GOFFS UK - Key Persons
Amanda Zetterholm became Goffs French Agent in April 2021. Amanda's focus is on attracting a greater number of French buyers to Kildare Paddocks, primarily for the Orby and November Sales as well as promoting our flagship National Hunt sales, and then ensuring any attendees have a successful, productive and enjoyable trip on each occasion.
Prior to joining Goffs Amanda held a number of roles with H.H. Aga Khan Studs in France including client relations, nominations and latterly as assistant to the racing manager. She also previously worked with leading jumps trainer David Cottin in Chantilly and is a former assistant to trainer Mike De Kock.
Amanda's role as part of the Purchaser Attraction Team ensures that customer care is at the forefront of Goffs' approach in France, as it is across the globe.
Job Titles:
- Finance Manager
- Accounts Technician
Anne is a qualified accounts technician and a member of the Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland.
Anne worked in the accounts department of the Curragh Bloodstock Agency for 24 years prior to joining Goffs in November 2005. Anne was promoted to the position of Finance Manager in January 2012. Her role includes providing relevant, accurate and timely Financial Information to the Finance Director, as well as overseeing all activities of the accounts team including delegation, planning and organizing.
Job Titles:
- HR & Compliance Executive
Barbara's role is as PA to Henry and Eimear. She also works in Administration, which includes rsvp's, sale logistics and communications. An integral part of her role includes organising accommodation and transport for clients coming to our sales, where she acts as Front of House at Reception.
Bernard joined Goffs as a bid spotter in February 2000 and has been involved at almost every sale since bringing an infectious enthusiasm to every sale. He began auctioneering in 2006 and has wielded the gavel for many of Goffs' leading graduates including Ribchester, Persuasive and Annie Power (in utero).
Bernard has also auctioned in the UK and France, and was a producer for Racing TV for 10 years before taking up his role as Head of Sales with Goffs UK. There is no harder working man on the rostrum and vendors know that Bernard will auction each lot he is allocated as if it was his own!
Job Titles:
- Senior Bloodstock Executive
Conor Wixted is the Senior Bloodstock Executive at Goffs. He is focused on bringing the customer experience to the fore and is constantly available to assist vendors and clients with any queries, and to help with all sales related matters. Conor is also part of both the Flat and National Hunt inspection teams and loves meeting breeders and vendors on their farms.
Conor has experience as a breeder and a vendor himself so is well placed to understand the needs and pressures facing a vendor before, during and after each sale. He hails from a showing background in Co. Clare and in 2019 he won the Teagasc and Horse Sport Ireland National Young Breeder Competition. Conor is very passionate about the industry and its future and is the Chairman of the ITBA Next Generation. He holds a BBS in Agribusiness and has recently completed an MSc in Supply Chain Management.
On sales days Conor is available to help, advise and assist all vendors whilst he acts as auctioneer's assistant during the conduct of the sales.
Elaine joined Goffs in 2004 and was appointed to the Board of Goffs Bloodstock Sales in 2008. Prior to joining Goffs she worked with Highclere Thoroughbred racing in Ireland.
Elaine previously worked for a number of years in the USA where she was P.A. to John Gosden and also acted as Goffs Representative in the USA from 1987 to 1990.
She then managed the very successful Oak Cliff Thoroughbred Racing, owners of Breeders Cup winner Skywalker and breeders of outstanding racehorse and stallion Sunday Silence.
George Stanners has been a frequent face on the Goffs rostrums in the UK and Ireland having joined DBS, now Goffs UK, straight from school in 2004. George's first few years with DBS/Goffs UK included stints working for Ballyhane Stud, Trickledown Stud, Furnace Mill Stud, the TBA in Newmarket, the BHA and Fasig-Tipton Co in Kentucky whilst he also graduated from the Irish National Stud Course and shadowed renowned Bloodstock agent James Delahooke at the sales.
In 2021 he took up a position as Bloodstock Manager at Yorton on the English - Welsh border and remains as a consultant to the vibrant stallion station including overseeing the successful Goffs Yorton Sales. George began auctioneering at Goffs UK in May 2007 and is a regular and often entertaining presence on the Kildare and Doncaster rostrums whilst his wide-ranging role for Goffs sees him interact with vendors and purchasers for all sales in every category and at each location.
Ger Hennessy joined Goffs as Facilities Manager in April 2008. Ger has a strong background in bloodstock and farming that includes farm manager at Barnane Stud, working with David and Alistair Pim, Geoffrey Gibbs, as well as experience running a restaurant. A native of Tipperary, Ger has a keen interest in hunting and field sports.
