Students Morgan and Olivia represent College at Tattersalls, Newmarket

The lead up to December marks an exciting time for our Equine students based at Common Leys Farm Campus as they prepare to attend the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, held between 28^th November and 2^nd December.

Each year, two students from the Horse Management Level 3 course are chosen in recognition of their hard work over the first term to represent the College and our students. This year, the chosen pair were Morgan and Olivia, second year students who were given the opportunity to go with our stud groom for three days to sell our Common Leys Stud foals.

Whilst at Tattersalls, Newmarket, the pair looked after the foals at the sale and paraded them for potential buyers. This year, our Level 3 first year students also attend for a day, watching Morgan and Olivia in action. They observed foals being sold in the sales ring, learnt about the different job roles in the sector, and received a talk from the Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA).

One of the College's foals, a colt by the stallion Without Parole and out of our broodmare Olivia Pope had a lot of interest from potential buyers and sold in the ring for 9500 Guineas. Prior to the sale, another of the College’s foals, a colt by the very fashionable stallion Havana Grey out of our broodmare All Back To Mine, was sold privately to a buyer in Ireland for £20,000.

Coral Ward, Head of Land Based Industries shared “This is an amazing experience for the students which is above and beyond the curriculum. Abingdon & Witney College is the only FE College in the country to have a thoroughbred stud, where we breed our own foals on site, using our own broodmares.

The students are involved in all stages of the breeding program; students take the Colleges' mares to be covered at the different stud farms, they look after the mares year round, assist with vets and they are carrying out pregnancy scans, assist with the foaling, and then prepare the foals for auction and attend the sales at Tattersalls Newmarket, networking with key stakeholders in the Thoroughbred Industry.”

If you are interested in learning more about our Agriculture, Animal Management and Equine courses offered at our Common Leys Farm Campus, please click the links below or register your interest for our March Open Day.