Applications opened on Thursday, March 26, for the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horses Program’s 2026 Les Young Scholarship; an opportunity for one young industry participant to travel to the United Kingdom and complete a tailored education program at The National Stud in Newmarket.
The scholarship covers travel and accommodation costs for the recipient, who will partake in theory and practical coursework across all sectors of the Stud. They will complete a course in stud and bloodstock management, where the content will be tailored to the student’s experience and career goals.
Honouring a legacy
The scholarship is named in honour of Les Young; renowned bloodstock agent, journalist and long serving Thoroughbred Breeders NSW committee member, Young’s career spanned the length and breadth of the thoroughbred industry, as well as reaching far beyond its borders.
Known for his syndication of G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Marscay ahead of his stud career at Widden Stud, Young also managed Bob Lapointe, Robert Sangster, and Brian Mayfield-Smith under the Nebo Lodge banner, sourced breed-shaping mare Circles Of Gold (Marscay), and was a successful owner-breeder in his own right.
The late Les Young | Image courtesy of FBAA
Among his many committee positions, he served as both a representative and chairman on the Racing Industry Participants Advisory Committee, and was a foundation member in 1995 of the Equine Advisory Committee of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the precursor for AgriFutures Australia. He also served as the president of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents of Australia, for which he received life membership.
His lifelong commitment to leadership, mentorship of young people, and improving the industry around him led to the development of the scholarship by the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Program after his passing in 2019.
An eye-opening and fulfilling experience
Current scholarship recipient Miriam Drinnan will be wrapping up her course in three weeks’ time, and spoke of the fulfilling experience she has enjoyed so far. Working for the Lindsay Park team as the 2IC to the day shift supervisor at the time of her application, Drinnan was driven to apply for the scholarship on the recommendation of her coworkers and family. She also credits her former employee Daniel Nevill of Hollylodge Thoroughbreds for his encouragement to apply.
“The time here has flown by, but it’s been an incredible experience,” Drinnan said. “Being here from the start of the foaling season and spending time working with the stallions, those have been my favourite parts of the course.
“Being here from the start of the foaling season and spending time working with the stallions, those have been my favourite parts of the course.” - Miriam Drinnan
“All of the lectures and theory components have been amazing as well. We've heard from some incredible industry professionals, including vets and business people in different parts of the industry. I have had some really great opportunities along the way, such as going to the Tattersalls February sale and we also went to Cheltenham races for a day, which was something else! It was really eye-opening.”
Drinnan particularly enjoyed getting hands-on experience with the Stud’s five stallions, including Bradsell (GB) and Diego Velazquez (Ire), the latter of whom will shuttle to Swettenham Stud in 2026 for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
Bradsell (GB) | Standing at National Stud
“I have been handling the stallions with the stallion team out to their paddocks and I’ve been working in the covering shed as well, handling the teaser,” Drinnan said. “I was lucky enough to jump one of the stallions up onto a mare as well, which was really special to experience.
“Bradsell has been my favourite to work with. He’s such a lovely stallion to work with, an absolute gentleman. The stallions are all very well behaved, so it’s been a great experience. I feel like it is very hard to enter that part of the industry without having any prior experience, so I am grateful to get that opportunity.”
“I feel like it is very hard to enter that part of the industry (working with stallions) without having any prior experience, so I am grateful to get that opportunity.” - Miriam Drinnan
While she knows the Southern Hemisphere breeding sheds function a little differently, Drinnan is looking forward to making working with stallions part of her future in the industry.
“It’s completely different, but it is great to experience those differences and see the different kinds of mares that come to the shed as well,” she said. “And to experience the different way that the UK foals down as well. There has been plenty of opportunities to assist with foalings as well, which I have been really enjoying - I have been sitting up every night for a week.”
Miriam Drinnan at the Tattersalls February Sale | Image supplied
More than ever, Drinnan now feels she has a clear picture of how she wants to focus her career in the future.
