Tara Carroll & Ivanna Dempsey, two Irish roses at Churchill
Ivanna Thompson
I was awarded a scholarship with the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation in March 2023.
This was a fantastic opportunity to travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to further my education,
knowledge, and passion for the horse industry, which was part of my Equine Science placement with
UCD. Tara Carroll and I spent the summer at Springhouse Farm, where I had to assist with the
concluding phase of the foaling season and the preparation of the yearlings for the upcoming sales.
We felt an integral part of the team throughout our time at Springhouse Farm. Gabriel (Spider)
Duignan and farm manager Dermot Joyce provided invaluable guidance that will significantly benefit
me in the future. They shared their knowledge on various aspects of horsemanship, including
developing an eye for assessing horses, understanding the confirmation of the horse, and handling
critical tasks like scanning mares and assisting foals during and after birth. They stressed the
importance of meticulous attention to detail with yearling preparation. The entire team at
Springhouse were eager to share their knowledge, including the veterinarians and chiropractors.
During the July sale, we had the opportunity to shadow buyers looking at horses. We learned
invaluable sales knowledge working with Paramount Sales, and a massive thanks to Pat Costello and
the entire team there. We worked the September yearling sale in Keeneland and the Saratoga
Yearling sale in New York and also got the opportunity to attend the races in Saratoga.
Our highlight was attending the 49th Kentucky Derby and the Oaks at Churchill Downs. What an
incredible experience! On our Sundays off, we travelled to Nashville, Red River Gorge, the Railbird
Festival in Lexington, and a Reds baseball game in Cincinnati. We also got the opportunity to ride out
on numerous occasions in Keeneland Racetrack with Andrew McKeever, and what an experience
that was.
A special thanks to everyone at Springhouse, especially Spider and Aisling Duignan, for their
generosity, dedication and support throughout the summer in developing our knowledge of the
global thoroughbred industry and providing a working environment dedicated to excellence in their
operation.
I cannot put into words how grateful I am to the Dilger family for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to be the recipient of the Gerry Dilger Scholarship. Throughout the summer, Erin, Claire, Grace and
Joseph offered support, lots of fun and assistance whenever I needed it. Whenever Gerry's name
was mentioned, I could not help but be inspired by the numerous remarkable stories about his
generosity and mentorship to young individuals. His legacy lives through his family, who continue to
carry forward his commitment to supporting young people in the industry.
