Racing Queensland is calling on thousands of owners, breeders and trainers for feedback to enhance arguably Australia’s best harness racing incentive scheme QBRED.
The lucrative breeding scheme has undergone several improvements and prize money boosts in recent times, said RQ’s Senior Harness Racing Manager David Brick.
One of the more notable increases was the first win bonus which has almost doubled over the past four years from $7,500 to $14,000.
Benefits of the scheme are a part of an annual industry review of QBRED which also evaluates the terms and conditions.
This year, however, RQ wants to have more input from owners, breeders and trainers with the first survey in at least five years, Mr Brick said.
“It’s an engagement survey to get industry feedback ahead of the QBRED scheme which we annually review the terms, conditions and benefits,” Mr Brick said.
“In the past we have just put out a request for feedback and by and large we haven’t really got anything back.
“So, we are conducting a survey that makes it easy for participants to respond and cast the net as wide as we can.”
The survey, which comprises eight questions, is not limited to Queensland-based owners, breeders and trainers, he said.
QBRED is utilised by harness racing stakeholders across the country and it was important to gather feedback from everyone with a vested interest in the scheme, Mr Brick said
“Owners, breeders and trainers gain the most benefit out of the scheme which is widely regarded as the best in Australia and it’s a scheme that people can buy in nationally, so it’s it’s not for Queenslanders,” he said.
“While the majority of people probably in the scheme are from Queensland, there are people from outside the state who buy and breed and have QBRED horses, so we know want to hear from them as well.”
The survey, which can be found here, closes Friday, August 26.