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A conversation with: Nina Selleck

Nina Selleck has been working in the SA thoroughbred racing industry across various roles for many years.

A trackwork rider and strapper with the McEvoy stable, she’s just started a new part-time role as Clerk of the Course and also recently gained her restricted trainers permit.

We caught up with her to talk about what’s currently keeping her busy and her passion for horses.

You’ve been working with horses for a long time, how did you first get involved in the industry?

I started at Lindsay Park in 1995 when I was just a teenager, working for the Hayes family.

During this time I had the pleasure of working for many great horsemen and learnt a lot about the animal.  

I left when I started a family but I still stayed involved with horses over the years in different ways, through the kids’ pony club and my own involvement in rodeo events.

You’ve recently gained your restricted trainers permit, tell us about that.

Around 2015, I did a couple of stud seasons at Cornerstone working in the breeding barn.

Eventually, I started riding more again and got back into it six days a week with the McEvoy stable.

The McEvoys have been incredibly supportive and I still ride there now one or two days a week.

They supported me in getting my trainers’ qualification and I’ve just recently bought a racehorse to train.

That’s exciting! Tell us about your plans for the horse…

It is! She’s called Arabian Dawn. She’s currently at our property in Kapunda having a spell.

She’s been racing for a few years but she hasn’t won a race yet. I plan to give her a quieter environment, different to what she’s had in the city. She’s quite a sensitive horse so I think she will flourish with some one-on-one care.

At the moment I’m just a one woman show but I’d like to take a trainee on in the future and offer them some of the same opportunities that have been afforded to me over the years.

And you’ve now started doing some Clerk of the Course work as well – how did you get into that?

I was at the races one day and I started talking to one of the clerks and I said to him half-jokingly ‘how do I get your job?’. It just went from there really. I took our daughter’s horse out one day to give it a try and really enjoyed it.

I’m now clerking once a week or so – depending on demand and when the regular clerks need a day off.

It sounds like you’ve got plenty keeping you busy!

I love the industry so much. I just think there’s so much opportunity and so many facets you can get involved in.

I’ve had a lot of great support from different people in the industry over the years and I really take pride in the horses I work with and everything I do.

I’m happy any time I’m on a horse!

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