A hard working vet with a young family and a passion for breeding thoroughbreds, it’s amazing this man gets any time at all to watch his favourite vampire and zombie TV shows!
This week we find out more about Dr Richard McClenahan of Mullaglass Stud.
1/ Where are you from, and what got you in involved in the thoroughbred industry?
I’m from Scarva, a little village in Northern Ireland south of Belfast. Growing up I spent a lot more time with Irish Warmbloods and it was my career as a vet that first got me involved with thoroughbreds, initially at the Curragh and then in Scone.
It didn’t take me long to get hooked on the industry especially the stud side of things.
I bought my first mare in Ireland, however it wasn’t a very successful purchase at all and I spent many evenings driving the two hours to a friend’s stud were she agisted to scan her and then be there when she foaled.
When I got to Scone I fell in love with the Australian breeding industry. I don’t think I was here more than a few months when I bought my first mare and it wasn’t long before I had too many mares to agist and so bought what is now Mullaglass Stud.
2/ What does a workday in the life of Dr Richard McClenahan look like?
At this time of year it’s pretty busy between the vet clinic and the farm (plus we added a new baby into the mix three weeks ago to ensure we didn’t get much sleep this season). I generally start around 4am in the lab at the clinic and then check on any new arrivals in the foaling unit from the night before.
Most of my morning is spent vetting mares for covers at the vet clinic. It’s my wife Kim and our fantastic team of staff at Mullaglass that do all the hard work on the farm. I get to just wander around the paddocks in the evenings and weekends looking at the mares and foals and chatting with clients.
3/ Who is your favourite horse and why?
That’s easy, its Volkaspray, the dam of Hellbent, the first Group I winner I bred. She was one of the first mares I bought when I arrived in Australia. Unfortunately we were never able to get that one filly I desperately wanted from her, but she has a great life in retirement on the farm being a nanny to the weanlings these days.
4/ Tell us about the best day you had at the races or at the sales, and what made it memorable for you?
Inglis Classic sale last year has to best day so far for us. To top the sale with our Capitalist colt was an incredible achievement! Obviously watching Hellbent progress through his race career and win a Group I was equally as special.
5/ What is your favourite show on Netflix or TV?
The Walking Dead.
6/ When travel opens again where is the first place you will go?
Back to Ireland for sure, it’s been way to long since I have gotten home and the family has grown in number and there are a lot of family and friends dying to meet the kids!
7/ What is your favourite cuisine and restaurant?
I don’t know that I have a favourite cuisine, I just love good food with a good bottle of Pinot. Bannisters at Port Stephens never disappoints.
8/ Name two things on your bucket list?
Seeing the Northern Lights and breeding a Golden Slipper Winner.
9/ What’s the best advice someone has ever given you?
“Back Yourself” If you believe in something go for it, what’s the worst that can happen.
I also must say I do love the motto “ask for Forgiveness rather than Permission” though this one I won’t pass on to the kids.
10/ Tell us one thing that not many people may know about you?
My taste in television shows! Anything with vampires or zombies and I’m hooked !!
