Jockey Bursary

The annual jockey Bursary is funded by the New Zealand Ireland Fund to allow for a young stud-hand/groom to travel to New Zealand from Ireland. The Fund works with the Irish National Stud in Kildare, Ireland.

Responsible for selecting the recipient of the Bursary on an annual basis, the stud is a well established commercially working stud farm which provides breeders with boarding and breeding facilities as well as operating a successful tourism function including tours of their famous Japanese Gardens.

In New Zealand, the Fund also works with the Cambridge Stud which is situated in the Waikato Region of the North Island. It is a large privately owned thoroughbred stud farm which facilitates the arrangements for the Bursary recipient to be employed at the farm.

Throughout the period of the Bursary the recipient is offered exceptional training and opportunities for further development in the industry and this year, Patrick Kerwin was selected for the Bursary. Twenty two year old Patrick, from County Laois in Ireland is an experienced horseman keen to succeed in the horse industry, he is due to complete the Bursary in February 2006.