2012 Students Blog - Maxine O' Sullivan
Blog 1 Maxine O' Sullivan
My name is Maxine O Sullivan and I am from Lombardstown which is just outside Mallow in Co. Cork. My Dad is a racehorse trainer therefore most of my equine knowledge is in horse racing and especially point to pointing rather than the breeding side of the industry. I have an amateur licence and I ride in point to points whenever I can and I was lucky enough to be champion Lady Rider in 2010, which was one of my favourite memories. I had been studying science in University for the last 2 years but I decided that it was not for me. My number one love is horses and I didn’t see myself pursuing a career in science after University.
I have worked in Fairchild in Maryland USA, Chantilly in France for Francois Cottin and for my Uncle Brian Meehan in Manton UK for the past three summers each job associated with riding out and working in the yards. I have also done quite a few sales in Ireland and Newmarket.
I have been here in the Irish National Stud now for over a week and I have already made so many friends. There are students from 10 different countries including Australia, New Zealand, America, China, India, Uruguay, France, Jamaica, the UK and of course Ireland. It is amazing to meet so many different people from all over the world and each have their own views and opinions. There are only 7 girls on the course this year which is nice because we are very close. I am sharing a room with Becky Palmer who is from Australia and we get on really well. I can already tell that some of these people will be friends for life. Sally Carroll who looks after us is like a second mother to us and does everything in her power to help us settle in and gets us whatever we need. All the staff on the stud are so helpful to us and most of them have done the course in the past and therefore know what it’s like. I saw my first covering this week which I found amazing. I saw Jeremy and Big Bad Bob cover two mares. I love Big Bad Bob he is my favourite stallion here he is so full of energy and has his own distinct personality which I think is important.
Unfortunately I had to start the course recovering from a broken leg which happened in late November so I have been working in the office for the first week with Jack Tuohy who is from Tipperary. We all have to do a week in the office as well as all the other yards. Hopefully my leg will heal quickly and I can go to the yards next week! The office was a great experience though so much work goes on in there that goes unseen and everyone in the office, like the other staff were so eager to help us progress.
I have come into this course hoping to learn as much as I possibly can and meet new friends from all over the world. I know already that I am definitely going to learn a lot because I have learned more here in the last week than I did in 2 years of college! I am so excited about the next 5 months and where I go from there, hopefully the world is my oyster! My dream would be to be a racehorse trainer, but I don’t like doing things in halves I want to be the best I can possibly be and get as much experience as I can. I would love to follow in the footsteps of my uncle Brian Meehan. When I leave here I would like to work with Dermot Weld on the Curragh, I love how he has both national hunt and flat horses and I think he is a fantastic trainer.
