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Published in the Racing Post 27.01.05 Lee Mottershead reports on the launch of The Godolphin Awards: ‘Who will you vote for in the Stable Staff of the Year Awards ?’Generously sponsored by Godolphin to be run by the BHB, and the Racing Post, a gift that will carry, a total of £50,000 in prizes and prize money each year, ongoing over three years. http://www.racingpost.co.uk |
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Background info to the stable staff awards * THE inaugural Stable Staff of the Year Awards will take place in London on Tuesday, April 5, when £50,000 in prizes and prize-money will be scooped by Britain's most-deserving stable and stud staff. * Sponsored by Godolphin for the nextthree years, and run by the BHB in association with the Racing Post, the awards were created and developed in consultation with both the Stable Lads' Association and National Trainers' Federation. * The awards - to be judged by a panel of industry experts - are divided into
five categories: * The overall winner, to receive a cheque for £10,000, will be selected from each of the five category winners, who will all collect £2,500. Two runners-up in each category will be awarded £1,000. * The overall winner’s yard will win £10,000, while the yards of the category winners will win £1,000 each. These latter prizes will be distributed in line with normal stable practice for pool money distribution. * Nominations can be made by trainers, staff or anyone connected to a yard or stud. The requisite form is printed in the Racing Post and is also available on www.racingpost.co.uk and www.british-horseracing.com/aboutbhb. * Nominations are restricted to one per category, per yard. It is intended that a list of ten will be drawn up in each category, before being reduced to a shortlist of three by a panel comprising: Brough Scott (Chairman) – editorial director, Racing Post, John Francome – Channel 4 Racing broadcaster, Stephen Hadley – showjumper/commentator, Gill Lovell – British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust, David Nicholson – BHB bloodstock representative, Dr Peter Webbon – Jockey Club director of veterinary science and welfare * Nominations close a week on Thursday - February 17 - and the intention is to announce thenames of 50 nominees on March 3 Who the trainers are going to nominate... Heather Dalton: “I haven’t got round to it yet but I should have done. I am going to nominate Carol Jarret, as she is unbelievable. She has always been with horses and worked for Steve Brookshaw for 15 years, and has now been with us for two years. She is our oldest person, but is our best.” Chris Grant: “These awards sound like a good idea but this is the first I have heard of them.” Len Lungo: “With pressure of work I have not yet got round to nominating someone, but I will go back and have a think about it.” Gay Kelleway: “I’m going to nominate my head girl Michelle Button. She’s on crutches, having broken two bones in her ankle in a nasty fall in October, but she still comes into work to do anything in the office she can. She’s got heart and soul, which is what you need in this game.” Paul Nicholls: “I'd always support any worthy cause like this, and I intend to nominate one or two who I have in mind.” Stef Liddiard: “My girls didn’t want to be nominated – they’re more fussed with looking after the horses at the moment. But it’s a cracking idea and if I were still a stable girl I would have been delighted to be nominated.” John Gosden: “I'm very supportive of the initiative, and am in the process of consultation with staff at the moment.” Julian Poulton: “It’s great for the staff. I nominated a groom because he is a real good man. He’s been with me since day one, and when I moved to Newmarket from Sussex he showed me Newmarket basically. You’ve got to have someone who really stands out – you wouldn’t just nominate any run-of-the-mill staff.” Mick Channon: “I'm most definitely supportive of the awards, and would like to nominate two or three of my staff. We can't work without them.”
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Published in the Racing Post 10.02.05 Andrew Scutts reports 'Poor response to the Stable Staff awards'ONLY six nominations for the inaugural Stable Staff of the Year Awards have been received ahead of the closing date a week on Thursday - a figure which left one senior stable staff campaigner “absolutely aghast”. The Godolphin-sponsored awards offer £50,000 in prize-money, including £10,000 to the overall winner, and a further £10,000 to that groom's yard or stud. However, despite the cash incentives, the initiative has so far failed to fire the imagination of Britain's 740 licensed trainers and permit-holders, not to mention 6,700 full and part-time stable staff and at least 250 stud farm owners. The only trainers who have so far signed a nomination form received by the BHB are Michael Bell (two forms), Julian Poulton, Charles Smith and George Margarson, while a nomination has also been received from Kingsclere Stud. Trainers contacted by the Racing Post on Wednesday who pledged to nominate members of staff by next Thursday’s deadline included John Gosden, Paul Nicholls and Mick Channon. Baroness Mallilieu, independent BHB director and chair of the Stable and Stud Staff Steering Group, said on Wednesday: "I'm absolutely aghast to learn of that figure. I can't believe only six grooms have so far been deemed worthy of consideration for the awards. "That is bad news. Trainers, owners, stable staff, indeed everyone needs to get moving, because the closing date is approaching. "The onus is on trainers, but it needs to be underlined that the awards are open to staff to nominate their colleagues. If trainers aren't getting on with it, because they are very busy, then staff, owners and everyone else needs to put their thinking caps on. "There's nothing to lose at all - these awards are worthwhile and extremely generously sponsored by Godolphin. It would be a great tragedy if a lack of support meant they didn't continue." Lord Donoughue, who chaired the Stable and Stud Staff Commission, whose recommendations are being followed up by the Stable and Stud Staff Steering Group, said: "I believe that the majority of our trainers have very good and devoted stable staff, on which their businesses and the racing industry depend. It's very important that they show their appreciation and I urgethem to make their nominations quickly." The BHB's marketing of the awards has extended to sending every trainer a nomination form, plus a letter asking them to support the awards, and they have also sent those items to 250 stud farms. Nomination forms have been enclosed within the Racing Calendar - which is sent to trainers by Weatherbys - while BHB officials have given interviews to newspapers and radio stations. The Racehorse Owners' Association, at the behest of the BHB, last week emailed 1,000 of their registered members to encourage them to nominate a groom. However, the BHB's promotional campaign has not yet produced the hoped-for number of nominations. BHB chief executive Greg Nichols said: "I urge every trainer and stud owner to send in their nominations as a matter of priority. There is £50,000 worth of prizes on offer, and all trainers and stud owners will have highly deserving staff. "The awards are a worthy initiative. They form part of the industry's commitment to increase the recognition of stable and stud staff, and the vital contribution they make to our sport." Rupert Arnold, chief executive of the NTF, which assisted in the creation of the awards, said: "The nomination system is not one of just jotting down a name and sending it in, and there's still plenty of time for nominations. "We're supportive of the concept and would encourage people to send in nominations. Trainers play a leading role, but anyone connected to a yard can nominate. "I'd be surpassed if there were not plenty more nominations by next week. Trainers and staff will be working on them now." Bill Adams, national secretary of the Stable Lads' Association, which was also involved in creating the awards, added: "We are totally supportive of this excellent and generous initiative by Godolphin. I hope every yard will give serious consideration to nominating staff who fit the bill for these awards. "Never before has such a generous scheme been put in place in recognition of stable staff. It's important the scheme is a success." |