2018 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards

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Milton Brooks
6 years ago
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Jade Rossington and Peter Keating are at the forefront of their fields. Jade is the farm manager at Willow Park Stud and Peter is the breeding shed manager at Newgate Farm.

1 Jade Rossington and Peter Keating are at the forefront of their fields. Jade is the farm manager at Willow Park Stud and Peter is the breeding shed manager at Newgate Farm. Together they represent several decades of knowledge and experience, and each has enthusiasm and pride in what they achieve each day. A measure of the regard in which Jade is held is that she was nominated by one of her employees, Lisa Richards. The definition of a good leader is that they must communicate well, Lisa wrote in support of her boss. In that area, Jade is incredible. She also has fantastic horse-handling skills, she is a motivator and always leads by example. One of the greatest honours for me in this year s awards is that I have been named alongside Peter Keating, who has been such an inspiration to so many in the breeding world, said Jade. Peter has spent 60 years in the racing and breeding industry, and has seen and done just about everything. But being a finalist in the GSSSA has a novel twist. I used to be a lecturer to students on the Godolphin Flying Start programme, he said. During that time, one of those who I lectured to was Henry Field, who is now the proprietor of Newgate Farm. So it s a great source of pride to me that I m now working for him. To be nominated for such an award touches my heart.

2 The importance of a good early schooling as a racehorse is an imperative. So, it is that two outstanding providers of such an education, Scott Eeles and Warren Sutton, are the finalists in the GSSSA Horsemanship category. As Godolphin breaking-in foreman, Scott Eeles is one of the first people to get his hands on the foals born at Godolphin s Australian farms. I ve had the privilege of watching horses who I ve helped to develop go on to win some of the best races in Australia, said Scott who, along with Godolphin, is also heavily involved in Riding for the Disabled in the Hunter region. It s a pleasure to work in an organisation that offers so much to its employees and to all sections of the industry with awards such as these. The rise of Tony McEvoy among the ranks of Australian trainers has been remarkable. This year alone, Tony set the early running among the juvenile ranks with the filly Sunlight, and is enjoying one of his best seasons. One of the reasons, according to the trainer himself, is that he has Warren Sutton educating his young horses. My two-year-old results in the past few years are testament to the work of Warren Sutton, who I believe is one of the most accomplished horsemen in Australia, said Tony. For his part, Warren is delighted to be nominated. For someone like Tony to think enough of me to put me forward for this award is fantastic, he said. I m so grateful to him and to Godolphin and the organisers to be acknowledged.

3 Knowing and understanding a horse, being aware of their moods and habits, is a talent that money can t buy. It is also a skill that is well advanced in the Dedication to Breeding finalists, Angus McAlpine from Eureka Cambooya Stud and Coolmore s Patrick Sheehan. Angus knows every brand on every horse. He learns their temperament, their habits, everything there is to know about them, said his nominator, Jordan Priest. He performs every task with such care and thought. The awards are a fantastic concept and as much as I m humbled and honoured to have been nominated, that s not why we do what we do we do it for the horses, said Angus. Paddy Sheehan is Coolmore s foaling manager and someone whose contribution is impossible to overstate, according to Tom Magnier, the farm s principal. It is an assessment backed up by Segenhoe Stud s Peter O Brien, who describes Paddy as the most talented and diligent man he has ever worked with. For Paddy it is an honour and a privilege to once again be a finalist. I m very proud to be nominated and thankful to Godolphin and the organisers for acknowledging people who aren t known outside the place they work, but who all do a fantastic job, he said.

The Dedication to Racing finalists Joe Agresta and Steve Adams have done the pre-dawn racing round for a total of around 50 years, and don t look like stopping any time soon.

