25th June 2024

Owl-Ringing, Dog-Whispering & Getting Hands-On: Catching Up with Chloe

Here in the beating heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds, we’re committed to building a model of sustainable rural commerce that allows local people and our native wildlife to thrive together. Putting this plan into practice requires hard work, talent and optimism. One of the ways we find these qualities is through the South Ormsby Estate Graduate Training Scheme. 26-year-old Chloe Haxby from Grimsby has just joined the scheme and she told us her story so far.

“I’m just back from studying at the University of South Florida,” said Chloe. “I was there for five years studying for a GIS (Geographical Information Systems) degree. It’s a bit of a narrow specialism so I came to South Ormsby Estate for a more open opportunity. I’ll get to try accounting, marketing, cattle management, estate management and more. I wanted to get a feel for the different things I could do. I’m also very sociable, I love animals and I wanted experience of agriculture, so this was a good move.

“It’s very different to previous jobs. I was born and raised in Grimsby and I love to travel and explore. From the age of 18, I worked as a family entertainer for Tui in Mallorca and Tenerife. It was all about getting people up and involved in fun activities. The hours were long but it was a great laugh.

“Later on, I went to a careers fair in London and found something interesting. I was only looking for ideas but a lady from an American university offered me an opportunity there and then. I ended up going to Florida on my own, knowing nobody, but it turned out brilliantly. For one thing the climate’s unbelievable, but I am a sun-worshiper.

“I’m also a scuba diver. I had marine biology in mind for my studies and Florida’s coastline is pretty good for that. The US system is different, though, and you can switch courses. It was my dream to work for National Geographic. You don’t need a specific degree if you’re not aiming to do something like nursing or engineering so I switched to GIS as a smart career-move as it combines computers and geography.

“I’m very sociable and I like being out and about. In Florida, I’d talk to homeless people on the streets. My friends thought I was crazy but you can understand and discover so much more just by engaging. I’m a little conflicted with GIS. It’s good for working remotely and can be combined with other things, but I really want to be hands-on in my day-to-day life.

“I put my scuba skills to practical use by working as a marine operations diver at a Florida aquarium. That job involved cleaning tanks and a bit of animal husbandry. That wasn’t my only involvement with animals in the USA. I’m really into dog psychology and we ended up fostering a dozen dogs from local shelters. They had all sorts of issues from being aggressive and domineering to over-excited and shy. I learned how to understand dog behaviour from an instinct point of view.

“In my apartment block, I was known as ‘the dog whisperer’. People called me up from different cities for advice. The key thing is that animals have their own responses. One problem is people treating them like children. They might not understand the human reaction they’re getting and that might reinforce bad behaviour. I could write a manual for dog-owners.

“South Ormsby Estate is helping me find out where to go in life. I can develop skills in various fields and my role changes every day. I’m currently on Estate Management with Paul Barnes. He’s the kind of guy who will get you to go and figure out a solution to a problem. That can be stressful to start with but very rewarding at the end. Every day is certainly different.

“I’m from Grimsby but I didn’t know much about the South Ormsby area when I came for an interview. My first impression was memorable. There’s the Hall, all the geese, centuries of history, the landscape and so much more. It’s huge, it’s got its own ecosystem, it’s a stunning environment and I feel privileged to be part of it.

“A major highlight so far came a few weeks ago. I went on an owl-ringing session around the Estate with Jim Lennon and Adrian Blackburn. It was quite an experience to see barn owl chicks up close and I got quite teary. In fact, it’s opened a can of worms. It inspired me to meet up with a specialist and start training to be a bird-ringer in my own right.

“Paul sent me out with Jim and Adrian and they showed me how they do what they do. They also told me how to go about getting more into it. It’s a real privilege seeing these birds up close. They seem relaxed because they instinctively play dead. The guys really know what they’re doing and the birds are docile and not under stress. They’re none the worse for the experience and it really helps with conserving them.

“We got to meet some jackdaw chicks too. It was fantastic! It wasn’t work at all. I’d have paid for that experience. How often do you get to say you’ve been hands-on with birds like this? I’d ultimately like to ring raptors but I’ll try anything and I’m looking forward to the journey.

“I’m off to the Hall right now. Major improvement work is due to happen and I’m helping to organise this. In a few weeks, I’ll be rotating from Estate Management to Cattle Management. There will be lots of new calves about and I’m really looking forward to it.”

We look for talented young people for the South Ormsby Estate Graduate Training Scheme at least once a year. If you or someone you know are interested, keep an eye on our socials. We’ll catch up with Chloe again very soon to find out more about life with the Lincoln Reds.

If you’d like to join the conversation, we’d love to hear from you. Just head to our Facebook page HERE and comment beneath the latest blog post. As ever, thanks for your support.

* Image of Florida Keys by GR via Flickr PD

Owl-Ringing, Dog-Whispering & Getting Hands-On: Catching Up with Chloe

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