Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship recipient Zania Slabber gives an update on her time at the Irish National Stud.
We arrived in Ireland just over two months ago, which was quite an adjustment, coming straight from the New Zealand summer into the cold and wet Irish winter.
During my first week, I joined the stallion trail and visited studs such as Ballylinch Stud, Castlehyde Stud, and Coolmore Stud. It was a great opportunity to see some of Ireland’s top stallions up close, including Lope de Vega, Camelot, and Churchill.
I spent my first two weeks working in the foaling unit, followed by four nights on night watch, during which we foaled four mares.
My fourth week was based at the Maddenstown Yard, which is home to the dry mares and, at the time, a small group of yearlings being prepared for the Goffs February Sale.
In week five, I split my time between the Strawhall and Kildare yards. Mares with later due dates were kept at Strawhall before moving to Murphy’s or the foaling unit as they approached their due dates. The Kildare Yard housed mares and foals that had recently come from the foaling unit.
During the sixth week, I worked across the Blanford and Legends yards. Blanford is home to unvaccinated mares and foals, while the Legends Yard houses retired champions including Beef or Salmon, Faugheen, Sizing John, and Hurricane Fly.
Over the past eight weeks, I’ve learned an incredible amount and have especially enjoyed working with the foals and being involved in the foaling process itself. Being part of bringing these new lives into the world is something I find truly special.
We have an amazing group of people this year, and I’m extremely grateful to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and the Taylor family for this opportunity. It has been an invaluable experience, and I am focused on absorbing every opportunity and learning as much as I can.
