Katherine Sheridan joined the Tattersalls this year as an online sales executive, having grown up in a background in racing and later working at companies like Magic Millions, though branched out to qualify and work as an attorney in the United States. Here, she takes our questions.
Race track: Tell us your past story—where you grew up and any jobs/occupations you had prior to your blood…
Sheridan: I grew up in Blackwater, County Clare, near Limerick. My father is an equestrian veterinarian and racing enthusiast. He trained a handful of National Hunt horses and we spent most of the weekend racing, spotting or hunting north of Tipperary.
I studied law and European studies at the University of Limerick and then qualified to become a lawyer in New York, where I worked in civil litigation for a short time. If I can get a long-term visa to continue working there, I will most likely continue to do it.
respondent: And in terms of your previous racing/bloodshed experience, what does that include?
Sheridan: My first job in racing was working for Ciaran O’Brien, where I participated and assisted in races. After moving to Australia in 2012, I secured a role in Magic Millions. Given my legal background, a credit controller position was a good match for my experience at the time. This is an opportunity that I really enjoy. I gained invaluable experience and built many industry relationships while working there.
Sheridan previously worked at Magic Millions
I then took up an executive, customer relations and marketing manager position at Newhaven Park Stud in New South Wales. I spent four years in that role, where I was involved in many different aspects of running a commercial horse breeding and racing operation. I returned to the northern hemisphere 12 months ago and started my online sales executive role with Tattersalls in April.
respondent: If you could identify one thing that industry in the Southern Hemisphere does better than in the North and vice versa, what would it be and why?
Sheridan: A major strength in the Southern Hemisphere will be the amount of bonuses on offer, certainly in Australia. The opportunity to make substantial profits makes for a strong industry. The large number of service providers is constantly attracting new owners and this creates a strong level of demand. This benefits industry in the Northern Hemisphere as there is demand for European horses. Australians account for more than 100 horses purchased at Tattersalls sales this year and I think online sales can support further growth of this market.
I think there is arguably greater diversity among racehorses bred in the Northern Hemisphere. There is a great focus on breeding fast 2-year-olds in Australia. Horses from the Northern Hemisphere show success at the highest levels of racing in the Southern Hemisphere.
A significant number of horses are bought from Europe to race there each year and we often see the horses moving to run during the major racing festivals there. This raises competition and helps create a global industry, helping to ensure the longevity of the sport. We also have a much stronger jump racing industry here, which brings another exciting side to racing in the Northern Hemisphere.
respondent: Selling online has quickly become part of the scene; how did you find the half dozen Tattersalls that have held since you joined?
Sheridan: Online auctions have firmly cemented their place in the global horse sale market in recent years. We have seen extensive growth in the online space and I think they will continue to hold a strong position going forward.
My first sale in this position was the May Online Sales where we had 15 entries. We sold 14 lots and collected over 165,900 guineas (US$209,552). We closed the December Online Sale with 83 entries and sales of 638,600 guineas ($806,630) and total sales of 2.4 million guineas ($3.03 million) for the year. It is encouraging that the platform is gaining acceptance and we predict these numbers will continue to increase in the coming year.
Confidence in Tattersalls Online has certainly increased. We now host a monthly sale, giving sellers and buyers the ability to transact more often without having to go to the store, which is quite cost-effective. We are attracting new suppliers and buyers with each sale and seeing high retention rates of Tattersalls Online users by seeing them return to the platform every month.
respondent: There is an online sale in January signed; Can you tell us what else is in store in 2023?
Sheridan: The January online sale will take place January 18-19 and we have set a date for each month in 2023. After a positive end to 2022, we intend to continue to increase participation. start selling online next year. We plan to attract new customers for each sale and offer a premium product for online Purebred trading.
We are constantly looking for ways to improve the processes involved and this will remain a top priority. We will continue to grow our confidence in Tattersalls Online and hope to be the first choice when it comes to online sales in Europe.
respondent: What are the different challenges of putting together online sales, as opposed to physical auctions?
Sheridan: For many people who are selling online, this is their first experience selling this way so they are not always aware of what needs to be done before the sale takes place. There is a rapid change to health and veterinary requirements, and we need to ensure that suppliers have submitted appropriate documentation and provided their media prior to sale.
People are still getting used to the process and we try to support them as much as we can. Emphasizing the importance of good quality images and videos is an important aspect of successful online sales. To help with this, we provide a service to vendors where we curate professional photos and videos taken as part of the entry and this has become a great resource. Great for suppliers.
respondent: Do you have a favorite male or racehorse, past or present?
Sheridan: Because of my personal connection to Newhaven Park, it was great to see their resident horse monumental enjoy success with his descendants in recent years in Australia. I think he has the ability to make a very good horse.
i like to watch Baeed race this year. Although he didn’t win his swan post, I think he’s an exceptional racehorse.
International Katherine Sheridan million magic Newhaven Park Purebred sales tattersall Tattersalls Online
