The shortlisted employees for the 2006 Stable Staff of the Year Awards, whose names are announced today, will be guests of HRH The Princess Royal at a reception ahead of the Awards luncheon in central London on Tuesday 21st February.
The Princess Royal, who has close involvement with many equine and veterinary charities and is patron of the Injured Jockeys’ Fund and Racing Welfare, will be guest of honour at the Awards, which carry prizes of £50,000 and are sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Board in association with the Racing Post.
The top three individuals as selected by the judging panel in each of the five categories are guaranteed £1,000 each, and have been drawn from some 110-plus nominations. Each individual winner, who will win £2,500, with an additional £1,000 to be shared by his or her colleagues, will now be decided upon when all fifteen employees meet the judges early next month at BHB’s Shaftesbury Avenue headquarters. The Stable Employee of the Year, to be drawn from the five individual winners, will collect a further £10,000, with the same amount to be divided amongst the staff at his or her yard.
The shortlists are as follows:
Nominee Employer Position
Senior Staff
Martin Berry Clive Cox Head Lad
Maria Leader William Muir Head Lass
Iain Williams Mark Tompkins Travelling Head Lad
Newcomer
Morgan Ely Seamus Mullins Trainee Groom
Natalie Manning Nathan Rossiter Head Person
John Taylor Henry Daly Stable Lad
Rider/Groom
Steven Simpson Henry Candy 2nd Head Lad
Gary Smith Luca Cumani Rider/Groom
Liz Welsh Philip Hobbs Rider/Groom
Special Merit/Hero
Stephen Knight Richard Hannon Overall Head Lad
Ernie Peterson Micky Hammond Stable Lad
David Tyers George Margarson Feedman
Stud Staff
John Gilbert Juddmonte Stallion Man
Michael Keegan Whitsbury Manor Stallion Foreman
Stud
Stephen Wright Conduit Farm Stud Stud Groom
BHB Marketing Director Chris John said: “The Princess Royal has a long history of supporting worthy initiatives in British Racing, and we are delighted that she will be with us on the day as guest of honour at the Stable Staff of the Year Awards.
“The judges have done a fantastic job in narrowing the nominations down, and now have the even harder task of selecting the winners early next month. The Awards themselves should once again prove a special day for all involved.”
Notes
1. The judging panel is as follows:
Newcomer – Gill Greeves, Executive Director, British Horseracing Education and
Standards Trust
Senior Staff – David Nicholson, BHB Bloodstock Representative
Rider/Groom – John Francome, Channel 4 Racing broadcaster
Stud Staff – Stephen Hadley, Showjumper
Special Merit/Hero – Chicky Oaksey, Senior Almoner, Injured Jockeys Fund
