Annelie Rodde has quickly become a recognisable face on the European sales circuit and has cut her teeth with some of the biggest consignors of foals, yearlings and breeze-up horses.
A daughter of Peter and Aline Rodde, who run the historic Gestut Westerberg in Germany, the youngster was destined to make her career in the bloodstock game.
Excitement is building for Rodde as she will offer her first batch of yearlings that she pinhooked specifically for the BBAG Yearling Sale which gets underway on Friday.
It's an exciting time for you given you are consigning horses that you pinhooked yourself at the upcoming BBAG Yearling Sale. Tell us a bit more about that.
It certainly is an exciting time as it is the first time I pinhooked horses myself. I have been involved with a few shares before but it is a whole new feeling making my own decisions and being completely responsible for my investment. I'm looking forward to selling lot 151, an Australia filly bought for €7,500, lot 166, a Zelzal filly bought for € 11, 000 and lot 172, a Cracksman filly bought for €13,500 on Friday.
What type of a horse did you target for the BBAG Yearling Sale?
I have been looking for middle distance horses that are well able to walk. I tried to go for affordable proven stallions and foals out of unexposed mares. I have been lucky to be able to buy three foals at Goffs for good value as most buyers have been looking for more precious speedier horses.
Of course, your family is steeped in racing and bloodstock history. Were you always going to go down this road?
Being outside and being active has always suited me and I have had this great passion for horses my whole life. When I was younger, I was more involved in sport horses and eventing and did not imagine going down the racing route. As soon as I turned 18, I went to the UK and have been infected with the horse racing bug ever since.
You've spent time working with some of the biggest consignors and breeze-up handlers in Britain and Ireland. Who has been some of the biggest influences on your career?
I am fortunate to have worked under successful consignors such as Malcolm Bastard, Philipp Stauffenberg, Brendan Holland and Rodgie Kavanagh. Every one of those people has taught me a great deal of what I am doing today. Our yearlings get fed the exact same as Blarney feeds his horses at Grove Stud. I try to turn them out the way Philipp has taught me with his great love to detail and I do my best to accomplish my own and our employees' horsemanship to the standard I experienced at Kildaragh.
And is there a certain direction or career path you'd like to take within the industry?
I enjoy everything from foals to two-year-olds and I am fascinated by the quick return of investment that you can achieve in the horse racing world if things do go right. I would like to pinhook as well as prep and consign foals, yearlings and hopefully breeze-up horses at European sales.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Keep yourself in good company.
Who do you admire most in the sport?
Ryan Moore.
If you weren't working in this industry what would you be doing?
Probably working for a consulting company.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully pinhooking and consigning good quality horses internationally. I'm not sure if I will be based in Germany or whether I will move abroad eventually.
Give us a sire you feel is under the radar?
Gleneagles. Every horse we have bred him has not disappointed.
And one horse to follow for the remainder of the Flat season…
Lazy Griff. Our first winner from last year's yearling draft.
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