• £75,000 in prize money shared amongst the winners at the 2009 Stud and Stable Staff Awards
Peter Maughan, Travelling Head Lad for David Elsworth’s yard in Newmarket, was today named as Employee of the Year at the fifth annual Stud and Stable Staff Awards.
Grand National and Gold Cup winning Jockey Mick Fitzgerald, guest of honour and enjoying his second career as a broadcaster since his recent retirement from the saddle, presented Maughan with a cheque for £25,000 – £12,500 for Peter himself and £12,500 for his colleagues at Egerton House stables to share themselves.
A specially invited audience of around 200 gathered to pay tribute to the leading stud and stable employees in the country, as nominated by their employers and peers. The Awards – the richest of their kind in the world, with £75,000 in prize money – are generously sponsored by Godolphin, and run by the British Horseracing Authority in association with the Racing Post.
Maughan, who has worked in racing for a staggering 56 years, was also the winner in the Senior Staff category. In his time he has travelled some of the greats, including two of the most popular horses in recent memory – Desert Orchid and Persian Punch – as well as the likes of In The Groove and Barnbrook Again.
Each individual category winner collected £3,000, with their colleagues at their respective stable or stud sharing £3,000 between them. The two runners-up in each category also received £2,000.
The full list of winners and runners up are as follows:
DAVID NICHOLSON NEWCOMER
Winner: Lee Oswin, trainee Stable Lad with Gary Moore
Runners Up: Ellie Church, Stable Lass with Marcus Tregoning
Matthew Hampton, Rider/Groom with Philip Hobbs
STUD STAFF
Winner: Paul Baker, Stud Groom/Manager at Usk Valley Stud
Roisin Close, Stud Groom at Tweenhills Stud
Deborah Dodd, Secretary and Stud Stable Hand at Louella Stud
RIDER/GROOM
Winner: Claire Knight, Rider/Groom with Jeremy Noseda
Runners Up: Hugh Fraser, Rider/Groom with John Berry
Mick Wilson, Stable Groom with William Haggas
SENIOR STAFF
Winner: Peter Maughan, Travelling Head Lad with David Elsworth
Runners Up: Albert ‘Corky’ Browne, Head Lad with Nicky Henderson
Jim Hiner, Secretary with Michael Jarvis
SPECIAL MERIT/HERO
Winner: Andy Gibson, Yardman with Stuart Williams
Runners Up: Sally Davies, General Assistant with Simon Dow
Ian Willows, Travelling Head Lad with Luca Cumani
The Awards were judged by a panel comprising celebrated author and journalist Brough Scott (Chairman); former Champion Jockey and PJA Industry Liaison Director Kevin Darley; BHA Director Morag Gray; Miles Littlewort, former Chief Executive of the National Stud; and Dinah Nicholson, wife of the late David Nicholson.
British Horseracing Authority Chief Executive Nic Coward said:
“These inspiring Awards are an important date in the racing calendar as they provide a moment for the sport to celebrate those hard working, dedicated, talented people, without whom the show wouldn’t get on the road.
“A huge thank you to Godolphin for continuing with their generous sponsorship. Congratulations to all of those nominated this year. The very high standard of entries never ceases to amaze the judges and this year was no exception.”
For more information and photographs please contact Paul Struthers, BHA Media Relations Manger, on 020 7189 3866 or 07966 590105.
Notes for Editors:
The Stud and Stable Staff Awards are sponsored by Godolphin. Please visit http://www.godolphin.com/AboutUs.aspx for more information.
They are organised by the British Horseracing Authority (stage.britishhorseracing.com) and the Racing Post (www.racingpost.com).
The previous winners of Employee of the Year are:
2008 Sean Travis, employed by Jeremy Noseda, Newmarket
2007 Chris Hinson, employed by Ed Dunlop, Newmarket
2006 Liz Welsh, employed by Philip Hobbs, Minehead
2005 Roy Barrett, employed by Len Lungo, Carrutherstown
