60 Seconds With – Benji King

1.What is your role at Brighthill Farm?

Farm Manager/ Assisting dad (Nick King)with the day to day running. I also got my trainers license in January and have 3 horses in work. I work in with Paul Richards and he keeps me in line!

2.What is your background in the breeding industry?

I was very lucky to be born into the horse industry growing up on a family stud farm.

3.What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding thing for me is looking and seeing happy mobs of horses grazing away in a nice grassy green paddock, it gets me every time.

4.What motivates you to work hard?

Watching the people I look up to working hard and setting the bar to a high standard with their enthusiasm for not only the industry, but the horses they are producing off their farms and out of their stables.

5.What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

You can learn something from everyone, good or bad.

6.Who do you look up to in the breeding industry?

There are many farms and breeders that compete at the highest level, at this stage in my career it’s hard not to look up to Gordon Cunningham (Curraghmore Farm). The horses he produces off of his property at the moment are amazing, he is flying.

7.If you could swap places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

Lewis Hamilton, so I could drive a Formula 1 car in a race,

8.If you could invite 3 people to dinner living or deceased, who would you invite and why?

John Daly for a few stories, Will Ferrell for the entertainment and Jeremy Clarkson to spice things up!

9.Do you have a favourite horse you’ve ever worked with?

I have a real soft spot for More Than Ready. He is an amazing stallion that I got to work with at a very important time of my life and it was a pleasure to work with him.

10.What advice would you give to somebody looking to get involved in the breeding industry?

Work hard, there are so many opportunities in the industry so keep trying and you will find your passion.