Ger spends all his time ensuring that the world class Kildare Paddocks is always immaculate often working around the clock, especially in lead up to sales. On sales days he is a constant presence tending to vendors needs and reacting quickly to anything and everything they want - nothing is ever too much trouble for Ger.
Job Titles:
- Junior AML & Accounts Assistant
Gillian joined the Goffs team in March 2023 as Anti Money Laundering & Accounts assistant. Since joining, Gillian has completed her Diploma in Anti - Money Laundering and assists all vendors and buyers with their applications or queries.
With an Equine Business Degree, she has worked for major consignors around the world including The Castlebridge Consignment, top Irish consignors Baroda Stud & Lanes End Farm in Lexington Kentucky so ensuring that she possesses a broad understanding of Goffs' clients.
Job Titles:
- Group Chief Executive
- Group Chief Executive of Robert J Goff & Co Plc Which Is the Parent Company
- UK Chairman & Group Chief Executive
Henry Beeby is the Group Chief Executive of Robert J Goff & Co plc which is the parent company of Goffs and Goffs UK (formerly Doncaster Bloodstock Sales Ltd or DBS) of which he is Chairman. Henry joined Goffs in 2007 following Goffs' merger with DBS.
Henry joined DBS in 1982 and has also worked for Furnace Mill Stud in England, The Irish National Stud, Coolmore and Fasig Tipton Co in New York, Florida and Kentucky. He auctioned his first horse in 1985, was appointed to the DBS Board in 1989, became Managing Director in 1998 and was appointed Chairman of Goffs UK in 2016. Henry was first involved with Goffs as a guest auctioneer in 2000-2004 and has also conducted auctions in Dubai, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Qatar, South Africa and Sweden as well as countless charity auctions every year. In 1998 he set up the Auctions of Seniority Positions for the NJPC and conducted their auctions from 1998 - 2002.
Henry has handled some of the most high profile sales at Goffs in recent years wielding the gavel for the sales of the likes of Alpha Centauri and Chicquita both of which realised 6 million (the joint highest priced horses ever in Ireland and the top prices in the world in those years in which they were sold), the Galileo own sister to Oaks winner, Forever Together (who realised 3.2million which was the world's highest priced yearling filly that year), Banimpire for 2.3 million, foals and yearlings by Frankel for 1.8 million and 1.7 million (the highest prices by the sire anywhere in the world at the time), as well as two top prices of £1.3 million at the unique Goffs London Sales in the grounds of Kensington Palace.
Henry has also served on the BHB Ownership Marketing Group, BHB Bloodstock Marketing Group, TBA NH Committee, Cartier Awards Jury, compered the ROA Awards and the TBA Awards whilst he is also a member of the Turf Club and Jockey Club Rooms. He is a former Chairman and the current Vice Chairman of the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA) and a former Chairman of the Bloodstock Industry Forum as well as an Honorary Advisor of China Horse Owners Alliance.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Bloodstock Team
Joan is a member of the Bloodstock Team with a focus on processing entries and nominations and liaising closely with the inspection team. On sales days she divides her time between the bloodstock desk in the sales office and taking online bids via the Goffs Online platform.
A graduate of both the Irish National Stud course and BHA Graduate Programme, Joan's industry experience makes her well placed to understand the needs of vendors and purchasers having spent time as assistant trainer to her father Robert Tyner, working the sales circuit in Ireland, England, America and Australia as well as stints at Yarraman Park Stud in the Hunter Valley and Dromoland Farm in Kentucky.
Prior to joining Goffs Joey Cullen previously worked with Irish Thoroughbred Marketing for 6 years where he was responsible for growing many international markets including Turkey, India, Spain and particularly the UK.
Joey is a graduate of the University of Limerick, obtaining his B.Sc. in Equine Science. While taking a keen interest in the family stud farm, he has worked in many leading operations around the world including Hollywood Park Racecourse in California and Taiki Farm in Japan. Joey became Goffs Director of Marketing in April 2011.
Joey's role in Goffs is quite diverse as Marketing Director, but the overriding objective is to achieve the highest prices for vendors and ensure that purchasers have the best experience possible when purchasing at Goffs.
To fulfil this role there are a lot of different things that have to come together, and teamwork is so important so Joey interacts with the Goffs network of agents on a regular basis. Joey's role further revolves around keeping in contact with clients and potential purchasers in different sectors of the industry that might be interested in horses across the spectrum such as Orby yearlings, HIT, NH horses of all ages as well as foals and breeding stock.
