Meet the team

Sarah Gardiner

General Manager

Sarah is passionate about providing a positive experience for all horses and setting them up for their career whether it be in racing or another chosen discipline once they’re retired.

Sarah has a wealth of knowledge, an individualised approach and has been surrounded by horses from a young age. She grew up riding and teaching children to ride. She has been riding since age of five, attended pony club and competed in jumping all throughout her teens. In her early 20’s she travelled to the USA to teach children to ride.

Her passion for breaking in and educating young horses was fostered throughout her five years working alongside some of Australia’s greatest horseman when breaking in stockhorses on large scale cattle stations in North Queensland and Northern Territory. During those five years she was assisting in training and competing challenge horses and camp drafting.

Whilst studying a double degree in Business and Agriculture at University of New England, Sarah worked with racehorse trainers around the Ballina area, from here her passion for racehorses grew. Sarah worked for Aquis Farm for five years before deciding to start her own business, Hinterland Thoroughbreds. She was involved in the inception of Aquis Farm and has worked across all aspects of the business – breeding, racing and education.

Sarah has worked alongside many of the country’s top trainers including Peter Moody, Gerald Ryan, Chris Waller, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, Annabel Neasham, Kacy Fogden, Steven O’Dea, Tony Gollan, Toby Edmonds, Ciaron Maher, Mick Price, Hayes & Hayes.

Ben Rodgers

Head Breaker

Ben grew up in the southern highlands of New South Wales. Horses have always been a big part of his life beginning with riding on the family property and later competing in several disciplines including at state and national level. 

When Ben finished school he moved to murwillumbah in northern nsw and began riding trackwork and breaking-in horses. When Gerald Ryan and Matthew Dunn set up a stable there, Ben began riding work for them as well as breaking in their yearlings. This progressed to a Forman role as well at travelling with horses to race interstate. 

After moving to the Gold Coast Ben joined the Gillian Heinrich stable as a foreman and eventually a co-trainer. This was an invaluable experience managing a large team of horses and staff. 

Taking a step away from training Ben returned to his passion of educating young horses with a role at Fenwick Farm. Playing a part in the education of stakes winners Shaquero, Artorius, Stay inside and Sunshine in Paris. 

Ben has been part of the Hinterland team for some time now playing a role in the education of our horses and is looking forward to the opportunity to take on the role of head breaker. 

Jasmine Dunmore

Communications and Administration

Jasmine Dunmore delivers to Hinterland Thoroughbreds an extensive background in digital media and a passion for the equine industry.

Having always had an enthusiasm towards photography, she decided to undertake a Certificate III in photography during her final years of school and furthered this education by completing a diploma in this field of study also. Upon completion of the diploma, Jasmine has since received awards such as Gold & Silver trophies as judged and awarded by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). 

Having acquired these skills, intertwined with being immersed within the equine industry; her abilities are utilised on a day-to-day basis at here at Hinterland Thoroughbreds.  Jasmine’s goal is to capture and showcase all those wonderful moments experienced within the working life at this state-of-the-art facility on social media; as well as capturing horses at every stage of their progress allowing owners to witness this with clear visual updates.

Additionally to her conducting the social media and photography for Hinterland Thoroughbreds, Jasmine is thoroughly involved with the behind-the-scenes duties of administration ensuring records are up to date and horse owners are always informed.