Godolphin Flying Start

The newest intake of Godolphin Flying Start trainees have begun their two-year training programme at Sheikh Mohammed's Kildangan Stud in Ireland. The class of 2024-2026 consists of trainees from America, Britain, France, Ireland and the Czech Republic and they will undergo training across the racing and bloodstock industry in Australia, America, Dubai and the UK. Godolphin Flying Start executive director Clodagh Kavanagh said,"We welcomed our 22nd Godolphin Flying Start class to Kildangan Stud last week. They are an enthusiastic group who are determined to forge careers in the thoroughbred industry....

by Lindy Maurice Working together. Two simple words. But such a powerful concept. And, I believe, the power behind those words represents the future prosperity of our industry. If we don't work together to solve our issues (which are remarkably the same globally), there are strong reasons to believe that we won't have an industry to delight, stimulate and inspire for future generations. For those who don't know me, I founded Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC) in 2019--with enormous help from Godolphin and many others in the racing and breeding world--as...

Elinor Wolf is joining the team of Starlight Racing and StarLadies Racing as their new director of marketing, partner relations and recruiting, the syndicates said in a release on Wednesday. Wolf has spent the past few years studying abroad and working. During that time she completed the Irish National Stud Course in 2021, graduated from the Godolphin Flying Start Program last year, and for the past six months ran Thoroughbred Country in Ireland. "I am thrilled to be relocating to the U.S. and joining Starlight Racing and StarLadies Racing full-time,"...

The 2024 Godolphin Flying Start graduation ceremony took place in the Cape Cross Centre at Kildangan Stud in Ireland on the afternoon of Friday, June 14. Invited guests included the parents of the graduating class, Godolphin management and University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School representatives who have supported the Flying Start trainees throughout their two years on the programme. Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin UK and Dubai and trustee of Godolphin Flying Start, said, "On behalf of the global Godolphin team, I congratulate this graduating class and wish...

Michael Hardy, the former Head of Sales for Goffs and general manager of Margaux Farm near Lexington, has been appointed as the new director of farm operations and property at Jim and Dana Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud, officials at the nursery announced Monday. Born into a racing family in Northern Ireland, Hardy gained early experience on his family's stud farm before completing a degree in Equine Science at the University of Limerick. He was a participant in the Irish National Stud's Management Course in addition to the Godolphin Flying Start...

The latest intake of Godolphin Flying Start trainees for the 2024-2026 term was revealed on Wednesday. The two-year Thoroughbred Industry Management and Leadership Programme features trainees from Ireland, France, Czech Republic, UK and the USA. Their course begins at Kildangan Stud, County Kildare, Ireland, on Monday, August 12. The scholarship facilitates trainees to learn and experience practical horsemanship, management operations and leadership in the global Thoroughbred industry with phases in Ireland, the UK, the USA, Australia and Dubai. The course is accredited by University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School...

They say that life is what happens to us when we're busy making other plans. But even in a game where so much turns on chance, for better or worse, you can't just throw your hands up and leave it all to fate. After all, the countervailing dynamic to life on a horse farm is unchangingly cyclical: foaling, mating, breaking, prepping, to everything there is a season. Within those patterns, sure, we know to expect much unpredictability. But that's how horses teach us the long game, to be patient and...

The 2023-2025 Godolphin Flying Start trainees began their two-year programme at Kildangan Stud in Ireland on Aug. 14. A total of five different nationalities are represented among the students, including Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and the USA. The complete list of 2023-2025 trainees are: Mitchell Whelan, New Zealand Harrison Everett, Australia Sean Cooper, Ireland Anna Cahill, Ireland George Connolly, Ireland Sam Baker, Ireland Johnny Marsh, UK Jake Swinburn, UK Daisy Fenwick, USA Gerard Donworth, Ireland Harper McVey, USA Claire Wilson, USA Godolphin Flying Start Executive Director, Clodagh Kavanagh,...

The Godolphin Flying Start programme celebrated its 20th anniversary with an alumni award ceremony and conference at the Legacy Suite at the K Club on June 29. The conference, "Impact and Influence", attracted over 100 graduates from around the world. During the prelude, the focus was on His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin Charitable Initiatives led by Godolphin Flying Start Chair Joe Osborne. Diana Cooper, Godolphin's Strategic Adviser for Charities was also among the speakers, as was Lisa Jane Graffard (Class of 2005). Class of 2008 alum Gina Bryce hosted...

Nico Archdale has joined the team at ThoroughBid and will take on the role of consignment agent; responsible for primarily sourcing flat horses-in-training to be sold online as well as building relationships with trainers and consigners. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh and the Godolphin Flying Start Programme, Archdale brings expertise from both training establishments and bloodstock agencies in the UK and abroad including America, Australia, and Dubai. "ThoroughBid is a really exciting and innovative concept and I can't wait to get started. Horses are always there to be...

Gary King, the Senior Vice President at the Thoroughbred Daily News, was the winner of the Business Excellence Award at the Godolphin Flying Start Impact and Influence Conference alumni event Thursday night at the K Club in County Kildare, Ireland. "The fact that I was voted on by fellow graduates means an awful lot," said King in accepting the award, which is voted on by the approximately 250 graduates of the program. "A couple of the other award winners touched on it as well, that people recognized what you've done...

The graduation ceremony for the latest round of students to complete the Godolphin Flying Start programme took place last Friday at Kildangan Stud in Ireland. "On behalf of the global Godolphin team, I congratulate this graduating class and wish them success and encouragement for their futures in the thoroughbred industry," said Joe Osborne, managing director of Godplphin Ireland and a trustee of Godolphin Flying Start. Australian graduate Lachlan Pethica achieved the highest grade of a distinction award, heading a group of 12 trainees from six countries, including Elinor Wolf (USA),...