'This sector has historically been hard to reach' - meet Racing Welfare's man on a mission to move the dial within stud and breeding community

You’ve a lot of experience in the industry; tell us about starting out as a stud hand and rider . . .

My love of racing started young, as my uncle, Pat Kelly, was a very successful amateur jockey in Ireland. He rode plenty of winners both on the track and on the point-to-point circuit, and I spent much of my youth persuading him to take me racing with him; it’s just grown from there really. Initially, I wanted to be a jockey, however, this dream was short-lived, so I focused on riding out within the breeding sector. I did ride in a race at the Curragh for Ted Walsh though, which is an experience I’ll never forget!

After a couple of student roles at Ennell Lodge stud and Burgage Stud, I started working at Kildangan Stud under Joe Osborne and Jimmy Lenehan, riding out during the breaking season and then doing the foaling during the breeding season. Joe arranged a job for me in Australia with Arrowfield Stud, which was fantastic, before I moved on to operate as a track work-rider for Bart Cummings. I had a great time and learned a lot while I was there.

Who did you go on to work for in Britain and Ireland as you climbed the ladder?

I went to work for Jacqueline Norris as assistant at Jockey Hall Stud, and that role in particular really helped me in my career development. Jacqueline was a fantastic mentor and a great person to work for; much of what I learned during my time there, I carried throughout my career. I then took on the role of manager at Riversfield Stud in Kilmallock, County Limerick. It was a brand-new stud and it was exciting to be involved from the beginning – notable achievements from that time of my career included the pinhooking of Royal Ascot winner Laddies Poker Two and the breeding of Group 2-winning Harbour Watch.

Laddies Poker Two (Johnny Murtagh) lands a huge gamble in style in the Wokingham at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

During my time at Riversfield, I met my now wife Irene and in 2010 we moved to the UK. I started out as manager of Car Colston Hall Stud in Nottinghamshire for the Forman Hardy family. During my time at Car Colston, we enjoyed many great successes, including Group 1 winners Reckless Abandon and Brando. It has been wonderful to see Car Colston continue and to now be responsible for six individual Group 1 winners – a remarkable feat!

What was your most recent role in the industry before returning to the education sector?

After Car Colston I moved to Waddesdon Stud, owned by Lady Rothschild and under the guidance of James Wigan. This was a most fantastic time in my career – epic is the only way I can describe it really. Lady Rothschild was wonderful to work for; her love of the horse shone through, it was infectious. When Lady Rothschild sadly died in 2019, a complete bloodstock dispersal took place. It was a tough time for everyone involved at Waddesdon, however it's a time in my career I'll always have very fond memories of.

I then took on the role of manager at Branton Court Stud in North Yorkshire. It was set-up to the highest standards, with fantastic stock. Notable winners under my care were Royal Ascot-winning Dramatised, Classic-winning Fallen Angel and Breeders' Cup winner Starlust. For a farm operating for less than a decade, it's hard to comprehend the success it has already achieved.

You’re a Thrive programme coach – could you explain what that is and tell us about your interest in mental health . . .

As my career has developed, I have become more aware of the importance of support, mental health and education, and that’s when I got involved with the Thrive Programme, which is a unique, easy-to-follow training programme that teaches people the skills needed to overcome mental health issues, supercharge their self-esteem, and learn to really thrive.

My interest in mental health comes from education. Anyone can learn how to thrive, it’s just about learning and implementing a new skill set – just like learning to drive a car or ride a horse. We're all more than happy to go for driving or horseriding lessons and training to get better and improve our skill set, but not so keen on learning one of the most important skill sets in life: how to manage our thinking!  

What was the thinking behind Racing Welfare’s recruitment of you as a community engagement officer for the thoroughbred stud and breeding sector?

I was delighted to be offered the role at Racing Welfare – my manager says my knowledge of, and passion for, the thoroughbred breeding and stud sector makes me an asset to the charity and the reason why I was recruited for the role. Having worked in many different settings in the UK, Ireland and Australia, at all levels, combined with my interest in mental health and education means that I’ve got the skills needed to engage with the sector and improve access to, and outcomes of, support.

Where have the first few months in the role taken you and how is it going?

I’ve had a really busy start in the new role – visiting stakeholders and studs up and down the country to introduce myself, and raise awareness of what Racing Welfare has to offer to the industry and how to access it. I’ve only just started to scratch the surface as I try hard to raise the visibility of Racing Welfare to this sector, which historically has been hard to reach.

Tattersalls has been a regular haunt for Keith HagginsCredit: Alisha Meeder

I’ve spent a lot of time at Tattersalls recently during the busy sales period to engage with as many people as possible. I’ve also been working closely with our welfare officers across the country to gain a deep understanding of Racing Welfare’s services and the breadth of support on offer. Fundraising and community events are a big part of what Racing Welfare offers too, so I’ve attended the Racing Welfare Boat Race and coffee mornings, as well as the Christmas lunch for retirees at Epsom to see the difference Racing Welfare makes.

What and where is on the agenda as we head towards and into 2025? 

In 2025 I’ll be building upon the groundwork already undertaken in the first year and a bit of the project to reach even more people and improve access to our vital services. I’ve got some great ideas for 2025 about how to encourage more stud staff to get involved with our busy community events calendar, as well as campaigns such as Racing Staff Week, to really strengthen connections between the sector and the charity. 

Ultimately, I’d like to encourage anyone from the sector to get in touch to share their thoughts and ideas on how we can better engage with and support them and their colleagues. The better we are at engagement, the better placed we’ll be to best meet their needs.

The role was said to be part of a three-year project – what, potentially, happens once that period is up?

By the end of the project we're hoping to have achieved a strong awareness of Racing Welfare's support services among stud and breeding staff, addressing that disparity in the number of people from the sector accessing support. Longer term, the goal would be to embed this work within our existing community engagement strategy – a goal which requires secure long-term funding to be successfully achieved.

Last but not least, if we could grant a new year's wish, what would it be? 

I’m an avid carp angler, so to beat my personal best and catch a 40lb-plus carp, please!

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