“I am really focused on working with people I look up to, and spending time with people that will mentor me and help me grow further, that is a priority for me going forward,” she said.
A dream come true
Basil Nolan, a fourth generation Queensland breeder whose family run Raheen Stud, received the Les Young Scholarship two years ago and spent the first part of 2025 at The National Stud in Newmarket, where he completed the Level 3 Bloodstock Management Course as part of his studies.
The stark difference between the way farms in each hemisphere function was of real interest to Nolan, who found it eye-opening and deeply beneficial to witness the different ways farms in Europe operate.
Basil Nolan with Frankel (GB) | Image supplied
“The end goal was the same, breeding horses to sell and then race, but the way they go about it is different,” he said. “From the very start, mares foal inside and there’s lots of hands-on work, which is supported by a greater labour force there. They are hands-on with foals a lot earlier and more frequently in their formative days. It’s all reflective of having less land, more people, and a variable climate.
“It’s hard to put into words how different it is, and that was a shock to the system, but it’s been a brilliant lesson in keeping an open mind. It’s shown me there’s no right or wrong way and it’s possible to learn from and apply many of the practical approaches I saw over there.”
“It’s hard to put into words how different it is, and that was a shock to the system, but it’s been a brilliant lesson in keeping an open mind.” - Basil Nolan
Nolan also enjoyed expanding his knowledge of veterinary and husbandry techniques at all stages of the breeding process.
“I learned through the lectures and the tutorials there at the start, and then went into more in-depth learning with experienced vets who all have their own tips,” Nolan said. “I was looking at how you would treat mares that struggle to go in foal or hold a pregnancy and not just the veterinary side, but how they deal with caring for legs and prevention and treatment of injuries and rehab.”
Nolan also called it ‘like a dream’ to have the opportunity to meet stallions such as Frankel (GB), Dubawi (Ire), and Kingman (GB) in his time in the United Kingdom.
“These are horses that you hear about as a young boy in Australia, but to meet them and be face-to-face with arguably some of the best racehorses and best sires in the world, it’s something you don’t see every day,” he said. “These are some of the deepest bloodlines in the Thoroughbred world.”
Nolan has a keen intent to maintain the connections he has built in his time on the scholarship, including a network of mentors he can still draw on to this day.
“The highlight of my trip was meeting a new, diverse group that really are friends for life.” - Basil Nolan
“I went over there knowing two people and I came back with multiple new connections with those that are fully immersed in that world, contacts that I’ll hopefully have for a lifetime,” he said. “The highlight of my trip was meeting a new, diverse group that really are friends for life. I’ve got a home-away-from-home there, and they’ve become my English family.”
An opportunity not to be missed
The 2026 scholarship allows the recipient to choose to start in either September 2026 or January 2027, depending on their availability and preferences. To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30, be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and have at least two years experience in the Thoroughbred industry.
They also must have been with their current employer for at least 12 months, and must demonstrate their commitment to remaining in the industry as their career progresses after their return from The National Stud.
Applicants will need to submit a written response including their experience, their long-term career goals, and what they believe are the top five challenges or opportunities currently facing the Thoroughbred industry. As well as providing a resume, applicants will need two letters of recommendation, one from their current employer and one from another Thoroughbred industry participant.
“The National Stud program is world-class,” said Nolan. “It offers hands-on experience with mares and foals, and the chance to work alongside industry leaders to deepen my understanding of bloodstock management.
“The National Stud program is world-class.” - Basil Nolan
“This experience is expanding my practical knowledge and professional network. The chance to learn from experienced mentors and see firsthand how the thoroughbred industry operates on a global scale is something I’ll carry forward in my career.”
To anyone hopeful of getting the scholarship, Drinnan said, “have an open mind, and don’t be afraid to question everything. Having an open mind without a healthy amount of criticism is just being naive. Go into everything willing to learn and talk to everyone who is willing to teach, and have plenty of questions ready to back that up.”
Applications will be open until 5pm on Friday, May 1, and the successful candidate will be notified on Monday, May 25.
