Nominations open for 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards

Nominations have opened for the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, with an online-only process to be followed for the event's 15th year.

The awards, run by the BHA in association with the Racing Post, offer £120,000 in prize-money over six categories.

Nominations, which can be completed via the Awards' website, will be open until Tuesday, November 20. The categories are: Leadership Award, Dedication Award, Rider/Groom Award, Stud Staff, Rory MacDonald Community Award and David Nicholson Newcomer Award.

Winners will earn a prize of £5,000, with an additional £5,000 going to their yard or stud. Runners-up receive £2,000, again with a similar amount going to their employers.

The exception is the David Nicholson Award, for those who have come to racing in the last three years. The winner will receive £2,000 and runners-up £1,000, with an additional five-day educational tour of Dubai.

BHA chief executive Nick Rust said: "People who work at yards and studs up and down the country do so much work behind the scenes to provide exceptional care for our horses and keep the racing and breeding industries running.

"These awards are vitally important and remind us year on year of some of the inspirational people we are so lucky to work alongside."

Racing Post editor-in-chief Alan Byrne said: "Racing Post is proud to be associated with these wonderful awards, which have done so much to give stud and stable staff the recognition they so richly deserve.

"We would encourage everyone who is lucky enough to employ talented and dedicated staff in their racing yard or stud farm to nominate them for one of the fantastic prizes on offer as a result of Sheikh Mohammed's continuing generosity."

Last year's employee of the year was Jessica McLernon, assistant trainer to Richard Fahey. She said: "It was such an honour to win the Leadership Award and be named Employee of the Year for 2018 and I want to thank everyone at Musley Bank and throughout the industry who supported me during the nomination and selection process.

"If you know of, or work with, someone who you think is deserving of these awards, please nominate them – I can think of no better way to show them the appreciation they deserve and make them feel like a valued member of our industry."

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