Goodbody faces a challenging track as new HRA CEO

GOODBODY FACES A CHALLENGING TRACK AS NEW HRA CEO

After 17 years at the helm of Harness Racing Australia, long-serving CEO Andrew Kelly has handed over the reins. His replacement, Richard Goodbody, a former harness racing journalist with The Shepparton News, steps into one of the most scrutinised positions in Australian racing.

Goodbody brings a wealth of sports administration experience across racing, basketball, cricket, and lawn bowls, and his appointment has been cautiously welcomed by industry figures.

He has a solid understanding of the sport and a modern communication skill set, but he’s walking into one of the toughest jobs in Australian racing — the sport needs direction, unity and confidence more than ever.

AN INDUSTRY AT CROSSROADS

Harness racing in Australia is wrestling with a series of divisive and structural issues — from the stallion levy and the national rating system to funding for The Eureka. Each one will test Goodbody’s political skills and strategic vision.

The politics alone are daunting. Each state’s controlling body appoints representatives to the HRA Board, and unsurprisingly, each looks after its own patch first. Building consensus at national level will be a delicate balancing act.

BREEDING PRESSURE AND THE STALLION LEVY

Introduced in the 2022/23 breeding season, the stallion levy (now renamed Stallion Registration Fee) was designed to provide new funding for HRA initiatives, including the $2.1 million TAB Eureka.

However, many breeders argue it has had the opposite effect. Foal numbers have dropped 33 per cent in the last five years and 23 per cent since the levy was introduced, with several studs reporting reduced mare bookings and service numbers.

Kelly’s administration had promised the levy would help lift yearling sale averages and stimulate demand for colonial-bred sires — results that have yet to materialise.

RATINGS SYSTEM UNDER FIRE

The national ratings system remains another sore point. Trainers across the country claim the model has effectively destroyed traditional two- and three-year-old programming, forcing lightly raced horses and maidens to compete against seasoned performers with dozens of wins.

With no unified agreement between states on reform, the issue sits squarely on Goodbody’s desk.

FUNDING, PROFILE AND PARTICIPATION

The broader challenge is financial sustainability. Harness racing must find new ways to fund prizemoney, breeding incentives and infrastructure while ensuring participants feel supported — not taxed or ignored.

Traditional revenue from wagering and sponsorship is under pressure, and the sport competes fiercely for attention against both other racing codes and mainstream sports.

Goodbody’s background in marketing and communications will be vital in re-energising the brand, reconnecting with younger audiences, and telling the sport’s “good stories” — those of welfare, integrity, and excitement on and off the track.

INTEGRITY, WELFARE AND SOCIAL LICENCE

Public expectations around animal welfare, integrity, and transparency continue to rise. HRA will need to show leadership in traceability, post-racing care, and ethical management to maintain community confidence.

GOVERNANCE AND THE PATH FORWARD

National versus state control has long been a fault line in the code’s governance. Achieving a coherent national strategy, with aligned state implementation and clear roles, will be one of Goodbody’s toughest tests.

But with those challenges come opportunities:

• A fresh leader means a chance to reset direction and rebuild unity.
• Drawing from his wider sports experience, Goodbody can import best practice from other codes.
• Stronger storytelling and digital engagement can attract new owners, syndicates, and fans.
• A unified approach could strengthen commercial deals and sponsorship across Australia.
• A renewed focus on integrity and welfare can secure the sport’s long-term social licence.

A DEFINING PERIOD AHEAD

Harness racing’s new CEO takes charge at a pivotal moment. The building blocks are in place, but structural, cultural, and financial issues must be confronted head-on.

How Richard Goodbody navigates the next 12 to 24 months will go a long way to determining the direction — and perhaps the survival — of harness racing in Australia.

by Gary Newton