The fifteen employees to reach the shortlist within the five categories that make up the Stable Staff of the Year Awards are published today.
The individuals come from a wide range of stables and stud farms, and have been selected from a total of just under 250 nominations. The three shortlisted nominees in the five categories are guaranteed £1,000 each, and are in line for prizes totalling £50,000 at the inaugural Awards Luncheon, to be held at a central London hotel on Tuesday 5th April.
All fifteen nominees have been invited to meet the Awards judging panel, which is chaired by Brough Scott, at the British Horseracing Board’s Shaftesbury Avenue headquarters.
The judging panel will then select a winner in each category, who will collect £2,500, with another £1,000 going to their stable. One overall winner will also be decided upon, who will be presented with a cheque for £10,000 at the Awards, with his or her stable also presented with £10,000 to be divided amongst the staff. The names of all winners will be kept secret until the Awards.
The shortlists are as follows:
Nominee Position Employer
Senior Staff
Roy Barrett Head Lad Len Lungo
Jimmy Thompson Head Lad Michael Jarvis
John Wilsoncroft Head Lad Rae Guest
Newcomer
Alex Duncan Head Lass Christine Kerr
Paul Lucas Ground Staff Andrew Balding
Grace Pohl Intermediate Stud Hand Dalham Hall Stud
Rider/Groom
Kim Houghton Stable Lass Nick Littmoden
John Joyce Stable Lad Patrick Gilligan
Larry Poland Stable Man Nicky Richards
Special Merit/Hero
Lana Gazder Head Girl Les Montague Hall
Katie Lumb Head Girl Kevin Bishop
Gary Wright Head Lad Peter Cundell
Stud Staff
Tony Ashpole Paddock Manager Fittocks Stud
Clive Godfrey Stallion Man The Royal Studs
Susan Titley Head Girl Shade Oak Stud
Chairman of the judging panel Brough Scott said: “This is a terrific initiative, and we are grateful for the entries we received, all of which were of extremely high calibre. The five judges had particularly hard tasks in narrowing down their category to ten, and then three potential winners. Any of the final fifteen would be deserving overall winners, and I look forward to meeting them.”
Notes
1. The judging panel was as follows:
Newcomer – Gill Lovell, 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 – Dr Peter Webbon, Jockey Club Director of Veterinary Science and Welfare
