TEAGASC Kildalton College, Piltown Co. Kilkenny offers a range of practical equine courses. Their aim is to provide knowledge and skills to help students kickstart their career in the equine industry. Employment opportunities include working on stud farms, training yards and equestrian centres.

Teagasc Kildalton College currently offers QQI Level 5 and Level 6 courses in Horsemanship and Stud Management. In the Level 5 course, students have the option to do the equitation (riding) or stud management (no riding).

Teagasc Kildalton College is currently writing a new QQI Level 7 Apprenticeship Degree “Stud Farm Assistant Manager” and the aim is to have apprentices enrolled for September 2020. The course is being designed by a consortium which consists of representatives from national equine organisations, prominent employers (stud farms) and education bodies. This three-year apprenticeship is a hands-on approach to learning and attaining qualifications while in employment. Apprentices will spend 80% of their time on a stud farm and 20% in Kildalton College. The employers’ role is to provide quality, on-the-job training to the apprentices on their stud farms.

Kildalton has a reputation for producing highly skilled graduates with an excellent work ethic. The college has developed strong links with all disciplines in the equine industry ensuring that their students have the best opportunity to find jobs once they graduate.

THE QQI Level 5 (1st year) consists of 30 weeks’ course work at Kildalton College.

Stud Management students will spend three days a week at Kildalton College doing course work and two days a week doing work experience at excellent local stud farms.

Horsemanship Students do their work placement in Kildalton, assisting in the running of the four yards in the college, with up to 60 horses onsite.

During first year students on both courses develop knowledge and skills in:

There are no minimum educational entry requirements, although students who have completed the Leaving Cert are likely to benefit most from the course. Applicants must be 17 years old or over on January 1st following entry to first year.

Application process

Apply online through the Teagasc public website: www.teagasc.ie/equine-courses/

Applicants must undergo an interview, a short written paper and a practical skills assessment.

Students with an equivalent qualification may apply for direct entry to Level 6 programme. This process will includes an interview and riding assessment.

On successful completion of the QQI Level 5 Certificate in Horse Breeding and Training programme, students may apply via online application to join the following Level 6 courses.

QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Equitation or Stud Management

THESE courses are designed to educate students to a higher level and train students to find employment in the sport horse/thoroughbred industry, or to start their own business.

Stud Management

Students come to Kildalton College for 18 weeks and complete the academic course work while developing their proficiency in handling young horses. They will learn how to set up and run their own business, and further their breeding, anatomy and physiology knowledge.

Stud students then spend 12 weeks on paid work placement on approved stud farms to develop proficiency in stud management skills. On work placement students are involved in different areas, such as foaling down mares, stallion yards, barren mares, walk-in mares, foal and yearling sales preparation, pinhooking and breeze-ups.

This gives them a broad experience of the industry. Students may also get the opportunity of going to the sales and being involved in buying, showing and selling of stock at sales.

Equitation

Students spend 28 weeks at Kildalton developing their riding, coaching and horse management skills, backing three- and four-year-olds, training young horses for sales and competitions. Students learn how to manage a team of students and horses. They will also learn how a commercial yard works, and how to run their own business.

Students also have the opportunity to work towards their Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) and British Horse Society (BHS) qualifications in coaching, riding and stable management. Kildalton is a BHS approved training centre and an exam centre, making it the ideal location for students to gain their qualifications.

On successful completion of the year two programme, students are awarded the QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Horsemanship or Advanced Certificate in Breeding which meets the training requirements for becoming a Young Trained Farmer (Green Cert).

Name: Adam Benson Byrne

I heard about the horsemanship course in Kildalton College from a past pupil who was carrying out their work placement on our yard at home. I wanted to become a professional rider and the course at Kildalton ticked all the boxes for me. Kildalton was a solid grounding for me to develop my skills in breaking, training and competing young horses. I really enjoyed how ‘hands on’ the course was, being on the yard every morning and riding daily. I am currently a Riding Officer in the Army Equitation School. It is an honour to be working and training alongside international riders and top class Irish Sport Horses. I am hoping to establish myself here and start competing successfully in the future. My advice for anyone starting out in the industry is to work hard and never give up.

Kate Leahy

I am an Apprentice Jockey to John O’ Shea in England and I have ridden 6 winners from 55 rides. I started off working in racing as a part time job on the weekends when I came home from college. When I finished college I moved to England to gain more training and experience from different racing yards and progress to getting my jockey license.

I attended Kildalton college completing my Level 5 and Level 6 certificates in horsemanship and gained an important amount of knowledge about working around horses. From learning about the anatomy of the horse in the classroom to working hands on in the yard every day with the horses, everything I have taken out of Kildalton has helped me in my racing career.

You are taught to be disciplined and hardworking which are key traits that you need to work in any equine yard. But it’s not all work and no play, the yard in Kildalton is great craic and without a doubt you will make friends for life!

Kate rode her first ever winner in Major Valentine in August 2018 and she went on to win on him 5 more times in 2019

(l-r) John O’ Shea (trainer), Brodie Hampson (Kates best friend), Kate Leahy, Lauren Drew (stable lass), Pete Smith (owner)