Excitement is building for the 2018 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards as the 18 finalists are announced today.
The awards, now in their 14th year, recognise and reward the outstanding skills, commitment and contribution of racing’s 6,000 stud and stable staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes of the racing and breeding industries.
Having narrowed down the 256 applications to a shortlist of ten finalists in each of the six categories in December, the judges have now made their final selection of three finalists for each award.
The final stage of judging will take place in London on the day of the awards ceremony, Monday 19 February 2018, where finalists will be interviewed face-to-face by the judges who will then decide the winners and runners-up.
The results will be revealed later that evening at the awards ceremony at the Jumeirah Carlton Towers hotel in Knightsbridge hosted by ITV Racing’s Ed Chamberlin.
Brough Scott, chairman of the judging panel, said:
“The nominations for this year’s awards have been as competitive as ever, with countless examples of people going above and beyond to look after the horses in their care and keep yards and studs in working order.
“The 18 finalists are all outstanding in their own way, and the judging panel and I are looking forward to meeting them on 19 February, although our task will be as tricky as ever!”
The 2018 finalists and their nominators are:
Leadership Award
Andrea Kelly – Tim Vaughan
Jessica McLernon – Richard Fahey
Edward Murrell – Juddmonte Farms
Dedication to Racing Award
Chris Jerdin – Oliver Sherwood
Patrick Lennon – Shadwell Stud
William Reddy – Eve Johnson Houghton
Rider/Groom Award
Petra Sebestikova – Luca Cumani
Ben Stephens – Malcolm Jefferson
Faisal Tahir – Henry Spiller
Stud Staff Award
Kate Ford – Goldford Stud
Daniel James – Brookside Stud
Sarah Taylor – Mickley Stud
David Nicholson Newcomer Award
Hannah Farrell – Dianne Sayer
Josephine Saunders – Hillwood Stud
Adrian Stewart – David Loughnane
Rory MacDonald Community Award
Angela French – The Racing Centre
John & Jackie Porter – ex Injured Jockeys Fund
Peter Williams – British Racing School
The Awards were extremely well supported this year by a range of trainers and breeders, with more than 100 entries coming in the last 24 hours. Unfortunately, the entries for 7 individuals were not passed on to the judges due to an administrative error. The BHA has apologised to John Gosden, Richard Hughes, Kenneth Ivory and Philip Bamford and to the individuals they nominated. The BHA’s process for handling entries will be changed next year and those affected will be automatically entered should they so wish.
Notes to Editors:
1. The awards, sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) 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 categories are:
- Leadership Award
- Dedication Award
- Rider/Groom Award
- Stud Staff
- Rory MacDonald Community Award
- David Nicholson Newcomer Award (for those who have entered racing within the last three years)
- Employee of The Year
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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
