THE boardroom at the Irish National Stud is an oasis of calm on Wednesday afternoon. As crowds bustle about outside, day trippers to Tully to see the Japanese Gardens, the Irish Racehorse Experience and encounter the Living Legends, the unruffled Anne Channon explains to me why she loves her job so much.

Three years ago she was appointed to the role of education development manager, the main thrust of which is running the famous Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Management Course.