IT has been really interesting participating in the ITBA Next Generation Internship Scheme. It has offered me a great insight into how the thoroughbred industry works as well as allowing me to develop my skills by gaining hands-on experience within the industry.

I have always been involved with horses, predominantly in the sport horse sector, in particular eventing, whilst also working part-time in a racing yard while studying at school. This has been my first experience in the bloodstock sector of the thoroughbred industry.

For my first placement I have been working at Yeomanstown Stud located just outside Caragh in Co Kildare.

In my time at Yeomanstown I have been mainly doing sales prep and some small pieces of work with the mares and foals. I have gained an insight into how a top stud operates and functions in the run-up to and during the busy sales season.

I have been able to see at first-hand how the stud preps its yearlings for the sales, and I have really enjoyed seeing how the yearlings developed both mentally and physically during their prep, as well as going to the sales with them.

It was an amazing experience working at the sales, seeing how the Yeomanstown team work together to get the best results for their yearlings.

Now that the yearling sales are all wrapped up for the year, I have moved on to breaking the breezers as well as prepping all the mares for winter.

When applying for this course I was looking for the opportunity to learn more about the thoroughbred industry as well as gaining hands-on experience in the bloodstock sector.

In particular, I wanted to learn how a leading stud farm operates as well as gaining knowledge in the area of conformation and pedigrees.

All of these opportunities would not have come about without the help of the whole ITBA team as well as the Yeomanstown team, especially the O’Callaghan family. I would like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to them for having me for these past few months.