• Nominations open on Wednesday 6 July 2016
• Nominations close on Wednesday 16 November 2016
• Nominate online at stage.britishhorseracing.com/stablestaff

Nominations open today, Wednesday 6 July, for the 2017 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. The Awards, now in their 13th year, recognise and reward the outstanding skills, commitment and contribution of racing’s 6,000 stud and stable staff.

The Awards, sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority in association with the Racing Post, offer more than £120,000 in prize money, with up to £40,000 available to a single yard or stud. The prizes will be presented in front of an invited audience on the evening of Monday 20 February 2017 at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge, London.

Hugh Anderson, Managing Director of Godolphin (UK and Dubai), said:

“With the full support of of His Royal Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Godolphin is again delighted to sponsor these prestigious awards, which have become a firm part of the racing calendar as a showcase for the hard work and commitment of British racing’s stud and stable staff. We’re opening nominations earlier this year to allow more time for colleagues, owners, trainers, breeders and yard managers to nominate staff and thereby recognise the fantastic contribution of those who are the backbone of this great industry.”

As well as recognising and rewarding stud and stable staff, the awards are a great advertisement for racing as whole, highlighting some of the very best things about our sport –a great place to work and an industry that looks after its horses and its people. The ‘Rory MacDonald Community Award’ recognises the contribution from people to benefit the wider community. To find out more about Racing’s work in the community visit our Racing Together webpage.

William Haggas, whose employee Claire Goodenough won last year’s Dedication to Racing Award, said:

“The awards are a fabulous way for us to show appreciation of the people who work so hard behind the scenes. It is a staggeringly generous donation from Godolphin and, in particular, Sheikh Mohammed, who has always shown a keen interest in the future of young people and is well known for encouraging people to strive for the best. Sheikh Mohammed invented these awards and sponsors them extremely generously and his contribution to Racing remains unparalleled. In my opinion, this is some of the best money he ever spends on our industry.”

“Claire was a deserving recipient of the “Dedication To Racing” award last year and it has certainly changed her life. She feels that she has been rewarded for all the hard work she has put in over the years and has hugely appreciated the volume of people from all over the country who have recognised her efforts. She hasn’t changed at all in character and in her way of life but the Godolphin Awards recognised her efforts and that in itself is a huge boost to her personally and to us as a team.”

Godolphin are again offering an additional prize to the winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award to complement the £2,000 prize money for the winner and £2,000 for their yard. The winner will benefit from a five-day educational trip to Dubai to learn more about the country’s racing, culture and custom, including return flights and five nights’ accommodation in a five-star hotel.

Last year’s winner, Laura Winstanley said about her forthcoming trip:

“Dubai is somewhere I’ve always wished I could visit. It’s been my dream since before I went to the Racing School to be able to travel and see how racehorses are trained differently around the world. This is what I love about our industry, that good horsemanship translates in every country. I know that when I return I will have seen some of the best trainers and horses in the world and I am so grateful to Godolphin and the BHA for this opportunity. I hope that I will be able to continue to use everything I will learn in Dubai when I return to my job in Newmarket.”

Nominations are now open for owners, trainers, breeders, colleagues and managers to show their appreciation for hard-working members of staff.

The nomination process is very simple and is available to trainers online via the Racing Administration website.

Nominations can be completed online via: stage.britishhorseracing.com/stablestaff
Nomination forms can also be downloaded at stage.britishhorseracing.com/stablestaff and via www.racingpost.com and submitted by post, or simply text AWARDS to 07469145150 and a member of our team will send a form to you.

Notes to editors:

1. The categories are: Leadership Award, Dedication Award, Rider/Groom Award, Stud Staff, Rory MacDonald Community Award, David Nicholson Newcomer Award. (NB This year the David Nicholson Newcomer Award is for people who entered racing within the last three years)

2. The ‘Rory MacDonald Community Award’ acknowledges those who support the stud and stable staff or have made an outstanding contribution to benefit the wider racing community. The Awards provide an opportunity for the racing industry to highlight and thank the hard work put in by stud and stable staff across the country, and this award in particular acknowledges people who have had a positive impact on their community.

3. The winner of each of the first four categories will receive a prize of £5,000 with an additional £5,000 also being awarded to the winner’s yard or stud. Two runners-up in each of these categories will win £2,000 each, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.
The winner of the Rory MacDonald Community Award will receive £5,000, with the same going to a charity of their choice. The two runners-up will receive £2,000, with the same going to a charity of their choice.

The winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award will receive £2,000, with the same amount going to their yard or stud, while two runners-up will receive £1,000 each, with the same amount for their yard. There is an additional prize for the winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award, which includes return flights, a five day educational tour of Dubai together with five nights’ accommodation in a five-star hotel.

The Awards will also recognise an Employee of the Year, who will be selected from the winners of the first four categories. That winner will receive an additional prize of £15,000, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.