Three young women working in the thoroughbred industry are heading overseas early next year to enhance their careers thanks to scholarships promoted by the NZTBA Sunline Education Trust.
The Sunline International Management Scholarship has been awarded to Kyla Robb, and due to the high calibre of applicants and the generosity of the Keith and Faith Taylor Family both Hannah Airey and Laura Macnab will study at the Irish National Stud.
According to previous International Management Scholarship winner and now NZTBA Councillor and Sunline Education Trust trustee Shannon Taylor, who is on the selection committee, the applicants this year were the best she has seen in her tenure.
“They were an amazing, talented group of young people and it is very heartening to see so many young people working in the thoroughbred industry and applying,” she said.
“So much so that we asked the Irish National Stud if we could send a second student and thanks to Faith and the Taylor family, we were able fund two students.
“The fact that we chose three women this year is testament to the fact that they have loads of passion and believe they can have a successful future in the industry and are keen to progress their careers.”
For Kyla Robb, who is currently the Broodmare Manager at The Oaks, winning the scholarship was a nice surprise.
“Honestly it means so much to me,” she said.
“It reconfirms all my hard-work in the industry has been worth it, and now the industry is helping me and giving something back.
“I want to keep striving and learning in this industry and the scholarship gives me a wonderful opportunity to do that.”
Robb will spend 30 weeks experiencing the operational infrastructure and systems at three of the world’s premier farms – Shadwell Stud in England, Coolmore Stud in Ireland and Winstar Farm in Kentucky.
“I am really looking forward to going to Kentucky as what I have heard about Kentucky is incredible, they seem to do things so differently there and with no expense is spared,” she said.
Meanwhile, Keith and Faith Taylor equine scholarship recipients Hannah Airey and Laura MacNab will travel to Kildare next January to undertake the five-month Breeding course at the Irish National Stud.
The course covers both practical and academic units covering everything from business studies, to animal welfare and pasture management. The NZTBA has been sponsoring students to the Irish National Stud for nearly 30 years.
