Young Guns: Joanne Lavery

[Wandering Eyes]

After its popularity earlier this year, Young Guns returns with all new questions and young professionals. Today we speak with Joanne Lavery, a young pinhooker completing an internship with BBA Ireland

TDN: Tell us about your career to date?

Joanne Lavery: I have been a work rider and worked full-time in a racing yard. In 2015, I bought three foals to sell as yearlings. One died from colic on the first day of prep and the other two didn’t sell as yearlings so went into training with my aunt, Sheila Lavery. Burgundy Boy (Ire) (Red Jazz) won his maiden and was placed in a Group 3 then sold to Mr. Zhang at the Goffs Champions Day Sale for €260,000. Danehill Quest (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) is still running for Sheila in my colours. He has won once and has been second three times.

In 2016 I bought two more foals despite thinking I was a failure at that stage as nothing had run for me yet. One sold at the Goffs Open Sale for a little profit. The other did not sell but is called Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), who won her maiden by 10 lengths and was second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S.

I also completed the ITBA Apprenticeship which gave me work placements in Goffs and Ballyhane Stud, and now I am at BBA Ireland doing an internship.

I am still continuing to buy foals and sell unsuccessfully as I have a lovely Red Jazz filly to run next year, who I own in partnership with my boyfriend, and made no profit on yearlings sold this year.

TDN: If you could be one person in the industry for a day who would it be and why?

JL: Aidan O’Brien. He’s a genius and it would be incredible to work with those well-bred horses.

TDN: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

JL: Nick Nugent is always pointing out people to me and telling me who they are and says that it’s very important to know people. Which is unbelievably true, especially in this business.

TDN:  What is the best aspect of your current job?

JL: I love being at the sales.

TDN:  If you weren’t working in the horse racing industry what would you be doing?

JL: I have a degree in social science, for what purpose I don’t know. So I suppose probably stressing or still studying as that degree qualifies you for nothing. Maybe I’d be a primary school teacher, I struggled through honours Irish in school to have that as a possibility.

TDN:  If you had 24 hours to get someone interested in the horse racing industry how would you do it?

JL: I would bring them to the sales to watch the horses going through the ring in the morning, straight from there to the races to watch and have a few bets. Then probably to the bar to maybe secure some commitments. Once you’re in you get hooked.

TDN: What was your biggest achievement in 2018?

JL: Lady Kaya. (More so Sheila’s achievement, but I made the final decision if she was to be sold or not! I’m glad we picked not.)

TDN: Who was your horse of 2018 and why?

JL: Apart from my own, Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy). I loved watching him run.

TDN: What is your New Year’s resolution?

JL: Keep better accounts on the business side of things as I have recently started building my own place in Drumree, Co. Meath.

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