MANY of the participants on the Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Management Course in 1982 would likely prefer if I did not mention that they will, in 2022, celebrate four decades since their graduation.

However, if the group of candidates that year were horses, and their pedigrees and subsequent performances were compiled, you would be looking at a collection of Group 1 and classic winners. There are so many names from that year who have gone on to become industry leaders and influencers that it must rank as one of the most outstanding years in the 50-year history of the course.

Michael Osborne was the course instigator, and its guiding light for many years. Also closely involved with the running of the programme was the late Dr Maire O’Connor, assistant manager to Michael Osborne. She joined the Irish National Stud following post-graduate work at Cornell Veterinary School in New York. Later she went to work for the Turf Club.

At the time of Maire’s graduation, female veterinary surgeons were quite a rarity still. When she studied in University College Dublin she was one of just six females in her class, and the only one to graduate. Speaking following her death in 2009, Peter Murray-Hayden, who worked alongside Maire at Tully, described her as “one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. She broke the mould.”

Maire ran the lectures for the course at the Irish National Stud, and among her pupils in 1982 was one Joe Osborne, son of Michael. He was obviously a diligent pupil and, in a class of 30, he emerged as that year’s Gold Medal winner. The Silver Medal that year was awarded to William Morgan.

Great pity

What a pity that this year’s Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association national awards had to be held virtually. The Wild Geese Award, given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry outside Ireland, went to Gordon Cunningham. A native of Tramore, Gordon is a cousin of Tracey, Sheena and Natalie Collins, and of Michael Collins in Lisieux Stud. Gordon was a member of the class of ’82 and he later found his way to New Zealand.

There he founded Curraghmore Stud in the mid-1990s, and developed it into the leading farm, sales consignor and nursery that it has become. His success has been gained through hard work, attention to detail and complete dedication, traits that no doubt were ingrained in him during his time on the stud course.

Had Gordon been able to travel home to Ireland to collect his prize, there would surely have been a great opportunity for a class reunion.

Wild Geese

The Wild Geese Award was introduced at the ITBA awards in 2013 and since then two members of the INS class of 1982 have been recipients.

First to the mark was John Troy in 2016 and on the night of his award he revealed that his entry into racing began with mitching from school to watch Royal Ascot on television, before going on to work for Jim Bolger who was then in Clonsilla, Co Dublin.

Over 30 years ago John moved to Newmarket where he has established Willingham House Stud, now a leading base for boarding mares and sales consignments.

Joe Osborne, in his role as managing director of Godolphin Ireland, would work closely with Liam O’Rourke, director of studs, stallions and breeding with Darley and based at Dalham Hall Stud. Liam too was part of the 1982 intake of students at the Irish National Stud and, having soldiered together in the trenches at Tully, he and Joe are still working side by side today.

Bonds formed

This again demonstrates one of the great strengths of courses such as that at the Irish National Stud. The connections made, bonds formed, and the network begun during these times will go on to last a lifetime.

Indeed, another positive fallout from Michael Osborne’s original initiative has been the spawning of other educational opportunities, chief among them being the Godolphin Flying Start programme, something close to the heart of Joe Osborne.

Inevitably, any attempt to synopsise a particular year of the INS course will result in the omission of names. That said, when you get a year as full of household names as the 1982 course was, it would be equally remiss not to mention other graduates.

Gregory Clarke, whose brother John was later to become chief executive of the Irish National Stud, is the farm manager at Shadwell in Kentucky. John Hernon, a member of a family steeped in bloodstock and racing, is the yearling manager at Cheveley Park Stud near Newmarket, one of the most successful independent racing and breeding entities in Britain.

Hazel McEnery

Luke Lillingston has spent a long career in the business, and 30 years ago he established Lillingston Bloodstock. He combines his work as a bloodstock agent with running his Mount Coote Stud in Co Limerick, having taken over the reins there from his father Alan. Seven females formed part of the cohort of students in 1982 and Hazel McEnery from Rossenarra Stud was one. She later worked for some 15 years at Kildangan Stud before she and her husband Tom Russell took on the running of Ballinalard Stud in Tipperary.

Tom Mullins didn’t follow the stud route as a career after completing the Irish National Stud course. He spent many years assisting his father, the legendary Paddy Mullins, before heading out on his own as a trainer.

In that role he has enjoyed top-level success with such as Asian Maze, Oscar Dan Dan, Alderwood, Bob Lingo, Klepht, Spider Web and, this season, Scoil Mear.

Last, but by no means least, one man who is always very proud to acknowledge his love for the Irish National Stud and the path it helped him on is Michael Swinburn of Genesis Green Stud. His connection was reinforced when his son Ben became a member of the class of 2020. That is a story for another week.