It Takes A Team

Welcome to TDN AusNZ’s ‘It Takes A Team’, brought to you in conjunction with the Australian Stud and Stable Staff Awards supported by Godolphin. Here we highlight and celebrate some of the heroes of our industry. The strappers, riders, stud-workers and people behind the scenes of our champions. The people who are up late into the night foaling or up at the crack of dawn for trackwork, working tirelessly to keep our industry running.

Today, we speak with Godolphin's Samantha Parkes who has been shortlisted for the Leadership Award, along with Stud Manager, John Sunderland to hear why Sam is so deserving of this recognition.

TDN AusNZ: Congratulations on being shortlisted and recognised for the Leadership Award. What does it mean to you?

Samantha Parkes: To be nominated by Simon Johnson that won last year's (2020) Leadership Award and then to be acknowledged by Simon that’s also my manager here at Godolphin Woodlands, is unreal. To be recognised by someone like that in the industry, that has already gone so far within himself. To be still so young myself, it’s an incredible feeling to be acknowledged for something like this.

TDN AusNZ: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in the industry?

SP: When I was little, I would watch my Mum ride trackwork. I was always around horses and I begged Mum for a horse. At that time, I don’t think I ever realised how close I was to the Thoroughbred Industry. Going through school, having horses and doing Pony Club I was so passionate, and I wanted to be with them all the time. If I was at home, I was with the horses helping Mum feed, ride and rug. I just know I wanted to work with horses, at the time Mum was working here at Woodlands and I had the opportunity to do my Year 10 work experience here for two weeks - I LOVED IT! I asked many questions, worked hard, showed I was passionate and interested. That lead to weekend and casual work while I completed my Year 10 certificate. At the completion of my studies, I spoke to John Sunderland (Stud Manager) to let him know I was interested in taking on a career in the industry. I was offered full-time employment with a Certificate III in Horse Breeding at Scone Tafe.

TDN AusNZ: What is your role now, and what does it involve?

SP: My role is Broodmare Supervisor. I run our busy wet mare crush here at Woodlands. I look after the mares and foals from about 12 to 16 days after they have foaled, they will come down to my crush after their foal heat. They will go into small paddocks and yards where I can assess their growth and conformation. We will bring mares into the crush for vetting each morning and have their reproductive cycle assessed by our vet Dr Sam Nugent. We do a lot of foal handling as well, which is a real team effort that we will do throughout the day. The team and I will also do daily duties, feeding, mucking out, picking yards and checking the horses.

TDN AusNZ: What excites you most about this role?

SP: It’s exciting at the start of the breeding season when the foals start being born. I am normally waiting three to four weeks before I get a mare and foal down at the Hunter Crush, so when the mares transition to me to start vetting, seeing the horses in my paddocks and having staff members come join me really is my exciting time of the year. Also, seeing mares come to my crush with a foal at foot after seeing them as foals, seeing them racing and now have made it full circle, is really rewarding.

TDN AusNZ: Who is your favourite stallion?

SP: I like Reset, I look after him in his retirement and he is a beautiful-natured stallion. I also love seeing the stallions that I have seen as foals and/or followed their racing careers like Impending, Sepoy, Helmet and Epaulette.

TDN AusNZ: What is your favourite time of year in the industry?

SP: The breeding season through to March. When mares are foaling down, and my paddocks are full of mares and foals and then onto the handling. The busy times of the year.

TDN AusNZ: Do you have any mentors who have helped you along the way?

SP: Definitely. From the very beginning John Sunderland, he has supported me from taking on this full-time position here at Woodlands and through my Certificate III he has also taught me so much over this time. My other mentors are Andrew Perryman (former assistant stud manager), James Manning (stud manager at Northwood Park), Simon Johnson (assistant stud manager), Beck Jarvis (vet nurse) and Kelly Frost (former foaling manager). There is a lot to learn from other people including our vets from Scone Equine that come to the farm.

TDN AusNZ: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to make their start in the industry?

SP: Be willing to learn, be passionate, have a good work ethic and be willing to get in and do the hard yakka! Show people that you want to be there, that you want to learn and ask a lot of questions.

TDN AusNZ: What are you looking forward to most once travel opens up again?

SP: I think it would be great for the industry when travel opens again. To see seasonal employees from overseas being able to come and work in Australia again. It would be good to see people come from other Godolphin farms from around the world.

Words from John Sunderland

TDN AusNZ: Why did you nominate Sam for this award? What is it about her that makes her such a deserving nominee?

John Sunderland: Sam has worked for Godolphin for eleven years now, and in that time, she's displayed an amazing ability to teach and lead people.

She manages one of our remarkably busy areas during the breeding season. She teaches and coaches a lot of young people that come through the industry - which include people that are undertaking courses like the Godolphin Flying Start.

We have several young people that come through every year and Sam is instrumental in looking after them, guiding and mentoring them through this busy time as they are still learning their own craft.