Nardi Beresford loves the horse racing industry.
But she knows without an engaged younger demographic who attend the races, the future of the industry would be uncertain.
Having 20-year-old sons could be the key ingredient she can call on to gain ideas and when to implement them.
It's why the incoming Port Macquarie Race Club chief executive believes her new perspective will help grow the sport in Port Macquarie.
"Racing NSW are very keen on having a lot of young participants in that 20 to 30-year-old age bracket attend the races so if I can get into that market, I can bring a lot to the club," she said.
The former Quirindi Race Club manager wanted to place an emphasis on young families and their ability to attend the races.
She said the future of the sport relied on them.
"When you get families here, they'll see the racing, hopefully enjoy it and then that might spark an interest in buying a racehorse so then they go out and contact trainers," she said.
"That then brings in younger people and the industry continues to grow because if we don't have that younger demographic, then it's just going to fade away."
The chief executive wants the annual Port Macquarie Cup race meeting to be mirrored across most of their remaining meetings over the course of the year.
An increase in overall crowd numbers, no matter the meeting.
"We need the younger participants to keep the industry going and without the younger participants we won't go that way," she said.
"I want to get some new blood in and not improve anything, but modernise things."
Beresford has worked under former CEO Michael Bowman for the last five years and now she will get her chance to shine, starting with the New Year's Day race meeting.
"I love the industry; it's something I've enjoyed since I first started and being Michael's assistant for so many years... it seemed like the next progression," she said.
"Michael is one of the best racing administrators that I have ever worked with, so his knowledge of racing, finance and the industry has been really helpful."
Beresford believes there is a market to make attending the races even more popular as the industry - like many others - tries to bounce back from the pandemic.
"I'd like everyone to be keen to come to the races and whether we have music or whether we do different themed days, there's definitely a market there to bring it up to the standard I'd like it to be at," she said.
"It doesn't need changing. I was always told not to change anything unless it's broken and it's definitely not broken."
IN OTHER NEWS:
