​Photo by: Santino Di Paola

​I grew up in Bancroft, three hours away from Woodbine Racetrack. I never imagined I would be doing what I am today. I am twenty-one and I work at Woodbine for those of you who don't know me. For now, I am hot walking and enjoying spending time with the horses. In the afternoons you can find me at the farm learning to gallop as that is my goal for next season. My long-term goal within the industry is to become a Bloodstock Agent.

I grew up around and riding horses but never anything like a thoroughbred. I first became interested in racing when my mother brought me to Woodbine 3 years ago to watch races. I remember being amazed at how fast the horses could run and how the jockeys could stay on. Later on that night after watching races I was introduced to a trainer who my stepfather was friends with. After about five minutes of talking to him I asked if I could work for him. He told me I could come in with him the next day and to be up and ready for 5am. Sure enough the next morning I managed to drag myself out of bed and was ready to start work. I decided that I liked it and started working on weekends as I was still in school at the time. 

I've came a long way since I first started at the track back three years ago. When I first started, I was very nervous around the horses. You couldn't get me in a stall with one of them unless someone else was coming in with me. To start I mostly just did all the work no one wanted to do, muck stalls, water buckets, clean tack etc. Fast forward a year and I now had a full-time job as a hot walker. I was no longer nervous around the horses as I realized they didn't want to hurt me. At the end of the summer in 2019 I began working for one of the vets as an assistant to expand my knowledge of racehorses. I'm now currently hot walking and will also return working for the vet once racing resumes. No matter where life takes me, you'll always be able to find me with a horse.