News

Australian Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Award Winners Announced

21st Nov 2015

Bernadette Hamill, Don Healy and Richard Nettleton were tonight announced as winners of their respective categories in the inaugural Australian Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. They join last week’s category winners Ben Cadden and Mark Newnham in vying for the prestigious Australian Thoroughbred Excellence Award.

The overall winner of the Australian Thoroughbred Excellence Award will be selected from the winners of five of the six categories below, excluding the Thoroughbred Care & Welfare Award, and will be announced exclusively at the awards ceremony on Tuesday 24th November, 2015 at Royal Randwick. The winner will receive a trophy and an additional $5,000 personally, with another $4,000 awarded to their yard or stud.

After 176 entries were submitted for the 2015 Awards from both regional and metropolitan areas across all states and territories in Australia, the judging panel had the difficult task of selecting one winner for each of the six award categories.

Johan Petzer, Chair of the Judging Panel said: “On behalf of the judging panel, I’d like to congratulate all the individual winners of the various categories, they are all well-deserved winners. In addition, I’d like to acknowledge the extremely high standard of all 176 nominations we received for the inaugural Australian Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. I’d like to thank all of our partners and everyone who helped make the awards such a success.”

Basil Nolan, Chairman of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Awards Judge, said: “The inaugural awards have produced an outstanding set of finalists and excellent winners. We wish all the winners and finalists a prosperous career within the racing and breeding industries and would like to thank all those in the various sectors of Australian racing and breeding that put forward nominations.”

The six winners will be presenting the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards Handicap at Warwick Farm on Wednesday 25th November, 2015.

The full list of winners and runners up are as follows:

Leadership Award
Winner: Richard Nettleton, Farm Manager, David Hayes Racing (VIC)
Runners-up: Brian Gorman, Operations Manager, Swettenham Stud (VIC)
John Livingstone, Director of Operations, Gai Waterhouse Racing (NSW)

Horsemanship Award
Winner: Ben Cadden, Trackwork Rider, Chris Waller Racing (NSW)
Runners-up: Scott Eeles, Breaking Foreman, Darley Stud (NSW)
Stephen O’Halloran, Senior Foreman, Gai Waterhouse Racing (NSW)

Dedication to Breeding Award
Winner: Bernadette Hamill, Stud Manager, Yarradale Stud (WA)
Runners-up: Vikki Cannon, Senior Horseperson, Gooree Park Stud (NSW)
Gerard Ryan, Stallion Manager, Coolmore Stud (NSW)

Dedication to Racing Award
Winner: Mark Newnham, Assistant Trainer, Gai Waterhouse Racing (NSW)
Runners-up: Hayley Nichols, Stable Foreman, Schweida Racing (QLD)
Warren Hughes, Stable Foreman, McEvoy Mitchell Racing (SA)

Administration Award
Winner: Don Healy, Stable Representative, Griffiths Racing (VIC)
Runners-up: Cassandra Simmonds, Race Series and CRM Systems Magic Millions (QLD) Colin Tuck, GM Racing & Wagering, Australian Turf Club (NSW)

Thoroughbred Care & Welfare Award
Winner: Amy Taylor, Owner, Manager & Trainer, Affinity Park Thoroughbreds (QLD)
Runners-up: Lee Purchase, Stable Foreman, Darren Weir Racing (VIC)
William Adam, Trainer, NSW TB Rehab Trust (NSW)