Rebecca Donovan shares her final blog from her 30 weeks abroad on the Sunline Management Scholarship. An extremely worthy recipient, Rebecca has given us great insight into her trip and has shared some remarkable experiences. Since arriving home, she has gone straight back into her role at Wentwood Grange, and we look forward to seeing what the future has instore for her. Over to you Rebecca...
From the beginning, I was always most nervous about my stop in Hong Kong. I spent a few weeks before my trip familiarising myself with the organisation online, and that definitely helped me settle in once I landed. My time at the Jockey Club was organised so I could experience as many aspects of the organisation as possible. My first week involved getting familiar with the building and local area, meeting people, and gaining an understanding of the International Sales team. Midweek, I headed to Sha Tin for the trials. At the end of the first week, I spent some time at the track with Jamie Richard towards the end of the week and had a visit to the OTTB retraining facility. Hong Kong was right at the start of the season, with the races on Sunday being the 'Season Opener.' My second week involved more overviews to gain a deeper understanding of how the Jockey Club worked, some more time with Jamie and two more days of amazing racing including Happy Valley.
On the first day at Sha Tin, I spotted four horses I had worked with in the past, including one I had known since it was a foal! It was exciting to have that personal connection to the industry here and to know where the horses go after you load them onto the truck to head to Hong Kong. I had a mental picture of what the stables and facilities were like in Hong Kong from what I had seen online, but seeing it in person was a whole different experience. They have their own state-of-the-art equine hospital on-site, which services not only the racehorses but also horses in the private stables around Hong Kong. The stable blocks at the racecourse are split into two areas: one being the original multi-story blocks you are used to seeing, and the other being the Olympic Stables at the other end of the track. The Olympic Stables were constructed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and are all single-level. Both stable complexes have swimming pools, a horse walker for every trainer, a school (or as we call it, a riding arena), and lunging rings. The Equine Hospital has a base at both ends of the track, each complete with a surgery room. They have their own labs on-site, MRI and CT machines, as well as some of the top equine vets from around the world.
Everything is managed in-house. The Jockey Club owns its own horse transporters, trains and provides farriers, stable staff, vet nurses, and work riders. I noticed how much emphasis was placed on upskilling and providing employment opportunities for Hong Kong citizens. The Jockey Club is also a significant supporter of the Hong Kong community, often donating to schools, community projects, and charities. Over the last decade, the club has approved an average of HK$5.7 billion per year to the community. In 2023/24, the total approved donations amounted to HK$10.2 billion, benefiting 173 charities and community projects.
Later in my first week, I spent time shadowing Jamie Richards. As many of you know, Jamie was also a recipient of the same scholarship. It was lovely for us to have a good conversation, sharing our memories and experiences while on the Sunline Trust Scholarship. I enjoyed hearing about Jamie's experience, especially in America. During my time with Jamie, I got to see how he runs his stable day-to-day, including horse management, barrier trials, and track work. When Jamie was with Te Akau, he trained several horses I had worked with, including On the Bubbles, Sword of State, and Noverre. It was really nice to see how he runs his stable and sets his horses up for success. I really appreciated how open the entire stable and staff were to answering my many questions and involving me as much as possible in the daily stable routine. My time at Jamie's stable gave me a good understanding of the challenges faced while training in Hong Kong, and it was fascinating to discuss how he is tackling these challenges. Since the time of writing, he has had his first winner of the season, and I look forward to following his success over the rest of the season.
At the races, I got to experience almost every aspect of running such an event, including stewarding, starting stalls, broadcasting, steward inquiries, veterinary care, and more! I also spent half a day with the broadcasting team to see how they produce their programs for TV and social media. Another afternoon was spent at Beas River, which runs an OTTB retraining program and houses many retired racehorses living out their days in comfort and care. While wandering through the stalls, I noticed a horse branded from Wentwood who was now 15 years old and someone’s much-loved riding horse!
My time in Hong Kong went by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was saying my final goodbyes and boarding a plane to my final stop: Kick Collective. Kick Collective, run by fellow Kiwi and Flying Start graduate Vicky Leonard, would be a household name for many in the Southern Hemisphere. Not only do they provide social media and marketing for some of the biggest studs and racing stables in the industry, but they are also working on 'Kick Up,' which aims to promote the racing industry and counterbalance false claims that have been made about the Thoroughbred Industry. At Kick, I gained invaluable insight into social media management. Unfortunately, Vicky was flying out to America for the Keeneland Sales and to present at the Horse Racing Women's Summit in Santa Anita the day I arrived. But, there was still plenty to keep me busy! During my three weeks, I helped the team on a few exciting projects, which I look forward to seeing released in the coming months. I helped write articles, conducted research, and compiled statistics on the current market in Australia and abroad. I was really interested to learn the wide range of responsibilities that managing social media entails, and it gave me a new appreciation for the work involved. I found it was the perfect way to round off all the experiences I had up until that point.
So just like that, my journey on the 2024 Sunline Trust Scholarship has come to an end, and soon I will be back on home soil. But, reflecting on it, I don't think it’s possible for it to truly end. This scholarship has opened a door for me, and now my journey has only just begun. I started my trip back in February, spending three months of the breeding season at Coolmore Stud. I then travelled to the UK, where I spent the next four months with Goffs, Weatherbys, McKeever Bloodstock, Roger Varian Stables, and Rossdales Vets. After that, I spent two weeks in Hong Kong with the Jockey Club and Jamie Richards Racing. My final stop has been at Kick Collective, in Australia. The scholarship has allowed me to experience nearly every corner of the industry, from racing to marketing to bloodstock and breeding. I’ve had the chance to work with some of the most notable names in the industry, both human and equine. I would like to thank everyone at the NZTBA, especially Nick Johnson, for providing me with this opportunity. My biggest takeaway from the last eight months is how much our industry punches above its weight globally, and that makes me so proud to represent all of you. I cannot wait to see where this industry takes me next. Thank you all for coming along on my journey with me and reading my blog!
