Nominations open this Saturday, 8 July 2017, for the 2018 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, it has been announced today. The awards, now in their 14th year, recognise and reward the outstanding skills, commitment and contribution of racing鈥檚 6,000 stud and stable staff.
The awards, sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in association with the Racing Post, offer more than 拢120,000 in prize money, with up to 拢40,000 available to a single yard or stud.
The opening of the nomination window this Saturday has been timed to coincide with the final day of Racing Staff Week 2017, a cross-industry initiative developed by Racing Welfare which will applaud and highlight the role of all racing staff. Nominations will close on Tuesday 21 November 2017.
Click below to view the Godolphin Stud and Stable Awards 2018 promo video:
Hugh Anderson, Managing Director of Godolphin (UK and Dubai), said: 鈥淥n behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Godolphin is again delighted to 聽sponsor these prestigious awards. They have become a highlight of the racing calendar and reward those dedicated, hard-working people who are the backbone of our industry.鈥�
As well as recognising and rewarding stud and stable staff, the awards are an advertisement for racing as a great place to work and an industry that looks after its horses and its people. The 鈥楻ory MacDonald Community Award鈥� recognises the contribution from stud and stable staff to benefit the wider community. To find out more about Racing鈥檚 work in the community visit our Racing Together webpage.
Dawn Goodfellow, Chief Executive of Racing Welfare and a member of the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards judging panel, said: 鈥淟aunching nominations for the 2018 awards will be a fitting end to Racing Staff Week, which seeks to celebrate the passion, skill and dedication required to work with racehorses.
鈥淎s a judge for the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, seeing the hard work and dedication of our staff through the nomination process is always inspiring.
鈥淭he quality of entries goes up every year and I鈥檓 sure 2018 will be no exception.鈥�
The winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award will once again will benefit from a five-day educational trip to Dubai to learn more about the country鈥檚 racing, culture and custom. The prize includes return flights and five nights鈥� accommodation in a five-star hotel and is in addition to the 拢2,000 prize money for the winner and 拢2,000 for their yard, courtesy of Godolphin.
Last year鈥檚 winner of the Employee of The Year Award, Terry Doherty, said: 鈥淚 truly believe these awards are the biggest thank you to all those people who have a passion for horses within our industry.
鈥淚t is this passion that drives them to work as hard as they all do. It is not the hardest thing in the world to nominate someone you feel deserves it but by doing so it could mean everything in the world to them.鈥�
Nominations are now open for owners, trainers, breeders, colleagues and managers to show their appreciation for hard-working members of staff.
The nomination process is very simple and is available to trainers online via the Racing Administration website. Nominations can also be completed or downloaded via and .
Notes to editors:
1.聽聽 聽The categories are: Leadership Award, Dedication Award, Rider/Groom Award, Stud Staff, Rory MacDonald Community Award and David Nicholson Newcomer Award (n.b. the David Nicholson Newcomer Award is for people who entered racing within the last three years).
2. The 鈥楻ory MacDonald Community Award鈥� acknowledges those who support the stud and stable staff or have made an outstanding contribution to benefit the wider racing community. The Awards provide an opportunity for the racing industry to highlight and thank the hard work put in by stud and stable staff across the country, and this award in particular acknowledges people who have had a positive impact on their community.
3. The winner of each of the first four categories will receive a prize of 拢5,000 with an additional 拢5,000 also being awarded to the winner鈥檚 yard or stud. Two runners-up in each of these categories will win 拢2,000 each, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.
The winner of the Rory MacDonald Community Award will receive 拢5,000, with the same going to a charity of their choice. The two runners-up will receive 拢2,000, with the same going to a charity of their choice.
The winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award will receive 拢2,000, with the same amount going to their yard or stud, while two runners-up will receive 拢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鈥� accommodation in a five-star hotel.
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 拢15,000, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.
