'A lot of people in racing are held back by their own thoughts and beliefs - so I used my winnings to study counselling and promote others'

The nominations for the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, close on Tuesday, and if there is any need for one final incentive for employers to put someone's name forward, let it be this.

It is not just plaudits that are up for grabs. For those chosen among racing's devoted workforce to be honoured at the annual event, recognition of their efforts is only half of the prize awarded, as a total of £128,500 is also doled out to the deserving winners. 

How they choose to spend that money is up to them, but it should come as no surprise that those who have been such a boon to the industry find ways to give back to the sport they love. 

"The award itself for me was completely overwhelming," says Kelly Stevens, winner of the stud staff category this year for her 18-year tenure at Littleton Stud near Winchester. "It's something that I'd never thought would ever come my way. I felt doing my job on a daily basis is just what I was paid to do and along with that a mindset to always be better than I was yesterday.

"Part of that is constantly looking at ways that I can help other people do this job to the best of their ability, because we all make errors, and we all learn from experiences, and I think some of the experiences I've had, people don't need to experience. 

"I've always been interested in promoting others and that's why I used the money to go into studying counselling. It could go in any direction really but I think I could go into a coaching role. There are a lot of people within this industry that are being held back because of their own thoughts and beliefs, and I think if you can work with those people, you'll see a difference."

Stevens was awarded £5,000 for winning her category at a ceremony at York racecourse in February, money she swiftly put into education courses at Chrysalis, a not-for-profit organisation offering counselling and hypnotherapy training. 

Kelly Stevens pictured at Littleton StudCredit: Dan Abraham

With the work largely online, aside from monthly course meet-ups, Stevens has been able to juggle furthering her studies with maintaining her role at Littleton Stud, which handles foals, yearlings and broodmares year-round. 

"I've committed myself for the next three and a half years to hypnotherapy level-four counselling," she says. "By the end of it, I'll be a qualified counsellor. I'm not quite sure how I'll use it but I always think life is for living and whatever I can give back, I will. People took time and effort to help me get where I am, so I think it's important that you help others in turn. 

"I always wanted to study more, but it would have taken me so much longer to get there without this money. That injection of cash came in, and although it would have been very easy to put it into the bills and day-to-day life, I wanted something that's going to count, not only for my future but other people's futures as well.

"I want to encourage people into the industry. I was working with sports horses prior to racing and since being in the industry I can see so many benefits and I want other people to see that as well. I said I'd never make a career out of it, yet here we are. It grips you, and I'm keen to get the word out and show people what a fantastic sport this is."

Sally Lyons was also eager to find ways to feed her success back into racing after claiming this year's community award for her efforts to develop National Racehorse Week in her position with Great British Racing.

Alongside the prize-money awarded to her, Lyons was able to select charities to benefit from a similar pot and selected two causes close to her heart.

"I gave £3,000 to New Beginnings because they're phenomenal and they did a lot for National Racehorse Week," she explains. 

"They take their horse Remy [top-class sprinter Goldream in his racing days] not only to York racecourse, but also to care homes, hospitals, mental health facilities and schools. They're just fantastic. Quite a lot of National Racehorse Week is done off participants' own bats and New Beginnings just did it all on their own, organised everything, and asked for very little in return. 

"It's not easy to fundraise for a rehoming business, never mind do community work on top of all of that, and since I now work for the Horse Welfare Board, I have a very keen interest in horse welfare too. I've had such a good connection with New Beginnings from the start, and because I live in the north they mean that little bit extra to me." 

Group 1-winning sprinter Goldream greets the arrivals to the TIEA awards in 2024Credit: Hannah Ali

Lyons also saw another opportunity to reimburse the sport through her volunteer role as treasurer for Women in Racing. 

"I help run the bursary fund, which gives money every year to somebody to help with professional development," she says. "It can be anything like a mental health or first aid course, or it could also be something like they want their HGV licence to be able to drive horseboxes. 

"It's quite difficult to raise funds every year, so it was great to be able to help by giving them money too. The bursary has been going nearly as long as Women in Racing has and we've had some phenomenal people benefit from it. We've had some really good bursary applications this year too."

Of course, it would not be right if this year's well-earned prizes did not also go to more personal pursuits. For Stevens and Lyons there were celebratory holidays in Wales and Venice, but for Tyla McFarlane the £5,000 prize has resulted in a breath of independence after taking her driving test the morning after winning the newcomer award for her work for Andrew Balding. 

"I had to be sensible at the awards ceremony as I needed to pass my test straight afterwards," she says. "My mum and dad bought me a car as a present but the insurance is so expensive that the money went straight into that.

"It’s been such a huge help for work. There's not much around Kingsclere other than Newbury and Basingstoke and you need a car, because the taxis aren't cheap. As soon as I got my car, I've definitely become a lot more independent – I don't know how I would have paid for it otherwise."

Winning at this year's awards has brought Tyla Macfarlane her independenceCredit: Dan Abraham

The winners may have found unique ways to spend their prize but a common thread uniting them is the belief the additional £5,000 awarded to their respective yards meant just as much as any individual prize. 

For employee of the year winner Simone Meloni, that team bonus resulted in the creation of the 'Simone Meloni' staff lounge at Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows yard, while McFarlane also saw a similar boon to her workplace with the installation of a new widescreen TV, allowing her colleagues to follow Balding's runners on the track and host movie nights.

The team fund at Littleton Stud was dispersed differently, with the yard opting instead to split it among each member of staff. With it came a single stipulation. 

Stevens says: "The money for the yard was probably the best bit that came out of it, because we're a very small team and they couldn't be with me on the evening because I was restricted on numbers and we were in the middle of foaling season. 

"The stud allocated the money out evenly between everybody that works here, so my only request to them was do something special with it. Don't just put it into bills. Make it mean something.

"Someone bought a saddle they always wanted, someone took a trip to Dublin. It's been lovely. My confidence has certainly grown since the awards, because people have said so many lovely things. Above all, it really united us as a team." 

The coming weeks will see a new batch of the sport's indispensable figures shortlisted for a chance to win their own share of prize-money at next year's ceremony. Only seven accolades can be handed out, but there is no doubt the benefit of those awards will once more be felt far and wide.

Nominations are open until November 4 for the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin. The awards are an opportunity for employees from across the industry in Britain, such as training yards, studs or administrative roles, to be celebrated for their hard work and dedication. Find out more by visiting thoroughbredawards.co.uk.

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