Stud Secretary Karen Holmes: Ten Seasons In…

Tweenhills' Stud Secretary Karen Holmes discussess her 10-year anniversay working at Tweenhills...

"My first breeding season here at Tweenhills was 2013, ten seasons later and a great deal has changed.

"You may wonder how I have time to write this in April…. multi-tasking is key! Tweenhills has expanded enormously during my time and as the infrastructure increased the workload has too. Keeping up to speed is essential even if it makes my head spin and gives me an eye twitch!

"January until June is pretty hectic with foals on the ground within the first few weeks of the new year, it is nice to enjoy seeing the new arrivals whilst there is time. However, once we hit February and the stallions start covering the office becomes a bustling hive of activity with little time for admiring the babies.

"At this time of year, I generally head to the foaling unit on my way into the office to take photographs of newborn foals so that I can send to owners straight away.

"Once at my desk the phones start to ring and off we go with the daily juggling of keeping the stallions diaries and fitting in mares for cover. Communicating with everyone on the ground with the horses, along with vets, farriers, transporters and breeders is imperative and allows what seems like chaos to come together.

"We have a very busy farm and office, no day is the same and there is never a dull moment, with the support of a great team we manage to keep the show on the road but I am as always looking forward to June and a holiday!"