The Stable Influence

28/07/2023

Racing scenes from picturesque Oamaru Jockey Club on a clear Winter race day.


📸 Jo Starr

07/07/2023

My interview and editing skills are getting better with practice, now up to 24 videos created for Riccarton Park.

Here's the latest, where I talked to the irrepressible Dan Fogarty, a race caller in a cadetship with TAB. At the tender age of 20 Dan has already called thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing and his future is bright. He is creating his own unique style and his enthusiasm is contagious.

I have been using Adobe Rush to edit my videos and still on a sharp learning curve - aiming for mastery rather than perfection.

12/04/2023

25/02/2023

Creating a little content at Riccarton Park Racecourse on Friday 24 February 2023, focussing on Marsh Racing's Night Raider and The Galloping Wekas' Maryweka.

Night Raider (NZ) (Belardo) was so chill before the race, he really was in the mood to run and with top jock Michael McNab on board it was almost a fait accompli.

Maryweka (NZ) (Time Test) did her syndicate and trainer Terri Rae proud, needing to navigate traffic on the bend. She has next up written all over her.

19/01/2023

Feeling creative with Adobe Creative Cloud Express.

11/01/2023

12/11/2022

I created a short video clip for the owners of Oso Savvy as a lasting memento of a two-win Cup Week.

Oso Savvy (NZ) (Savabeel) is owned by Grippers Syndicate, S J Beatson, T Carroll, E D & Mrs G N Hope, B T W McLuckie, S B Parkes, Taranaki Racing Syndicate No.3, Mrs D A Wheeler, J R Wheeler MNZM & Mrs L M Wheeler. The six-year-old brown gelding is trained by Hall of Famer John Wheeler MNZM and he was bred by Waikato Stud.

The future looks bright for this talented stayer.

07/11/2022

A little for The Stable Influence and anyone else who needs to see it.

PS: ... and comparison is the thief of joy!

created with Adobe Express by

02/10/2022

at Riccarton Park Racecourse, in the build-up to NZ Cup and Show Week.

25/09/2022

Feeling creative and happy after 'stable Sunday'.

A before and after impression of Arrowette, a three-year old thoroughbred filly.

Adobe Express

27/08/2022

Visualising a quote from Matt Haig's excellent book The Midnight Library.

This made me think that creativity may be an antidote to depression, so create more than you consume!

Created with Adobe Express and featuring a few of my favourite things.

23/08/2022

Two very different designs from playing with the backgrounds and assets of Adobe Express.

20/08/2022

Feeling creative on a Saturday night, and playing with . I love it!

And, that brings me to #1 - Create more than you consume.

I'm talking about spending too much time scrolling social media and feeling inadequate. Guilty as charged? Yep, that's me.

So before you get to that stage, have a crack at Canva (which is free) or Adobe Express and get creative. Pick out a template, and make it your own.

18/08/2022

A place for everything, and everything in its place... I can help you with that. 🧏‍♀️

A stable environment where everything has a place and a purpose is an environment where habits can easily form.
--

Change your life 1% at a time.
Daily quotes from the New York Times Bestseller
ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear

--

17/04/2022

Create more than you consume.

12/04/2022

10/04/2022

What a day for people to be back on course at Methven Trotting Club. Country racing at its best. 🍂
Harness Racing New Zealand Whatever with Wiggy

10/01/2022

Do we really need a set of resolutions simply because it's a new year?

"What if we honored that we work hard all the time to be brave, and our goal was just to keep that courage?" - Lady Gaga

So I am approaching 2022 with my ears pricked, planning a brave and courageous journey despite the inevitable hurdles.

How about you?


📸 The Digital Birdcage

04/01/2022

Loved being back on track for the annual iconic country race meeting at Omoto.

There is plenty of fresh, clean air and you're close to the action and part of a buzzing, happy crowd.

30/12/2021

"In a world where perfectionism, pleasing and proving are used as armour to protect our egos and our feelings, it takes a lot of courage to show up and be all in when we can't control the outcome.

It also takes discipline and self-awareness to understand what to share and with whom.

Vulnerability is not over-sharing. It's sharing with people who have earned the right to hear our stories and our experiences.

Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage."

p.14, Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown

May 2022 be the year where we find the courage to simply be our true selves. 🚀💛

04/12/2021

Can you sense that? Change is in the air... 🍃


Image created by Dana's Doodles

19/11/2021

I've adopted a beautiful whakataukī shared with me yesterday.

"Ma te huruhuru, ka rere te manu"
"Adorn the bird with feather, so it can soar"

I believe a a purpose of life is to help others, so this immediately resonated and tickled my heartstrings. 🥹

Do you have a favourite Māori proverb?

Photo by George Becker from Pexels

13/11/2021

And that's a wrap on Cup Week at Riccarton Park Racecourse.

The same quality racing, but different with limited crowds. Despite this the team at Riccarton did an incredible job with arranging separate enclosures for groups of people.

Let's hope we can get back on track in 2022.

10/11/2021

I've been offline for the last couple of months putting family first. So, it was an absolute treat to get back to the racetrack, even though it was behind closed doors.

Cup Week at Riccarton Park Racecourse is my favourite time of the year.

To the victor, the spoils.

18/09/2021

A brisk walk in a cool 5°C with a friend was rewarded with a shot of Vitamin D and at its finest in Spring.

It's all good for the soul. I earnt a late birthday brunch with friends, and an iced coffee as a sweet treat. 😍🌸🍃

31/08/2021

I enjoyed writing a good news story in lockdown about Keisha, a 3-year old standardbred filly who was retrieved by the horse ambulance, and now has a great future as a broodmare.

I loved connecting the dots with all of the people involved in the care of one horse to tell a good story with a great outcome.

27/08/2021

Despite being in it's been a great August. I secured a new client, minute-taking for a board, and received some fantastic feedback.

The art of minute-taking can be a challenge and I am pretty damn good at it. It takes a listening ear, a quick hand and the ability to summarise the gist of the discussion. It takes judgment to get it right and excellent attention to detail.

Get in touch and let's chat about how I can add value to your Board.

13/08/2021

Inspiration from Dylan Schmidt, Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalist.

He believed in his ability to win a medal, and he did. 🏅