When did you start working for Weatherbys and what was it that drew you to the company originally?

I have always had a passion for horse racing and breeding since my early teenage years and was keen to have a career that was also my hobby. I joined Weatherbys in 1997 on a work placement and got offered a full-time role in the General Stud Book Department working as Foal Registration Administrator, before moving to be Stallion Registration Administrator.

After 13 years away from Weatherbys, I made a comeback in 2015 as a Business Improvement Analyst which was followed by a transfer to the Bloodstock Project team and finally to my current role of Pedigree Researcher, which is ultimately where I am delighted to be.

How would you describe the company culture and values?

Weatherbys has always been a family-oriented company, is very inclusive and prides itself on having great customer relationships with all of its clients. We also encourage our team members to develop in their roles by building up relationships and expanding their knowledge of the industry with trips and developmental activities.

It probably says it all that when I returned to Weatherbys after my sabbatical it was incredible to see so many familiar faces as my manager took me round the building. He soon had to stop his introductions - it definitely felt like I had come home!

What’s your proudest achievement or moment in your time at Weatherbys?

Being selected to go on a special Weatherbys Raceday at Ascot racecourse in recognition of the work that I had done. I had been nominated by a colleague, and there was a select few of us who were able to enjoy hospitality at the racecourse and a behind the scenes experience. I felt very privileged and honoured to have been selected to attend.

What is one thing people may not know about your role and one thing people may not know about Weatherbys?

Although my role is office-based, it also provides me with the opportunity to go out to visit clients on-site. This has allowed me to get to know clients on a personal level, gain a deeper insight and understanding of the clients’ business and also to see behind the scenes. I have been very lucky to have seen some well-known and high profile stallions.

Weatherbys has really branched out in recent years. We’re not just focused on horse racing anymore - we also provide services for the Kennel Club and other sporting events such as three-day eventing and football.

How has Weatherbys changed from your first day to now?

I would say the most noticeable difference is how much technology has moved on. When I joined in 1997 we had to type out duplicate documents such as covering certificates on typewriters and send urgent messages by fax! When I returned in 2015, technology had certainly moved on and since there has also been a lot of development on other technology such as websites and apps and a lot of new digital systems are in the process of being developed.

Within the operational activities themselves there used to be a lot more division of the departments and each area had their own space, now everything has become more open plan and there has been an increase in cross-skilling team members, meaning that the company as a whole is more united.