I STARTED my internship at Leopardstown Racecourse 11 weeks ago and it’s turned out to be everything I could have asked for and more. When applying for jobs, it is expected that students will have accrued at least some experience during their time in college. Internships can give students the opportunity to gain that hands-on experience they need. You get to learn the do’s and don’ts and also get a good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.

My interest in horse racing stems from my father John Linehan who has always had a love for horses and that was soon passed on to me and my siblings. Growing up I was always more interested in GAA but when I was 15 years old, for a bit of fun, I said I would ride our pony Goldie around the arena. I remember I successfully navigated a small jump only to lose my balance and fall off when the pony went to turn the corner. A fitting analogy for the rest of my career in the saddle. Within six months I found myself pony racing and I was hooked.