An aspect of the thoroughbred industry that can be taken for granted is the standard of the surfaces provided for racing and training at the many racecourses throughout New Zealand. Essential to their preparation is the team of course managers employed by racing clubs, people like young Cambridge man Bart Cowan.

His position with the Cambridge Jockey Club makes him responsible for providing training facilities for over 500 racehorses, the largest concentration at any training center in the country. It's a demanding job, one that entails directing a staff of seven, presenting a total of 15 different types of tracks to trainers in their best possible condition, and co-ordinating the whole operation in consultation with club management.

An while the Cambridge club does not conduct race meetings at its training facility, it must still provide a surface to stage regular trial meetings throughout the year.

To say it is challenge for Bart to oversee the management of such an operation would be no overstatement. He brings to the job a range of skills learnt over the last 13 years, dating back to when he left school at age 15 and took his first job as a trainee track manager at Cambridge.

His boss then was Ray Hawke, one of the country's most respected track managers, who gave him an excellent grounding, combined with studying for his Sports Turf and Racecourse Management certificates through the Lower Hutt Open Polytechnic.

After seven years in his home town, Bart traveled to Australia where he took a job at Sydney's main racetrack, Randwick. There he was involved in the construction of the all weather Trackmaster surface, got to know its developer, Californian Steve Wood, and joined his company to install similar sand and wood fibre tracks at Flemington and Caulfield in Melbourne and at Brisbane's Eagle Farm racetrack.

He then returned cost to home when he oversaw the installation of a Trackmaster surface at Matamata. His contract included staying on at Matamata for a period, during which time he passed on his knowledge of Trackmaster surfaces. Bart's experiences to that point were sufficient to land him the job back in familiar territory, as Cambridge track manager, and in the two years he has held the position he has gained immense pride and satisfaction from the development and continued success of Cambridge as the country's largest training center.

Another career move is on his horizon, having successfully applied for the position as course manager of no one but three tracks in Adelaide. The Morphetville, Victoria Park and Cheltenham tracks are the heart of the South Australian racing industry and will provide him with his greatest challenge yet.

"It's great to have landed that job," he enthused as he contemplated the prospect of managing 34 staff and supervising weekly racing. As always, Bart will be striving to provide racing and training facilities to bring out the best in horses and trainers depending on his skills as a track manager.

"Every winner that your operation produces gives a feeling of achievement, so you always try to do the best by your clients. After all, they are your best advertisement.