• Nominations open today, Monday 2 September and close on Tuesday 12 November
• £128,000 prize money up for grabs
• Nomination made online at studandstablestaffawards.co.uk with video nominations accepted

Nominations are officially open as of today, Monday 2 September 2019, for the 2020 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.

The awards, now in their 16th year, recognise and reward the outstanding skills, commitment and contribution of over 10,000 stud and stable staff in England, Scotland and Wales.

Sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in association with the Racing Post and Racing TV, the awards provide total prize money of £128,000 with up to £40,000 available to a single yard or stud.
Nominations will close on Tuesday 12 November and can be made by anyone on behalf of anyone working in a yard or stud online at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards website, studandstablestaffawards.co.uk.

Video submissions will again be accepted in advance of the 2020 awards, ensuring that the nominations procedure is as fair as possible for all those involved, irrespective of their level of written communication and language skills.

The Godolphin Stud and Stable Awards 2020 promotional video:

It has also been announced that Alice Plunkett will be replaced by Rishi Persad on the Judging Panel, which will once again by Chaired by Brough Scott. The Awards will take place on Monday 24 February 2020 at The Underglobe, which is directly beneath Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s South Bank.

Hugh Anderson, Managing Director of Godolphin (UK and Dubai), said:

“It is crucially important that we reward those dedicated, hardworking people who do so much for the racing and breeding industries and Godolphin is delighted to be continuing its support of the awards for 2020. I would like to wish all those who are nominated the best of luck on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.”

Nick Rust, Chief Executive of the BHA, said:

“Those who work at yards and studs up and down the country are the backbone of our fantastic racing and breeding industries.

“These awards highlight year-on-year some of the people who are so devoted to our horses and who give so much of their time to keep the show on the road. We are lucky to work alongside them and I look forward to hearing more examples of their enthusiasm and commitment in 2020.”

Notes to editors:

1. 1. The 2020 Judging Panel can be viewed here.

2. The categories are: Leadership Award, Dedication Award, Rider/Groom Award, Stud Staff, Rory MacDonald Community Award and David Nicholson Newcomer Award (n.b. the David Nicholson Newcomer Award is for people who entered racing within the last three years).

3. The ‘Rory MacDonald Community Award’ acknowledges those who support the stud and stable staff or have made an outstanding contribution to benefit the wider racing community. The Awards provide an opportunity for the racing industry to highlight and thank the hard work put in by stud and stable staff across the country, and this award in particular acknowledges people who have had a positive impact on their community.

4. The winner of each of the first four categories will receive a prize of £5,000 with an additional £5,000 also being awarded to the winner’s yard or stud. Two runners-up in each of these categories will win £2,000 each, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.

5. The winner of the Rory MacDonald Community Award will receive £5,000, with the same going to a charity of their choice. The two runners-up will receive £2,000, with the same going to a charity of their choice.

6. The winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award will receive £2,000, with the same amount going to their yard or stud, while two runners-up will receive £1,000 each, with the same amount for their yard. There is an additional prize for the winner of the David Nicholson Newcomer Award, which includes return flights, a five-day educational tour of Dubai together with five nights’ accommodation in a five-star hotel.

7. The Awards will also recognise an Employee of the Year, who will be selected from the winners of the first four categories. That winner will receive an additional prize of £15,000, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.