Former Irish Thoroughbred Marketing representative offers a message of thanks to Scandinavian friends as he moves to pastures new.
Over the past seven years, it has been a huge privilege to represent Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) in Scandinavia.
What began as a professional role quickly became much more than that. Through my trips to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, I have been fortunate to build friendships and memories that will always stay with me.
Scandinavian racing has a unique character and spirit. Whether visiting trainers and breeders, attending racedays, welcoming clients to Ireland, or sharing some of the buzz at the sales, I have always been struck by the passion, loyalty, and warmth of the people involved.
The support shown to Irish bloodstock has been greatly appreciated and it has been incredibly rewarding to see Irish-bred horses continue to succeed in Scandinavia.
I would like to sincerely thank all owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys, racecourses, and racing professionals who supported ITM over the years and made my time in this role so enjoyable.
Many clients became genuine friends and I will always be grateful for the hospitality, trust, and collaboration shared along the way.
Although I am moving on from my role with ITM, the relationship between Scandinavia and the Irish bloodstock industry remains as strong as ever.
Ireland continues to welcome Scandinavian racing people seeking to visit sales, tour farms, or experience Irish racing and breeding firsthand.
For Scandinavian clients interested in Irish bloodstock or planning a visit to Ireland, the following contacts will be happy to assist:
- David Burns, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing: dburns@itm.ie | +353877104170
- Filip Zwicky, Goffs: filip@zwicky.dk | +4520335811
- Paul Harley, Tattersalls Ireland: paulharley@ymail.com | +447493374324
As for me, since the start of 2026 I have been in a new role as Marketing Manager at the National Equine Campus (NEC).
This a new project to redevelop the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) on the Curragh in Kildare. NEC will be part of Horse Racing Ireland and will become a national hub for education, training, and wellbeing for the Irish racing industry.
We will also be welcoming international visitors too, so hopefully some Scandinavians will soon be coming through the door.
Thank you again for seven unforgettable years.
I look forward to staying in touch and seeing many of you again soon, whether in Ireland, Scandinavia, or some other corner of the racing world.
Alex Cairns (acairns@hri.ie | +353868286507)
