Huge Congrats Faith

Well done to Te Akau Stud's Faith Pollock!!  We are so very proud of you!

Faith Pollock has been named as one of two recipients of the 2027 Irish National Stud Scholarship, following a highly competitive selection process. A record number of applications - the most the NZTBA has ever received - and an exceptional depth of talent made choosing this year’s recipients no easy task - Michelle Saba reports ... 

The NZTBA is sincerely grateful to the family at Trelawney Stud for once again supporting two scholarship places, giving Faith the opportunity to travel to Ireland, learn from industry leaders and take an exciting next step in her thoroughbred careers.

School may not have been cool for Faith Pollock but five years down the track she is keen to get back in the classroom.

Especially when that classroom is at the prestigious Irish National Stud.

Faith is one of two recipients of the Keith and Faith Taylor Family Equine Scholarship which entitles the recipient to an all expenses paid trip to Ireland to attend the internationally recognised Irish National Stud Diploma Course in Thoroughbred Breeding and Management.

After five years working in the industry and now the assistant yearling manager at Te Akau Stud, Faith is keen to know exactly what is involved in producing the yearlings she loves working with.

“I’m at a place in my career where I need to move forward and to be able to get a diploma and in Ireland is something too good to turn down,” she said.

“It’s a really good opportunity, I want to understand the industry worldwide, it’s such a cool industry to be involved in.

“The great thing about the course is that people come from everywhere and I will be able to make some new connections.”

Faith didn’t come from a horsey family but grew up in a horsey environment in Coatesville, on Auckland’s North Shore.

“I just loved them, so my parents had no option but to buy me a pony. I went show jumping and retrained a few thoroughbreds and that is what piqued my interest in them.

“When I was 16, I decided that school wasn’t that cool and came and went to work for Sir David here at Te Akau, and that has given me the opportunity to learn from some of the best in New Zealand.”

Faith will travel to Ireland in mid-January, with her fellow recipient Brooke Hamilton, and on their return will spend six months putting into practice all the skills they have learnt at the Taylor Family’s Trelawney Stud.

Main picture - Faith with Imperatriz at Te Akau Stud before the superstar mare's southern hemisphere record-breaking sale for A$6.6 million.