The shortlisted nominees for the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards have been announced.
A total of 202 nominations were reviewed with the judging panel tasked with selecting a shortlist of ten candidates in each of the six categories. Both Flat and Jump yards and studs from across England, Scotland and Wales are represented by individuals with a wide range of experience, from those who have worked in racing for just 7 months to those with more than 50 years to their name.
The Rory MacDonald Community Award also recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to improving the lives of those within racing or promote racing as a force for good in their local communities.
The judges will now begin the process of selecting three finalists in each category who will be invited to London on Monday 18 February to meet with the judges ahead of the awards ceremony at the Jumeriah Carlton Tower that evening.
Brough Scott, Chair of the judging panel, said:
“For we judges here comes the best and worst task of the year. It’s been bad enough getting each category down to a shortlist of 10 from a total of 202 high quality nominations. Now we have to whittle each group down to just three. All I can promise them is that we will do it with a respect and fairness which matches the admiration and appreciation we have for their efforts every day.“
David Nicholson Newcomer Award
- Lee Aziz – Robert Stephens
- April Clarke – Jedd O’Keeffe
- James Cooke – Overbury Stud
- Hannah Crawford – Iain Jardine
- Connor Fox – Amy Murphy
- Zara Gott – Philip Hobbs
- Max McLoughlin – Cheveley Park Stud
- Charlie Richards – Andrew Balding
- Sophy Scott – Mark Johnston
- Lauren Thomas – Tim Vaughan
Leadership
- Jessica Bell – Brian Ellison
- Catriona Bissett – Nick Alexander
- Dan Horsford – Alan King
- Steve Howarth – Kevin Ryan
- Louise Kennedy – David Lanigan
- Leanne Kershaw – Jedd O’Keeffe
- Sean Mulcaire – Philip Hobbs
- Barry O’Dowd – John Gosden
- Ian Russell – David Simcock
- Jarek Stadnik – Richard Fahey
Rider/Groom
- Ian Clarkson – Micky Hammond
- Zoe Fuller – Julia Feilden
- Monika Gasparova – Ed Walker
- Sean Graham – Philip Hobbs
- Stewart Gosnell – Richard Hughes
- Javed Iqbal – Tom Dascombe
- Darren McAlinden – Nicky Martin
- Imran Shahwani – John Gosden
- Patrick ‘Paddy’ Trainor – Mark Johnston
- Jessica Wareham – Brian Barr
Stud Staff
- Noel Challinor – Northmore Stud
- Christine Chapman – Theakston Stud
- James Frank – Hascombe & Valiant Stud
- Sophie Heaps – Highfield Farm
- Tom Hughes – Hazelwood Bloodstock
- Martin Languillet – Fittocks Stud
- Andrew Snell – Cheveley Park Stud
- Kevin Tobin – New England Stud
- Anna Wesolowska – Witney Stud
- David Woodley – Dullingham Park Stud
Dedication to Racing
- John Bottomley – Ollie Pears
- David Crofts – Marcus Tregoning
- John Dixon – Roger Charlton
- Jaimie Duff – Lucinda Russell
- Helen Halliwell – James Fanshawe
- Tracey and Ray Hutt – Highclere Stud
- David Macleod – James Ewart
- Marjorie Renwick – Harriet Graham
- Joline Saunders – Richard Phillips
- Andrew Stringer – John Gosden
Rory MacDonald Community Award
- Darren Bird
- Amie Canham
- Rev. Peter Clark
- Lizzie Harris
- Deborah Hay
- Sarah Montgomery
- Andrea O’Keeffe
- Shelley Perham
- Carly Sage
- Amy Starkey
Notes to editors:
1. The judging panel: Brough Scott (Chair), Dawn Goodfellow, George McGrath, Tabitha Smith, Alice Plunkett, Mick Fitzgerald, Sally Aston, Jessica McLernon, Mark Bradburne, Ollie McPhail, Dinah Nicholson and Hazel Peplinski
2. The awards are sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in association with the Racing Post
3. The winner of the Leadership, Rider/Groom, Stud Staff and Dedication to Racing 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.
