s growing standing as a standard-setter for the profession.
“The CPD Day is fundamentally about upskilling our members,” said Craig Rounsefell, President of the FBAA and director of Boomer Bloodstock. “This year’s program reflected the international dimension of the modern bloodstock market - from Hong Kong developments to non-resident business structuring to AI-driven analytics.
“We are continually looking to raise the standard for bloodstock agents in Australia, and events like this are central to achieving that goal.”
The morning program opened with a Media Training session delivered by champion trainer Gai Waterhouse and Emma Coleman, before Sam Triggs of Inglis presented on Rural Property.
Danny Rolston from the Hong Kong Jockey Club updated members on the latest developments in Hong Kong, and Jason Abrahams of Critique Private Clients followed with a detailed session on Portfolio Management, drawing out market trends directly applicable to the bloodstock sector.
Gallery: Some of the presenters at the FBAA's 2026 Continuing Professional Development Day, image supplied
Rounding out the morning, Adam Tims of Stable Financial addressed Business Setup for Non-Residents - a topic that reflects the increasingly international character of today’s thoroughbred market.
The afternoon turned to technology and analytics. Byron Rogers of Stable Analytics examined the growing role of artificial intelligence in the sector, before Michael King and Peter Stewart of Pedigree 360 closed proceedings with a comprehensive session on Pedigree Analysis.
Rounsefell said that the day’s placing right after the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale was optimal for both attendees and presenters.
Byron Rogers | Image supplied
“It was a great day,” he said. “The feedback from members was very positive. People got a lot out of it. We are all running our own small businesses and sometimes you can get a little bogged down in your work, so it is good to get ideas and views from other industries that could help you improve.
“There's a lot happening out there in a lot of different industries that can be crossed over to our work and help us increase our professionalism. That is the whole view of the day; we're trying to raise the standard for bloodstock agents and our members have signed on to hold themselves to a higher standard than everyone else in the industry that's trading in bloodstock.
"We're trying to raise the standard for bloodstock agents and our members have signed on to hold themselves to a higher standard than everyone else in the industry that's trading in bloodstock." - Craig Rounsefell
"So we're continually looking to upskill our members and then give back to the industry with our mentorship program.”
The breadth of the program - spanning international regulatory developments, investment strategy, business structuring, and cutting-edge analytical tools - reflected the FBAA’s commitment to equipping agents with skills that keep pace with a rapidly evolving global industry.
FBAA CPD Day | Image supplied
Now in its fourth year, the FBAA’s annual CPD Day has established itself as one of the bloodstock industry’s most valued professional development events. Looking ahead, the FBAA will continue to expand the program and invite accredited agents and industry professionals to engage with future events.
In the same vein, applications have just closed for the 2026 FBAA Bloodstock Mentorship Program, where the selected candidates will spend six weeks being mentored by an FBAA member, learning what happens behind the scenes in the bloodstock industry, and attending the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Sale and the Inglis Great Southern Sale.
Craig Rounsefell | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
“It has been another great intake this year,” said Rounsefell. “There's a lot of young people out there wanting to learn and who are hungry for opportunities like this. All of our members have been very fortunate earlier in life to have times where people helped us, and it's a way we can give back. We can give them a real insight into what we do, and show them the right way to become a bloodstock agent.”
Successful applicants to the program will be notified on April 13.
