The Path to Success – Satomi Oka and Tara Madgwick

Tara Madgwick - Friday May 31

The FBAA is a respected industry body established to improve and develop the standards, integrity and services of Bloodstock Agents throughout Australia and one of their popular innovations is The Short List Podcast hosted by Mick Sharkie and the latest episode features myself and long time friend Satomi Oka.

Click to listen to our podcast.

Satomi and I first crossed paths at Inglis some 30 years ago and we have both achieved lasting careers in the bloodstock world, albeit in very different directions.

Satomi pursued a career as a bloodstock agent and is the only female member of the FBAA, while I moved into the world of media as the rise of the internet led to career opportunities I could never have dreamed of as a horse obsessed teenager with no fixed plan other than to work for the best.

So how did we get to where we are and what advice do we have for those who may follow?  Have a listen and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we did!

There is one piece of advice that I can offer which I did not mention in the interview, but with the benefit of time to think about it is worthwhile sharing with a younger generation looking to achieve.

Advertisement

Life is going to deal you a set of cards and quite often they aren’t the cards you want or think you deserve, but they are the cards you are dealt so you have to play them.

Your reaction and response are what will mean the difference between having a happy and successful life or becoming dissatisfied and unfulfilled.

Something I have learned with the wisdom of age is to temper your reaction to get a better response. The plan you begin with can always be varied, so be open to all possibilities and say yes to opportunity, because if you don’t somebody else will.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Bloodstock Brains Behind the Big Stables
The modern world of big business horse training sees all the major players having trusted bloodstock agents as an integral part of their team and in the case of Bjorn Baker that person is Jim Clarke of Clarke Bloodstock.
Cool Aza Beel's Cool Archie Impressive in First Win
Cool Aza Beel’s promising son Cool Archie was already stakes placed but threw off the maiden tag emphatically at Doomben on Wednesday with better races beckoning over the winter.
Who Do You Pick? Star Mares of Tomorrow
In chatting with our guest Jim Clarke this week on our Tara Talks Racing podcast we discussed a topic that will no doubt spark plenty of interest from our audience, if you could have one three year-old filly to take forward and race next season at four, who would it be?
FBAA Professional Development Day- Food for Thought
The Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia’s third Continued Professional Development Day was again held at Randwick Racecourse on Tuesday 8th April 2025 and was hosted by MC Vin Cox.
Perle De Chocolat Breaks Maiden
Astern two-year-old Perle De Chocolat has always looked a filly with promise and she got the maiden out of the way when winning at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Pedigree Watch – Euro 3YO - Classic Potential
Interesting racing overnight at Newmarket with a couple of Classic key lead up stakes races for three year-olds and the winners were both first time stakes-winners, one from the family of Sydney autumn carnival staying star Alalcance and the other a homebred Dubawi filly for Juddmonte.
Switzerland To Stand Alongside Fellow Coolmore Stud Stakes Winner Home Affairs at Jerry’s Plains
Following on from a phenomenal year in the sales ring, which saw first crop Home Affairs yearlings sell for an aggregate of more than $31 million, fellow Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland will join him in the stallion barn in 2025.
Yes Yes Yes It’s Been a Big Week for Kate Nivison!
This time last week passionate owner breeder Kate Nivison was basking in the success of having bred and sold a $1.7million Extreme Choice colt at Inglis Easter and today she was enjoying a different sort of success as a winning owner at Kembla.
Blueblood Pierro Filly Returns a Winner
The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton trained Pierro filly Candlewick is bred to be well above average as a half-sister to Everest winner Classique Legend  and looks set for a good campaign after kicking off with a first up win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday April 15
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.