'When I saw the list of nominees my jaw dropped' - Zoe Isaacson on cloud nine after TBA Stud Employee of the Year award

Zoe Isaacson was a worthy winner of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association [TBA] Stud Employee of the Year this month and the Barton stud manager hopes this achievement can continue an excellent spell for the Suffolk operation. 

Isaacson has plied her trade around the world at numerous leading studs, including Cheveley Park in Britain and the New Zealand-based Waikato, and now has found herself second in command at the historic nursery near Bury St Edmunds behind managing director Tom Blain. 

Of the occasion of the Flat Breeders’ Awards at Chippenham Park, she says: "Even to have been nominated was amazing, when I saw the list of nominees my jaw dropped, so to win was such a proud moment.  [The evening] was great fun, although I was quite nervous up until the moment because I knew I had to get up on stage in front of so many people."

Isaacson hails from a riding background, although it was during a break that she realised her love for all things horses and a need to work with them. 

She said: "I rode from about six until I was 18 and then completely gave up on horses for three years until I realised I needed to be around them. I jumped in at the deep end and worked at Waikato Stud in New Zealand, I worked five seasons out there and then came back to England. 

"I did the National Stud course and I also did a couple of stints in between being in New Zealand at Tara Stud in Ireland. That was all great experience and I returned to this side of the world I saw Cheveley Park Stud was looking for a stud hand, I took a bit of a step back to that role but I worked there for six years. I loved it, the team was great and I made some amazing friends, it was an incredible experience working with those horses."

Isaacson joined the Barton team ten years ago and it is an operation which has gone from strength to strength.

She continued: "I knew I needed a step up and Tom [Blain] had done yearling and foal prep at Cheveley at the same time as I had. He asked me if I wanted to join the team at Barton and I was ready to take that step into a managerial role. 

"I started in the January of 2015 and it's just progressed, in my first year I think we had two Book 1s [horses], three Book 2s and a Book 3, so it's been a steep learning curve and great fun. I couldn't do my job without the incredible team at home, they work so hard."

The TBA prize is one of Isaacson's career highlights, although she was quick to point out the 4.5 million guinea sale of Prix Vermeille winner Teona to Juddmonte at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mare Sale as being up there too. The Sea The Stars mare had been offered on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock when in foal to Frankel. 

Teona: Prix Vermeille winner during her 4.5 million guinea sale when consigned by Barton Credit: Laura Green

Isaacson said: "Winning the award was a great honour and privilege, but also having got Teona in foal and topping the mare sale. That and Barton being top consignor at that year's sale was pretty incredible. I was proud we had her when she retired as a racehorse and got her in foal, it wasn't that we just met her at the sale and consigned her."

Consigning and selling a Group 1 winner for 4.5 million guineas would be the pinnacle of most people's careers in the bloodstock industry, although Isaacson is not one to rest on her laurels. As part of a dynamic team which has been driving the recent success of Barton, she is aiming for bigger and better in the next few years. 

"Barton's come a long way in the ten years I've been there, we've topped Book 2 and we've topped Book 3 but the ambition is to do it at Book 1," she added. "I know it's a tough task and there's so many incredible studs with incredible horses, but it would be amazing. We also want to breed a Group 1 winner, that's one of the things that makes the job worth it.

"Breeding these babies which I absolutely love and watching them grow up from scruffy weanlings to beautiful baby racehorses by the time they go to the sales. I also love following them during their racing careers."

Read more

'We've had the hens for a long while but now the horses are taking over' - No Half Measures hatching new plan for Lincolnshire breeder 

'You can't suddenly cut it completely - I would have ended up in an institution!' - love of the horse still driving Philippa Cooper on 

Wise Approach following half-brother Perfect Power through the grades with Listed Newbury triumph 

'As soon as the hammer went down my heart sank’ – Richard Hughes lifts the lid on the sales ring strategy that led to July Cup glory