Katharina Irmer was appointed Goffs German representative in 2023.
Born and raised in Germany, Katharina's contacts and her experience of the international bloodstock industry are perfectly suited to assisting German clients with all aspects of their visits to Goffs. A former amateur and apprentice jockey who rode winners for numerous trainers and owners in Germany, Irmer then moved to Newmarket to work for Simon Crisford for two years. She graduated from the world renowned Irish National Stud Course in 2017 before joining the team at Arrowfield Stud in Australia and has worked sales seasons for Chasemore Farm, Grove Stud, Castlebridge, and was sales assistant to Anthony Stroud as well as Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock.
As a buyer herself, Irmer has purchased winners under the Renello Bloodstock banner on behalf of German clients, while she has also enjoyed pinhooking success in partnership with Jerry Horan and Dolmen Bloodstock.
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing Executive
Kevin O'Ryan is a very familiar face in Irish racing as a Racing TV presenter, racecourse MC at Leopardstown, Gowran Park, Thurles and Naas, and jockey's agent to a stable full of top riders under both codes as well as running a busy breaking and pre-training yard. As such he is superbly placed as the HIT Agent for Goffs and drives entries for the London, Punchestown, Champions and Autumn HIT sales. Kevin also fronts Goffs TV at the Land Rover Sale whilst he is the son and brother of two of the country's busiest bloodstock agents in father Bobby and brother Aidan ("Mouse"), all of which means he is literally on first name terms with EVERYONE in Irish racing.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Facilities Manager
Kieran Hoey became a new familiar face at Goffs in January 2022 with his appointment as Assistant Facilities Manager. The familiarity was borne of a 10 year relationship with the Company as Kieran managed the security team at Kildare Paddocks for 10 years giving him a unique insight into the workings of the facility.
With more than 20 years as construction manager for John Sisk & Sons on such projects as Dundrum Shopping Centre and Aviva Stadium, Kieran brings invaluable support to Ger Hennessy and the facility team. On sales days that means another professional, helpful and friendly face welcomes visitors to Goffs as Kieran is another who always goes that extra mile for Goffs' clients.
Mark Richards was appointed to the newly created role of Goffs British Agent in May 2021. Based in Newmarket, Mark is the "Go To" face of Goffs in England and his focus will be on bringing British buyers to Kildare using his huge list of contacts and global experience built up during a rich and varied career. To take up the position Mark returned to Newmarket after 20 years in Hong Kong where he fulfilled a variety of roles with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, starting out as a broadcaster before being appointed Racing Club Manager and latterly Executive Manager of the International Sale for which he travelled to the major yearling sales around the world successfully purchasing horses on behalf of the HKJC
Mary is the Bloodstock Manager at Goffs. Her role entails cataloguing for sales, grading pedigrees, and looking after vendors. On sales days she assist the auctioneers on the rostrum as well as bidspotting. Mary is also part of the Goffs inspection team, where she travels to view horses for the select yearling and store sales.
Michael Hardy joined Goffs in July 2021 in the newly created role of Head of Sales, a wide ranging role with a strong focus on vendor retention and attraction, as well as the purchaser experience.
Michael is a former Gold medallist on the world famous Irish National Stud Course and also completed the prestigious Darley Flying Start before taking the position as General Manager of Margaux Farm in Kentucky for seven years to 2019. He then moved to Equilume as USA Territory Manager before accepting the offer to join Goffs.
During his time in USA he set up Hardy Racing in 2019, a racing and bloodstock consultancy advising on purchasing, pinhooking, mating plans and client portfolios which stands him in good stead in his Goffs role where he is part of our dynamic Bloodstock Management team alongside Mary Kilduff, Gerry Hogan, Neil Walsh and Andrew Nolan.
Michael's family are long time vendors at Goffs which gives him a very clear understanding of what our vendors want and how we can deliver it to them
Cashel native Michael Ryan joined Goffs as an auctioneer in November 2020. Michael earned his stripes not only by bid spotting at Goffs, but having accumulated widespread experience through the Irish National Stud course and spells working for industry leaders in Ireland, America and Australia. As an IPAV national award-winning auctioneer with a degree in Real Estate from LIT, Michael is a valued member of the Goffs auctioneering team.
Job Titles:
- Senior Digital Marketing Executive
Tim Kent - Managing Director