Samantha Smith, the director of marketing and advertising and communications for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance considering that February 2023, can by no means keep in mind a time when horses ended up not a part of her everyday living. The native of Syracuse, N.Y., attended a horse camp as a youthful baby, been given her initial using horse when she was in center university, and competed in hunter/jumper courses. She also been given some early exposure to racing by her father, who owns Standardbreds.
Smith, 32, graduated from the University of Kentucky with an animal science diploma and a small in biology in 2014. To begin with, she deemed a career in veterinary medication and worked as a vet tech at Hagyard Equine Healthcare Institute. When she realized more about the equine marketplace, she discovered there ended up diverse alternatives that would satisfy her wish to “make a favourable affect on the wellness and properly-remaining of horses,” and shifted her emphasis.
Smith was interviewed Dec. 20, and her responses are edited for clarity and room.
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BloodHorse: What intrigued you in pursuing a position in aftercare?
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Samantha Smith: My combined enthusiasm for horse racing and the welfare and protection of the equine athlete led me to a natural fascination in aftercare. I also possess a Thoroughbred that was retired from racing, delivering me with firsthand expertise in the aftercare course of action.
BH: Prior to coming to TAA, you held other positions in the market, such as nearly 6 years at The Jockey Club. How did all those jobs put together you for your present position?
SS: All of my former experiences have significantly organized me for my present part in various ways.
During my time at The Jockey Club, I engaged in field initiatives and collaborated with subsidiary companies, attaining a in depth knowledge of the sport from numerous views. Since my time at The Jockey Club, I have labored every single calendar year throughout Breeders’ Cup in their hospitality lounges, which assisted even further my exposure to the racing field. Additionally, even though I was at The Jockey Club, I helped perform numerous activities, like OwnerView, the Pan American Conferences, and the Welfare and Basic safety Summit, additional growing my sector understanding and networking alternatives.
While doing work at The Jockey Club, I identified interest in marketing and advertising and graphic layout. To further develop these expertise and make my resume, I began my personal business exterior of organization hours, called Superfection Style, which I continue to operate, endeavor jobs for other companies in the business. Common clients involve The Jockey Club Safety Web Foundation, the Horse Racing Women’s Summit, and Racing Officials Accreditation Application. Additionally, I’ve provided marketing consulting products and services to a veterinary tech enterprise, contributing insights to enhance their total branding and advertising and marketing technique.
The desire in internet marketing and layout led to my placement just after The Jockey Club at the United States Pony Clubs as marketing and advertising and communications director. In this role, I experienced the possibility to manage a division and function collaboratively to aid a nonprofit by way of branding, promoting, and conversation efforts. It was a wonderful practical experience to see how a national nonprofit corporation functions internally, not only in the nationwide office but also with the board, volunteers, clubs and facilities, and their customers. Discovering to converse distinct styles of messaging pertinent to the respective viewers though retaining regularity with the mission and branding was just one of the greatest experiences.
All of these ordeals, in addition to my hands-on encounter with horses, made a sound background that uniquely ready me for this role at TAA.
As a little one, Smith visits 1 of her father’s Standardbreds
BH: What are your major duties at TAA?
SS: As director of advertising and communications, I lead the over-all branding, promoting system, and communications for TAA. Doing the job intently with my workforce customers in the marketing and advertising section and a focused board committee, we actively collaborate across all business departments to assure alignment with the overarching mission.
BH: With so a lot of worthy TAA-accredited aftercare organizations in the United States, how tricky is it to retain them correctly funded so they can continue to do their amazing perform?
SS: Securing ample funding for the escalating variety of accredited aftercare companies remains an ongoing effort. Ideally, a sustainable funding mechanism in the field would prioritize constant, ongoing guidance above intermittent donations. Marketing is pivotal in supporting the fundraising and occasions division by cultivating model recognition, making certain sector consciousness of our mission, and actively partaking opportunity supporters, all aimed at securing sustained aid for accredited companies nationwide.
BH: What are TAA’s most significant worries and how does the team go about addressing them?
SS: Stacie Clark, our operations expert, just wrote a story this previous 12 months on some of the problems we encounter and that Thoroughbred aftercare faces as a entire.
The racing sector, like any other, encounters inherent difficulties. From my standpoint, my motivation is to a route that will allow me to lead correctly and meaningfully inside my scope, whether for the business I perform for whole time or other providers in the market that I help in my spare time. I uncover it most powerful to emphasis on actions inside of my handle. Recognizing that we are all component of a larger sized photo, I believe that that by working correctly, I can add and set an example. Distinct messaging and efficient advertising and marketing can increase the precise missions and general plans of these businesses. In the potential, I hope my role in the business can have much more affect on enhancements, but suitable now directing attempts into places where I can proves to be the most impactful and constructive approach at this issue in my profession.
BH: If a person arrived to you and said they desired to pursue a occupation in the administrative facet of aftercare, what advice would you give them?
SS: My tips would be to get involved and find out as substantially as you can about the industry. Acquire as quite a few possibilities as achievable inside of the field total and get insights into all departments the place you have an opportunity. You may find an desire you by no means expected at first, and no practical experience is ever wasted. Just about every knowledge contributes to your skillset.
Operating for nonprofit businesses, in specific, demands the capability to use several hats and recognize the duties of individuals all over you.
Pay back awareness to what is happening in the market overall go through publications and stay tuned to current activities. In addition, prioritize getting pc experience. Likely just an further move to recognize something a very little extra highly developed, like a complicated system in Excel, online video enhancing, or leveraging analytics on social media are all examples of precious capabilities that can streamline your workflow or make it a lot more successful. Concurrently, comprehend regular kinds of conversation, as tangible components like magazines or mail are appreciated by lots of, even in the digital age. This advice is complementary, not contradictory. For case in point, you can streamline workflows by cleansing up an Excel file, mail-merging a document for standard mail, and sending the similar information through a electronic email blast—utilizing a blend of abilities to strengthen efficiency in working day-to-working day tasks.
If you are still in college, search for practical experience in public speaking and place by yourself in not comfortable circumstances to turn out to be a lot more cozy. Networking is essential. After you begin operating, network as much as you can, volunteer, and go to functions. If you have a unique interest, request somebody who retains that task to evaluation your resume, satisfy for espresso, and supply individual information.
Smith and her retired Thoroughbred, Shaylon
BH: Do you have a retired Thoroughbred?
SS: I do! His registered identify is Superfection—he is a 2010 Medaglia d’Oro out of Supercharger. His barn name is Shaylon. I adopted him from Darley when he was 3 just after he sustained a tibia fracture. Fun details about Shaylon—he was the co-sale topper at Saratoga, WinStar held a naming contest when he was born, which is where he was supplied the name Superfection and at present, he is getting ridden by the complete TAA marketing office (myself and marketing coordinator Alexis Arbaugh). He is qualified as a hunter, and we competed for a while in some hunter displays, but we moved from a display barn to a peaceful boarding facility where he at this time enjoys enjoyable in the paddock and weekly hacks.
