LISTED alphabetically, Shéa Connolly is the first of the 11 Irish students, but he was profiled last week as he joins Elinor Wolf (USA) and Lachlan Peticha (Australia) among this year’s intake for the Godolphin Flying Start programme.

Suzanne Hyland has a surname that is very familiar with anyone involved in horses in Kildare. The 23-year-old has a degree in music production and then travelled to Australia for the breeding season before going to Japan where she spent a year working for Godolphin.

Sue, not surprisingly given her degree, enjoys playing the trumpet.

Sarah Kelly is also from Kildare and she discovered her love for thoroughbreds while working holidays and weekends for Tom and Elaine Taaffe. She enrolled in the University of Limerick’s equine science degree programme, completing an eight-month work placement at Derrinstown Stud. She was at Baroda Stud before starting this year’s course.

Kildare is well-represented and another native is Eathan Leonard. He graduated from CAFRE with a degree in equine management and achieved an award for the highest grades in assignments. Eathan won a student exchange scholarship at Michigan State University which allowed him to undertake work placement at Ashford Stud.

Eathan has previously worked at Gestüt Görlsdorf in Germany.

Kilkenny’s Conor Mahon has a masters’ degree in pharmacy, but his love of thoroughbreds has seen him gain plenty of experience, from prepping yearlings at Rossenarra Stud to foaling at Ballylinch Stud. Before coming to Tully in January Conor was employed as a bloodstock executive at BBA Ireland.

A member of the ITBA Next Generation, his interests include current affairs, rugby and cycling.

Marnane treble

It’s a treble for Olivia Marnane who is following in her dad Con’s and sister Amy’s footsteps by doing the INS course. A busy lady, Olivia grew up at Bansha House Stables in Tipperary and she is planning to study for a marketing degree at DUI.

Mairead O’Riordan is another following in a family tradition as her sister Eilish completed the INS course four years ago. Mairead grew up on Rathmore Farm, part of Croom House Stud, which is managed by her dad.

Mairead has a degree in equine science from the University of Limerick, and for her course placement travelled to Hagyard where she interned as a veterinarian technician.

Tipperary’s Lauren Robinson worked for Coolmore in Ireland and Australia for three years, and in her spare time loves racing and hunting.

International business

Kildare native Jake Scott Campbell has a masters in international business. He has done yearling prep for Tally-Ho Stud, Airlie Stud and Ecurie des Monceaux and has a deep interest in racing and pedigree analysis.

Though he is from the thoroughbred county of Kildare, Charlie Sweeney is not from a racing family. His first job in the industry was two years at Eyrefield House Stud working for Bill Farrell. He moved to Ragusa Stud for a breeding season and was fortunate to get an opportunity to work for Michael Stoute where he was employed as travelling head lad.

Niamh Walsh from Waterford is another UL equine science graduate. She undertook her eight-month college placement at Ashford Stud. Niamh’s ambition is to qualify as an equine nurse. She completes the Irish team.

American connection still strong

THIS year’s student intake has three representing the USA. The Irish impact on the great state of Kentucky owes much to the influence of the Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Management Course founder Michael Osborne. He too got to spend part of his career there, and many graduates of the six-month programme have made Lexington and its environs their home.

One such graduate is Ted Campion, a member of the class of 1988. He owns Dundrum Farm in Woodford County with his wife Lesley, and now their 22-year-old son Patrick is about to complete the same course undertaken by his father. Paddy, as he is better known, graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2018, that time interspersed with working for Paramount Sales and Dromoland Farm.

Hannah Moriarty is an equine science graduate who grew up on a farm in New York, gaining practical experience by caring for her family’s broodmares. Hannah’s first position in the industry was with INS course graduate in 1981, James Keogh’s Grovendale Sales, before moving on to Ashford Stud. Hannah travelled to Ireland to do yearling prep for Ballylinch Stud.

In her final semester of college Hannah worked at Summer Wind Farm as a foaling attendant for an amazing broodmare band, and then spent time with Bill Mott and his Saratoga racing string prior to coming to Tully.

Last of the US trio is Elinor Wolf who featured in detail last week, being one of three students on this year’s course to be accepted on the 2021-2023 Godolphin Flying Start programme.

Allez France

APART from the 11-strong Irish crew, the largest country representation on this year’s course comes from France. They have four participants currently.

Marianne Gay, from Jouy le Châtel, began her thoroughbred journey at The Aga Khan Studs in 2017, working for the breeding season. Later the same year she joined Ecurie des Monceaux for the yearling sales. Marianne completed the 2018 breeding season in Tweenhills before travelling to Arrowfield in Australia. Her hobbies and interests include dressage.

Hortense Huet is a 25-year-old equine production management and economics graduate who grew up on her family’s National Hunt farm in France. She has worked in a variety of jobs within the industry, including at Arqana. Before commencing the INS course Hortense worked at Coolmore where she gained experience in all aspects of the business. Alexis Navet is from Calvados and before coming to Kildare he was stud groom at Haras d’Etreham. He has also worked for prestigious studs such as Vinery Stud, Coolmore in Ireland and Haras des Capucines.

The gender balance among the French contingent is provided by Mehdi Saci from Arles. He has a lot of international experience working with Coolmore in Ireland and Australia, Ballydoyle Racing and Hugo Palmer. His ambition is to train flat horses in Chantilly, and his interests include traveling, art, literature and football.

Oz and Kiwi trio make their mark

FROM down-under, this year the INS course welcomed two Australian students and one from New Zealand. Lachlan Peticha was another to be profiled last week as he is about to embark on the 2021-2023 Godolphin Flying Start course.

Alyssa Pickles is from New South Wales and, like Lachlan, is a graduate of the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia Fast Track programme and worked at Kitchwin Hills Stud as broodmare manager. She was runner-up in the 2020 Godolphin Stable and Stud Staff Awards in her native country, and is the recipient of the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia scholarship.

Nathan Trumper’s early introduction to the industry came through family ties when helping out at his grandparent’s stud and training establishment in Te Aroha, New Zealand. After finishing school, he travelled to Australia to work for Newgate Farm where he was involved in every aspect of stud work. Returning home, Nathan joined the team at Waikato Stud to prepare yearlings for the 2020 sale at Karaka before moving to Blandford Lodge.

British duo love their different sports

RUGBY-MAD George Prince from Staffordshire completed a degree in rural land management at the Royal Agricultural University. Following his degree he began an internship with Goffs UK in February 2020 and was involved with the inspection of youngstock, researching and editing of pedigrees. George captained Leicester Tigers Academy at under 18 and 20 levels.

The second British participant this year is another sports’ fan, Ben Shoare from Sussex. After graduating with a sports management degree, he was fortunate to get a position at Tweenhills for yearling preparation.

Ben also gained experience working for Nick Bradley and Kim Bailey. He has played cricket competitively and has a keen interest in golf.

The final student is Normarie Santiago from Puerto Rico and, as the first recipient of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship, she was profiled earlier in this series.