In honour of the tenth anniversary of the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in association with the Racing Post, the finalists for the 2014 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards will celebrate their achievements at an exclusive evening reception at the Jumeirah Carlton Towers hotel in London.
The evening event will once again be hosted by Clare Balding.
The Awards, which this year take place on 25 February, are usually held during a lunchtime reception at the Knightsbridge hotel, with the three shortlisted finalists in each of the six categories meeting with the judging panel the previous day.
The decision to make the event an evening reception was greeted with enthusiasm by several leading trainers and breeders.
Richard Aston of Goldford Stud, whose employee Cheryl Cory won the Stud Staff Award, commented:
鈥淔rom a stud staff point of view it makes more sense for it to be an evening event and it would be the best use of time to have the judging and ceremony in one day. Having said that, if they get that far the employees deserve to have the week off as they are such fantastic awards and it鈥檚 great that stud and stable staff are recognised and supported by the industry.鈥�
Mark Johnston, whose assistant trainer Jock Bennett was crowned Employee of the Year at the 2013 Awards, said:
鈥淚 thoroughly support the idea of an evening event and think it鈥檚 a great idea.鈥�
Godolphin鈥檚 racing manager Simon Crisford added:
鈥淲e are delighted that the 2014 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards will be celebrated with an evening ceremony. The 10th year of the Awards is a landmark and it is fitting that the event should be celebrated while we reward the hard work and dedication of some of Britain鈥檚 stud and stable staff.鈥�
Nominations for the 2014 Awards, which carry prize money of 拢120,000, remain open until Friday 3 January. Staff can be nominated for either: Dedication To Racing; Leadership (formerly High Achiever); Stud Staff; Rider/Groom; David Nicholson Newcomer; and Administration Staff.
A winner will be selected from a shortlist of three in each of the first five categories, while the Administration Staff award will have only one finalist. The first four categories offer a prize of 拢5,000 to the winner with the same amount awarded to their yard, while two runners-up will each receive 拢2,000 with the same amount to their yard. The Administration Staff Award offers prize money of 拢5,000 to the winner and the same amount to their yard, while the winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award will receive 拢2,000 with the same amount to their yard, and the two runners-up will each receive 拢1,000 and the same amount to their yard.
The Employee of the Year will be selected at the judging day from the winners of the first four categories, and will receive an additional 拢15,000, with the same amount awarded to their yard or stud.
Nomination forms are available for download at stage.britishhorseracing.com/stablestaff and via . Alternatively, email [email protected] or simply text AWARDS to 07584 171551 and a member of the team will arrange for a form to be sent out.
