OVER the past 28 years, I have successfully combined two distinct careers – as manager of Anngrove Stud and auctioneer at Tattersalls Ireland. Fortunately for me, the two jobs hit their peak at different times of the year, thus allowing me to devote my full attention to both.

I was born and reared on Anngrove Stud in Co Laois, so have been interested on horses from an early age. My father, David, trained a few point-to-point winners, before standing a US-bred stallion named Lucifer at Anngrove.