Tom Sheahan while studying at Marcus Oldham College.
Racing is in Tom Sheahan’s blood. Growing up around racehorses, he knew he wanted a career in the industry from early on; after a stint of work experience at Coolmore, he packed his bags and headed to Geelong in Victoria to undertake study at Marcus Oldham College. After an eye-opening year, he was lucky enough to win the college’s Landwades Award; this prestigious award goes to a high-achieving student from the Diploma of Horse Business Management. The prize? Return airfares to England and a year’s stint at the world-renowned Lanwades Stud.
Here, we speak to Tom about his trip of a lifetime…
What was your background with horses prior to studying at Marcus Oldham?
I grew up listening to the races on a weekend as they played on the TV. My father has always been a keen horse racing enthusiast. Breeding and racing a few horses of our own to some success really got me intrigued about the industry, so I decided to follow a passion of mine. I was lucky enough to get a job in the Hunter Valley with Coolmore Australia for a breeding season, which highlighted to me the ins and outs of a working breeding business. I left Coolmore and headed straight down to Marcus Oldham.
What led you to applying for the Diploma of Horse Business Management at Marcus Oldham College?
Wanting to learn more about the horse, I spoke to a few industry participants and ex-graduates who led me to Marcus Oldham. I now have a tertiary diploma in Horse Business Management and it’s something I don’t regret doing!
What was the highlight of your time studying at Marcus Oldham/what was the best thing about the course you undertook?
I met some great like-minded individuals. I also visited many fantastic places and underwent some great work experience opportunities at Widden Stud, Australia and Rich Hill in New Zealand. Getting involved in the AI (Artificial Insemination) process was a great eye opener for the future, as it’s not accepted in the thoroughbred industry, yet. Lastly, undergoing a 6-week horse breaking-in process was truly something I will always remember.
Tom experiencing the English winter.
You won an award via Marcus Oldham to work for a year at Lanwades Stud — tell us a little bit about your time there!
I was lucky enough to receive the Lanwades Stud award for a year in Newmarket, England. I am currently here and have been since January!
Currently I am heavily involved within the daily breeding operations, as well as helping out in the covering barn. This involves a combination of getting mares in foal while also looking after the newborn foals on the ground. It’s been great to put my learnings into action.
I have noticed a few slight differences compared to Australia, but overall it’s a very similar process. Newmarket is an amazing place enriched in equine history; not a day goes by where you won’t see a racehorse down the main high street or doing work on the gallops. The town has indeed been shaped around the horse. I would recommend the trip here to anyone seeking a great international experience. I could definitely see myself coming to work here again, whether that be on a stud or as a bloodstock agent further down the road.
How do you think studying at Marcus Oldham has influenced the course of your career with horses?
Over the year, Marcus opens your eyes to the multiple opportunities within the industry that you may never have thought were out there. I now have some valuable contacts for the future, which will continue to be of significant use to me. Marcus focused my industry ambitions to breeding and bloodstock roles in the future, as well as giving me the business management skills to foster these,
In terms of your career, where do you hope to be in ten years time?
I would love to become a successful international bloodstock agent, with strong ties to Asian and European markets to highlight the depth of our Australian equine product!
If you’d like to explore Marcus Oldham, their FREE Marcus Minds Weekend event is coming on Friday June 15 – Sunday June 17 and is a fantastic opportunity for you to experience what life at Marcus Oldham might be like. For further details, visit marcusminds.com.au
This article was written in conjunction with Marcus Oldham College.
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