Our commitment is to always embrace new ideas that will benefit you.

Our Team


We have been in it from the start, learnt from the ground up and wouldn't be anywhere else.


The horse business is a people business like no other. It's a small world, fakes get found out pretty quickly and your reputation is the only business introduction that counts for anything.

First and foremost we love horses and love being in the horse game and that is a pretty good start to excelling in it. While we value expertise in all its forms our knowledge does not come from the production line of management schools but rather from being hands on. Even the youngest of us have worked nearly our whole working life in this business so young in years does not mean young in experience.

We all have our personal style but we are all bonded by our desire to be the best in our business. Our commitment is to always embrace new ideas that will benefit you.




Tony Stein, General Manager

Q.P.I.B. / Diploma Financial Services (Broking)

"What do I love about this job? The people! That and dealing with horses. A horse is a beautiful thing that inspires people. There's nothing else like it!"

After a childhood and youth that was run around horses at Port Macquarie Tony found his way into the business after 4 years as a Loans officer for the Commonwealth Bank. That was 23 years ago and he hasn't looked back.

Tony started his horse insurance career with one of the pioneers of the industry and by 1990 had become Rural Manager for another specialist insurance broker. From 1994 to 2003 he was Rural Manager for Wilburtins which later became Austbrokers Bloodstock Department in 2005.

Tony is a horse owner and trader who walks the walk as someone who knows firsthand the issues that owners face and is a well known and respected figure in the bloodstock industry.

Contact Tony
Office: (02) 9570 8355
Fax: (02) 9586 1467
Mobile: 0411 722 077


 


Linda Mitchell, Administration Manager

Q.P.I.B. / Diploma Financial Services (Broking)

"I get a great deal of enjoyment from my job particularly speaking with our clients, hearing their stories, how their horse ran at the weekend and attending the sales. I must also admit I get a lot of satisfaction working on an account that I have won from a competitor!"

Linda Mitchell is at the very centre of our business and there is little that she does not touch within it. Linda is one of those lucky people who found something they loved early in their working life and has spent their entire career in it. Starting with Wilburtins in 1989 her 18 years in bloodstock insurance have given her formidable knowledge and experience that all our clients' value.

Linda's role is something close to "a minister for everything" at Austbrokers Bloodstock Department and includes providing quotations, effecting new covers, endorsements to existing policies and helping clients with their renewal options. If she can't find a better way for you then no one can.

Contact Linda
Office: (02) 9570 8355
Fax: (02) 9586 1467
Mobile: 0411 307 435


 


Fergus Deacon, Account Executive


"I have been involved in the horse industry for more than 10 years and have turned passion & interest into a full time, rewarding career. Being an owner and breeder of thoroughbreds I now consider many of our clients to be my friends. We are focussed building client relationships to make sure we offer the best service around. That makes Austbrokers Sydney a great place to be."

Fergus was a successful young chef before changing lanes and applying the same application to an Advanced Certificate in Business Horse Management at Marcus Oldham in 1991. Since then he has had diverse and ground up training in every aspect of horses and racing.

This background has included work as a strapper and stable hand for Les Bridge Stables and Ron Quinton Racing Stables where he dealt with Bookmakers, administrators of the AJC, bloodstock agents, vets and farriers.

After this followed three years with AAP Racing Information Services where Fergus's duties included compilation of statistics, and publication of AAP's publication "Class Racehorses".

In 1997 Fergus started work with Wilburtins McDonald which has since become part of Austbrokers Bloodstock Department as Assistant Manager. In his present role he works servicing existing clients, developing new business, developing and maintaining underwriter relationships, attending sales, servicing claims, supporting pedigree claims for underwriters and liaising with veterinarians.

Contact Fergus
Office: (02) 9570 8355
Fax: (02) 9586 1467
Mobile: 0413 126 145


 


Nick Melmeth, Account Executive


"One of the best things about my job is travelling to all the horse sales and dealing face to face with our clients. Also the satisfaction of seeing clients come back for repeat business in the knowledge that it was your personal responsibility to meet all their needs."

You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy or so the saying goes. Nick may have left for the city but he has still wound up working with horses as he did growing up.

After some time in the building industry Nick took up a cadetship with Austbrokers in 2003 and has gone from strength to strength in our business. His present role involves the handling of binding authorities with Lloyds, providing quotations and generally looking after our client's requirements.

Nick has always been an avid racegoer and is about to take up his first share in a racehorse.

Contact Nick
Office: (02) 9570 8355
Fax: (02) 9586 1467
Mobile: 0422 987 638


 


Ray Willis, Consultant, horse breeder and authorised representative


Though he shies at us saying it, Ray Willis is a doyen in the Australian Bloodstock business and has been involved with some of the best known and most successful brokerages since 1972. Ray brings to our team exceptional knowledge and experience and a reputation that is second to none.

Starting as RL Willis Insurance in 1978 Ray's business added partners and eventually became Wilburtins in 1984. Ray held the position of managing director of Wilburtins from 1985 till December 2005 when it merged to become Austbrokers Sydney.

Ray is a member of the AJC, and has served 12 years as a board member on the National Insurance Brokers Association. Besides his insurance work he has been actively involved in horse breeding since 1979 and in 1992 set up "Currockbilly" at Mittagong as a stud, agisting, selling and racing horses. He markets approximately 25 horses annually.

Contact Ray
Office: (02) 9570 8355
Fax: (02) 9586 1467


 


Andrew Dart BVSc, DVCS, Dip ACVS, Dip ECVS, Registered Equine Surgical Specialist


After graduating from the University of Queensland in 1984 Andrew spent several years in private equine practice before undertaking training in large animal surgery at the University of California. He returned to private practice in Australia in 1993 and has been a registered specialist in Equine Surgery for the past 14 years.

Apart from his interest in Equine surgery he has a wealth of experience in medicine and surgery of Alpacas. Andrew has over 90 publications in international veterinary journals and is a regular speaker at national and international conferences. He sits on a number of veterinary committees involved in the examination and registration of overseas veterinarians.

Andrew often advises on complex cases to veterinarians around Australia and has been providing regular professional assistance on insurance matters for over 7 years.

Contact Andrew
Office: (02) 9570 8355
Fax: (02) 9586 1467