I GREW up in Blackrock, Co Dublin, and was horse mad from an early age. My immediate family had no direct involvement with horses but a great-uncle of mine served with the British cavalry – so maybe the gene skipped the generations before finding its way back through me!

Once I completed my inter cert, I spent all my available free time working in the local stables and I took every opportunity available to a city girl to gain valuable practical experience with horses.

In 1989, after finishing school, I completed the Certificate in Agriculture and Horse Management (Green Cert) at Kildalton College. The course covered all aspects of equine care and management, including day-to-day care of the mares and young stock, foaling, breaking and sales preparation.

I really enjoyed studying agriculture and felt that if I could combine agriculture with an equine qualification, it would enhance my future employment options. I then enrolled in a four-year Agricultural Science degree with a specialism in Equine Science in Writtle College, one of the oldest agricultural colleges in Britain.

In my second year, I gained work experience on a large farm over there which had a livery yard and also did some breaking and pre-training. I then returned to Ireland to undertake the Thoroughbred Breeding and Management course at the Irish National Stud. I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent course and was delighted to be the gold medal recipient for that year. I returned to Britain after graduating and completed my final two years at Writtle College.

I continued to gain experience after leaving college, working in Ireland, Britain and across Europe. It was while I was working at Derrinstown Stud that I met my future husband! After a number of years, I returned to college and undertook a Post Graduate Diploma in Equine Studies at UCD before obtaining employment as a Specialist Equine Advisor with Teagasc.

I was based in the Munster region and the role afforded me the opportunity to work with some of the leading breeders and horsemen and women in the industry. Following that, I was appointed manager of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association in 2002, a position I held for six years.

The Association is an excellent organisation and a real force for breeders in this country, constantly lobbying on behalf of its members. My role involved dealing with all the different stakeholders in the industry - owners, trainers, racecourses, sales companies, ITM, HRI, various government departments, and the European Commission and Parliament.

In 2007 I was appointed Equestrian Sport Manager with Horse Sport Ireland. This was a fascinating time within the sport horse sector with HSI, like HRI before it, instrumental in bringing about many positive changes within the industry, which has led to many of the performance successes we see today.

MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY

I joined Maynooth University in 2008 as the Programme Director for the BBS in Equine Business. Maynooth University was very conscious of the importance of the equine industry to the region and the Irish economy and wanted to establish an equine degree course which would look at the business and financial management and administrative requirements of the sector.

They wished to create strong links with key sectors within the industry and develop an equine business management research capacity that would reflect the needs of the equine industry. I applied for the position as this was an area I was passionate about and I felt that my qualifications and work experience complemented what MU was trying to create.

At Maynooth we offer a comprehensive business degree, where students can specialise in Equine Business Management as part of their study. There are three options within the course. The first is a three-year Level 8 honours degree which incorporates a summer work placement after their first year of study.

The second option enables students to spend a year studying abroad in one of our partner institutions such as the University of Kentucky or Arizona as part of a four-year degree programme. The third option gives students the opportunity to spend a year working and gaining valuable experience in the industry, which is also recognised within their degree programme.

With MU Equine Business graduates now established in the industry, interest continues to grow in our programme and the work we undertake within the School of Business.

With a full-time job and four children under the age of 10, I don’t have much time for hobbies but I still love to go racing and to go to the local shows when I can. I also love reading and walking and spending time chilling out with family and friends.

Niamh O’Sullivan was in conversation with John O’Riordan