In 2017, the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards will again recognise those
whose efforts go largely unnoticed and whose work is as vital as any other to
the success and survival of the racing and breeding industries. The Awards conducted by Racing Australia and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia will again honour workers in the stud and stable categories of Leadership, Dedication to Racing, Dedication to Breeding, Horsemanship and Thoroughbred Care and Welfare, plus a further category of Administration and Ancillary Services.
An overall Thoroughbred Excellence winner is chosen from the five stud and stable section winners.
Barry O'Farrell, Chief Executive Officer of Racing Australia said at the announcement of the awards, "Australian stud and stable staff are admired all over the world for their incredible skill and dedication to their craft. They form the backbone of our industry.
"Anybody who is involved in racing or breeding knows that great staff, with real dedication and love of horses, are at the heart of every racing and breeding operation.
"Those workers don't always get the opportunity to be in the spotlight, but these national awards really celebrate their commitment and passion and rightfully acknowledges those people without whom the breeding and racing industries wouldn't exist."
Since their inception in Australia in 2015, the Awards have acknowledged outstanding talent, contribution and dedication, not only among the winners, but all who entered.
For one-time stable foreman, Mark Newnham, the inaugural Excellence Award
winner in 2015, the GSSSA helped provide both the confidence and the means to
set up a racing stable that produced a G1 Golden Slipper runner in its first
full year of operation. "When you're starting out you need plenty of help, financial and otherwise, and that's what the Awards gave me," Newnham said.
"But most of all it's the recognition. So many of the entrants are people who start work before dawn and do some of the toughest jobs in the business.
"And they do it more for the love of racing and of the horses than for anything else."
The 2016 Thoroughbred Excellence Award winner Jenny Watson, the foaling supervisor at Armidale Stud in Tasmania, echoed those sentiments.
"There are so many good people out there who deserve recognition, I'm just thrilled to be one of them," she said.
"I find it amazing to be recognised for doing something I love and I can't thank TBA, Racing Australia and Godolphin enough for acknowledging all the people who keep the industry going."
Each GSSSA winner receives $10,000 with $1000 going to the runners-up and $3000 to be shared among each winner's work colleagues.
The Thoroughbred Excellence Award carries an additional $5000 prize.
The winners will be announced at the Australian Awards ceremony which will be held at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Friday, 9th June, 2017. The 2017 Award winners will be chosen by a selection panel chaired by Chairman of Stewards, South Australia, Johan Petzer and comprised of individuals representing TBA, TRSA, Racing Victoria, Sky Racing Channel and Racing.com in addition to trainers Ron Quinton, Mark Newnham and Troy Corstens. Nominations are open until midnight AEST Sunday April 16, 2017 and can be made by anyone within the racing and breeding industry.
Trainers, owners, managers and colleagues are encouraged to nominate their employees. Click here for nomination forms.
