Although unlike many of the other interns I don’t have a
strong background in the racing industry, I feel that I bring a different
overview and approach to my role as intern.
My interest in racing is something that has grown and developed over the
years and now occupies a vast majority of my time. The biggest influencer in terms of my racing
interest has been my father and now it has become commonplace for us to indulge ourselves
in everything racing-related.
With my final year of Business Studies in Trinity College
Dublin on the horizon, I decided to apply for an internship which married my
love of racing with my business acumen. Not
surprisingly, I discovered that the world of work can be far withdrawn from the
concrete walls of a lecture hall. However, with the help of the team here at
Fairyhouse, led by Peter Roe and anchored by Gillian Carey and David O’Connor,
I have been able to remove my ‘blinkers’ to see how the world of work truly
functions.
A common misconception associated with the racing industry
is that it centrally revolves around horses, however having the right people
and the management of these individuals is integral to the success of the business. From grooms looking after the horses to the
winning owner, to the everyday punter, each play a crucial role in the continued
growth of the industry. The success of
the Fairyhouse team depends on people working together and it is very evident
in the office that each cog in the wheel must work in tandem in order to
achieve the desired outcome. The teamwork
and sense of belonging that is promoted in Fairyhouse makes it easy to work within
this environment.
Throughout my short time in Fairyhouse, I have been exposed
to various facets of the racing industry.
The unpredictability of racing is something that I relish as no two days
are the same and you are always kept on your toes. Fortunately my role as Fairyhouse intern has
incorporated varying duties and responsibilities from Marketing to
Operations. Some of the pre-raceday
roles David and Gillian have tasked me with include raceday promotions,
monitoring social media profiles, updating social media profiles (including
Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram), promoting sponsorship packages and
liaising with patrons regarding events and raceday experience.
My roles throughout the raceday range from preparing suites
and welcoming patrons to presenting winning connections with their prize. However, the most enjoyable part of my day is
escorting these winners to our Owners and Trainers Lounge where I replay the
race for them. This is the most rewarding
part of the job and gives me the opportunity to network with some of Ireland’s
most prestigious owners and trainers.
The opportunity to be selected for this coveted internship
programme has been amazing and I, along with the other interns have been
afforded the opportunity to further develop our knowledge of this complex
industry by visiting some of Irelands most esteemed stud farms. The impeccable grounds which The National
Stud and Kildangan Stud boast, play host to some past and future stallion stars.
The thing that struck and impressed me the most was that even though we had
separate presentations from the team at Kildangan, which included Joe Osborne,
Managing Director, Gerry Duffy, General Manager and Clodagh Kavanagh, Darley
International Student Programme Course Manager, it was clear to see how they
were singing off the same hymn sheet. The
most intuitive thing I learned was how crucial it is to always strive to better
yourself in any way possible, and to keep adding value to whatever you do in
life.
Looking to the future, I feel that this internship will
stand me in good stead for whatever challenges I may face. This industry is invaluable not only to the
Irish economy but also to Irish culture and heritage and it’s with that in mind
that I would like to thank Horse Racing Ireland for supplying me with a gateway
into an industry which continues to give me so much. Finally I would encourage
anyone to apply for this programme as it will enable them to grow their insight
into the thoroughbred industry while also growing themselves as individuals.