Steph’s excellence at Mungrup Stud

Albany’s Steph Mitchell has been rewarded for her excellence in the breeding industry, named a finalist in the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards this week.

The passionate member of the Mungrup Stud team was shocked to hear she had been named a finalist in the major equine awards that are entering their fifth year.

Mitchell is one of two finalists in the dedication to breeding category, with the winners announced at a ceremony at Randwick on September 6.

Beginning as a part-timer employee at Narrikup’s Mungrup Stud, Mitchell is now manager of the stud’s broodmares, matings, pregnancy tests and yearling preps after 10 years of hard work.

“It’s a pretty fantastic opportunity,” the 27-year-old said. “I’m honoured to be nominated, it’s amazing.

“I didn’t know I’d been nominated and when I got the call congratulating me, it was unreal.

“I started here straight out of high school as a part-timer, I fell in love with Mungrup and have been here ever since.

“I’m now the horse operations manager, it’s a big workload but we have an amazing team and I couldn’t do it without them.”

In a line of work, especially in breeding season, that can have long and tough hours, Mitchell said she loved every minute of it.

“It is very rewarding, I wouldn’t wake up every morning and come here if I didn’t,” she said.

“There is always work here and one opportunity after the next.

“I’d love to do more research into the industry and travel to visit studs in America and England and see how they work, but Mungrup will always be my home.”