Following a bumper haul of nominations from Flat and Jump yards and studs across the country, the 10 shortlisted nominees in each category of the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards have today been confirmed.
Over 200 nominations had to be whittled down to the shortlisted 60 by the 12-strong judging panel. All of the nominees have been sent a certificate acknowledging their achievements in being recognised by their employer or peers.
Brough Scott, Chairman of the Judging Panel, said:
“Judging these awards is both a painful and rewarding task. Painful because of the need to put one wonderful candidate above another, but rewarding because they are the best stable staff incentives world-wide and because this year trainers have supported them in record numbers. I’d like to thank all the trainers, managers, owners and colleagues who took the time to nominate a member of staff and wish all the shortlisted candidates the best of luck in the next stage of the judging process.”
The second stage of judging is now underway and the judges will be speaking to all of the shortlisted nominees and considering written nominations in order to narrow the candidates down to three finalists per category.
The third and final stage of judging will then take place in London, on Monday 23 February, where all the finalists will be interviewed by the judges to decide the winner in each category. All winners and runners-up will be announced during the awards ceremony at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel that evening, hosted by Clare Balding and with guest presenter, Ryan Moore. Each finalist and their yard is guaranteed a share in the £120,000 of prize money kindly offered by Godolphin.
The winner of the Administration Award will be selected by the judges at the second stage of judging, with the winner invited to attend the awards ceremony in London along with the other finalists.
The winner of the Employee of the Year award will be decided by the judges from among the winners of the Leadership, Rider/Groom, Stud Staff and Dedication to Racing categories and will take home a total of £20,000 on the night, with the same amount matched and shared amongst their yard, as is the case with all prizes picked up by the finalists.
The shortlisted nominees are:
Leadership Award
Sarah Denniff (Sir Michael Stoute); Joanne Fowles (Roger Varian); Steve Howarth (Kevin Ryan); Leanne Kershaw (Jedd O’Keeffe); Lisa Kozak (Oliver Sherwood); John Lake (Barry Hills); Andrew Larnach (Mark Johnston); Kevin Mooney (Charlie Hills); Matthew Nicholls (Kim Bailey); Richard ‘Johnson’ White (Philip Hobbs).
Dedication to Racing
Bill Brown (Lady Cecil); Martin Franklin (Roger Charlton); Liam Higgins (Kim Bailey); Donna Hills (Paul Nicholls); Paul Holley (David Elsworth); Clifford Marsden (Luca Cumani); Colin Nutter (Sir Mark Prescott); Robynne Watton (Mark Johnston); Carolyn White (Dr Richard Newland); Lesley White (Mick Channon).
Stud Staff Award
Peter Beasant (Kingsclere Stud); Arthur Bell (Shadwell Estate Company); Diane Best (Cobhall Court Stud); Dale Clements (Cheveley Park Stud); Jessica Fortt (Dunraven Stud); Oleh Ihnatenko (Whitsbury Manor Stud); Ron Lott (Shadwell Estate Company); Rebecca Smith (Wretham Stud); Ginny Whales (Ashbrittle Stud); Sophie Woolf (Rushbrooke Stud).
Rider/Groom Award
Naeem Ahmed (Brian Meehan); Simon Archer (Sir Mark Prescott); Samantha Jo Bell (Richard Fahey); Jess Benfield (Charlie Longsdon); Lorraine Morris (Paul Nicholls); Joy Morton (Robert Johnson); Steve Nicholson (Ed Dunlop); Christopher Pattenden (Diana Grissell); Martyn Peake (Lady Cecil); Kate Robinson (Jamie Snowden).
Administration Award
Jo Brown (Overbury Stallions Ltd); Bee Chapman (William Jarvis); Joanna Cody-Boutcher (Philip Hobbs); Samantha Dwan (Nigel Tinkler); Judy Foxwell (Roger Charlton); Louise Kaye (James Tate); Nicky McGrath (Mark Johnston); Joline Saunders (Richard Phillips); Peter Shoemark (John Gosden); Stephanie Snell (Sir Michael Stoute).
David Nicholson Newcomer Award
Michael Brannigan (Nicky Henderson); Lucy Challoner (Scott Dixon); Tegan Clark (Olly Stevens); Charlotte Clayton (Rae Guest); Kevin Eggleton (Seamus Mullins); Sean Houlihan (Philip Hobbs); Lauren Lucas (Micky Hammond); Claudia McDougall (Sara Cumani); Tyler Saunders (Barry Hills); Ryan Timby (Rod Millman).
Notes to editors:
1. The Awards are generously sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) with support from the Racing Post.
2. The winner of each of the first five 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 the first four categories will win £2,000 each, with the same amount going to their year or stud.
The winner of the Administration Staff Award will receive £5,000, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.
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.
3. The finalists will be announced at the end of January.
4. The Judging Panel is: Judith Allen, Sally Aston, Ian Balding, Mark Bradburne, Dale Gibson, Dawn Goodfellow, Matt Mancini, Leanne Masterton, George McGrath, Dinah Nicholson, Brough Scott (Chairman), Peter Scudamore.
