After an unforgettable six months in Ireland, 2026 Irish National Stud Scholarship recipient Zania Slabber reflects on the foals, friendships and invaluable experiences that shaped her time at the Irish National Stud—and shares why anyone considering the opportunity should take the leap and apply.
Six months ago I was pulling on three layers just to face a frosty Irish morning. Now I'm settling into the Southern Hemisphere season at Trelawney, and the whole Irish National Stud course already feels like something I'll be unpacking for years.
The final stretch in Kildare was a strange mix, heads down for exams and final assignments, while also trying to wring the last drop out of a place none of us wanted to leave.
Twenty-five of us from all over the world finished the course together, and I came away with a Certificate of High Achievement to show for it.
Ask me for the highlights and it really comes down to two things: the foals and the people.
The foals, because there's nothing like helping one into the world at 2am and then, months later, watching that same little thing barrel around the paddock like it owns the place.
That slow, patient work taught me more about real stockmanship than anything else could. And the people, because you spend six months learning alongside a class drawn from nearly every racing country on the map, and you leave with friends scattered across the globe, the sort of friends that you’ll keep for life.
Beyond the yards, seeing how some of the best studs in the world actually operate, the systems, the standards, the reasoning behind every decision and it has completely reset the bar for me. It's also given me the knowledge and the confidence to start a few projects of my own in the industry, ones I wouldn't have thought of or attempted six months ago.
As for the amazing experience, I don't take any of this for granted. I grew up in South Africa, and when I moved to New Zealand I never imagined a door like this would open for me. It did because people chose to build one.
So to the Taylor family, and the Keith and Faith Taylor Family Trust behind this scholarship, thank you, for creating a pathway that lets people grow in this industry and creating opportunities for the next generation.
I also want to add a huge thank you to my lovely parents who have supported all my dreams and my lovely childhood horse who set on my interest in the industry. My advice for those wanting to apply, if you're sitting on the fence about applying: apply.
I nearly talked myself out of it, put my name in half-expecting nothing, and somehow ended up on the other side of the world. You really have no idea what might come of it until you do. Looking forward to the next couple of months at Trelawney, and I couldn't be more ready for what's ahead.
Cheers, Zania
