Clodagh Kavanagh

A total of 28 students celebrated June 26 after successfully completing a comprehensive six-month programme designed to prepare them for careers in the thoroughbred industry. The ceremony feting the 2024 Class of the Thoroughbred Breeding Management Course took place at the Irish National Stud, Co Kildare. The event, hosted by Leo Powell, began with formal addresses from Irish National Stud Board Member Clodagh Kavanagh, who delivered a speech on behalf of Chairman Dan Flinter and CEO Cathal Beale. Grace Hamilton (USA) and Tadgh McGuinness (Ireland) delivered a keynote speech on...

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...

Not many things last for 20 years these days. We live in a fast world, filled with quick fixes, often with little thought for longevity and sustainability. But still, there is great comfort to be found in a constant that stands up to the vagaries of time. One such example, which has steadfastly served our own industry for the past two decades is Godolphin Flying Start; the two-year scholarship which, every year, fully immerses 12 young enthusiasts into the Thoroughbred world on a global scale with the aim of creating...

The 2022-2024 Godolphin Flying Start trainees started their course work at Kildangan Stud in Ireland on Aug. 15. Hailing from five different countries, the trainees are as follows: Annabel Adams, New Zealand Liam Cunningham, New Zealand Sarah Kelly, Ireland Orlaith Nangle, Ireland David O'Farrell, Ireland Megan O'Leary, Ireland Anne O'Rourke, UK Susannah Jeffery, UK Jamie Smith, UK Edmond Ryan, Ireland Alexander Sausville, USA Ben Triandafillou, Australia "We welcomed our 20th Godolphin Flying Start class to Kildangan Stud this week with great satisfaction, having continued with the programme through the challenges...

The 2021 class of Godolphin Flying Star graduated via Zoom on Friday, July 2. The 12 graduates were presented with their diplomas virtually by Godolphin Flying Start graduate and Godolphin Flying Start Trustee Lisa-Jane Graffard. The dozen new graduates are: Lowri Allen (UK), Joseph Bradley (Ireland), Julie Witt (USA), Niamh O'Brien (Ireland), Rachel Wade (USA), Arvin Chadee (UK), Victoria Canessa (Argentina), Marie Rohaut (France), Toshihiro Onikubo (Japan), Emma Coleman (Ireland), Oswald Wedmore (UK) and Caitlin Smith (Australia). Both Lowri Allen and Emma Coleman achieved the joint highest grades among the...

Applications for the 2021-2023 in take of trainees for the hugely popular Godolphin Flying Start (GFS) program will be accepted beginning Dec. 1, 2020 and will remain open through Feb. 8, 2021. The online portal has been opened a month earlier than normal to provide applicants additional time in a process that has been more streamlined than ever. GFS is a two-year international management and leadership program for the Thoroughbred industry and provides its trainees with practical, hands-on work and study experiences in five different countries. "It is fantastic that...

The UK phase of the Godolphin Flying Star programme for first-year trainees has begun remotely from Ireland, Godolphin announced on Monday. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the change. This segment will contain bloodstock insurance, racing administration, nominations sales, marketing, HR, racing and veterinary management, as well as an introduction to the legal system. Other changes include the practical experience with yearlings will be undertaken at Kildangan Stud, while the two-week course on exercising racehorses will be completed at the Racing Academy and Centre for Education (RACE) instead of the...

Despite the coronavirus outbreak, the Godolphin Flying Start program continues remotely, with the majority of the participants logging in from their homes all over the world. "Most of the trainees have returned to their home countries in Australasia, Europe, the USA and Japan and they have shown their maturity and resilience in coping with the change in their learning environment," said Clodagh Kavanagh, executive director of GFS. "We are using technology to build our online community, stay engaged and deliver meaningful learning experiences as well as challenging assignments to the...