The short-list of nominees selected for the top five categories in the inaugural Irish Stud and Stable Staff Awards sponsored by Godolphin, were announced today. Each one is already a winner as there will be a first prize and two runners-up prizes in each category.
The short-list of nominees selected for the top five categories in the inaugural Irish Stud and Stable Staff Awards sponsored by Godolphin, were announced today. Each one is already a winner as there will be a first prize and two runners-up prizes in each category.
The prize for these five categories is a trophy and €5,000 for the winner with an additional €4,000 to be divided among employees from the winner's yard, stud or company. The two runners-up will each receive €500. Each of the final nominees will be interviewed by the Irish Stud and Stable Staff Judging Committee.
The trophies, by sculptor Ani Mollereau, are a contemporary design of a thoroughbred horse representing the spirit of the horse racing industry.
Categories and short-listed nominees:
Administration Award
Eileen Kavanagh - Office & Facilities Manager, Irish National Stud
Wendy Normile - Client Relations, Coolmore Stud
Dorothy Patterson - Office Administrator, Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE)
Stud Employee Award
Carmel Bowden - Stud Groom, Jockey Hall Stud
Lyndsey McDonnell - Stud Groom, Derrinstown Stud
Richard Springate - Box Driver, Ragusa Stud
Head Lad/Girl or Travelling Head Lad/Girl Award
Gerry Abbott - Head Lad, Charles O'Brien
Dermot Fagan - Head Lad, Lorna Fowler
Tom Gallagher - Headman, Dermot Weld
Rider/Groom Award
Pat O'Donovan - Assistant Trainer, Jim Bolger
John Sullivan - Rider/Groom, John Larkin
Juli Vovchok - Rider/Groom, Edward Lynam
Leadership Award
Gerard Donoher - Senior Supervisor, Kildangan Stud
Martin Horan - Head Lad, Ger Lyons
Brian O'Connor - General Manager, Jim Bolger
Other awards to be made include: Dedication to Racing, Lifelong Learning, Ancillary Services and Racecourse Grooms Canteen which will be announced at the awards ceremony next Tuesday in the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge. The prize for each of these awards is one of the Mollereau trophies and €2,500.
The overall winner of the Irish Racing Excellence Award will be selected from the winners of the five categories announced today. The winner will receive a trophy and a further €5,000, with an additional €5,000 to be divided among employees from the yard, stud or company.
The Irish Stable Staff Awards Judging Committee is made up of representatives of the Irish Stablestaff Association, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, the Turf Club and Horse Racing Ireland.
Chairman of the Judging Committee, Michael O'Rourke: "Every one of the hardworking stud and stable staff employees nominated deserves recognition and it was not an easy task for the committee to whittle it down to the top three in each of the five categories. The committee will now interview each of the finalists before undertaking the task of deciding the overall winners."