4 The Dedication to Racing finalists Joe Agresta and Steve Adams have done the pre-dawn racing round for a total of around 50 years, and don t look like stopping any time soon. After a short career as an apprentice jockey, Joe Agresta joined the late Bart Cummings and for some 30 years was his main Melbourne exercise rider, a job that meant he sat on more Melbourne Cup winners than any jockey alive. Now a foreman for the Leon and Troy Corstens training partnership, 66-year-old Joe is also a forceful advocate for stable staff and track riders. When the TBA, Racing Australia and Godolphin proposed these awards I was so happy because I ve been lobbying for trackwork riders and stablehands to get a better deal for a long time, he said. Steve Adams has worked for the Freedman family for the past 15 years and, along with his present boss and nominator Anthony Freedman, has proved one of the constants in the stable s long-running success. Steve runs the trainer s Flemington stables, imparting his experience and knowledge to the latest generation of the organisation s staff. Anthony Freedman, who nominated Steve for the GSSSA, said his foreman was instrumental in the careers of the stable s horses and its staff. Anthony Freedman, who nominated Steve for the GSSSA, said his foreman was instrumental in the careers of the stable s horses and its staff. Steve s horsemanship, dedication and patience is renowned, both with horses and with his fellow workers, Anthony said. Steve is grateful for the recognition, at the same time displaying the modesty common to all finalists. We are in the engine room of racing and breeding, and to be recognised by this fantastic initiative of Godolphin, TBA and Racing Australia is fantastic.

5 The backstage jobs in racing aren t necessarily confined to the hands-on areas of stables and studs. Equally essential are those who keep the business flowing smoothly in the administrative and logistical departments. Michelle Nichols and Hannah Dick occupy two such offices in which they perform a role as vital as any other. Michelle has worked at Arrowfield Stud for 20 years where she is responsible for all administrative work at the farm. Michelle is one of the mainstays of Arrowfield and her integrity, accuracy and diligence are all impeccable, said the farm s owner, John Messara. Like so many finalists, Michelle was delighted to be nominated. It s great that the people in the industry are recognised for something that s not just a job, it s part of your life, she says. Hannah Dick performs a similar job at Widden Stud, booking in mares, maintaining records, and organising transport. And with 1,650 mares served at Widden last season, the magnitude of the task speaks for itself. To know I m appreciated by Widden Stud has been great, she said. The nomination came out of the blue and I was not expecting it. When I got the phone call to say I was a finalist I was very shocked. It is one of my greatest achievements.

6 For racehorses, retirement from racing can be an uncertain time. But thanks to people like Lee Purchase and Liz Andriske and the other nominations in the Care and Welfare Category, many of those horses who can t move on to a breeding career, or whose owners have nowhere to keep them, don t end up disappearing forever. To them, the slow, the injured and the indifferent are increasingly receiving the after-care they deserve. Lee and Liz have between them re-homed hundreds of former racehorses and, for both, the GSSSA offers recognition ahead of any reward. The Stud and Stable Staff Awards serve an amazing purpose for the little people of racing, said Lee, who also works full time as a stable hand for Victorian trainer Darren Weir. We all pretty much do what we do for the love of it, the love of horses, and if I was lucky enough to receive an award it would all go towards finding new homes for them. Liz and her husband Gary operate Saleyard Thoroughbreds, a halfway house for horses at Maryborough in central Victoria. Gary nominated his wife who, he says, works hard every day looking after horses at their small, self-funded operation. It is a business where every day is an achievement, he said. Liz is grateful for the recognition and hopes it will lead to more being done for homelesshorses. It s great that the industry is recognising the work that people are doing for horses after racing and supporting people like myself and the other nominees it s a great step forward, she said.

7 The Newcomer Award is a newcomer in itself. Introduced in this year to not only recognise those who are new to the industry, but to instil enthusiasm and develop skill and knowledge in those who show a willingness to accept new challenges. In Meg Stanley and Jarom Rhind, the panel has chosen two outstanding candidates. Meg works for Victorian trainer Kathryn Durden and was nominated by co-trainer Craig Durden, who describes her as punctual, honest, diligent and enthusiastic. A handy rider when she arrived in the job, Meg has since learned a whole new set of skills. Meg was a very capable rider when she came to us, and has now learned to ride fast work, school horses over jumps and educate young horses in the barriers, Craig said. She is trusted to give medication to horses and she is undertaking a course in equine sports therapy. I have not been in the industry that long and to be nominated is awesome, let alone be a finalist. I m honoured, said Meg. Jarom Rhind has also progressed rapidly since joining the team at Armidale Stud in Tasmania. We feel really blessed to have Jarom as a member of our team, said his nominator, Robin Whishaw. He is a brilliant handler of all our horses, I don t think our yearlings have ever looked so good. The awards are something I can t believe, it is fantastic to be a part of it, said Jarom.

studandstablestaffawards.com.au

studandstablestaffawards.com.au Joe Agresta Honoured for Excellence at Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards One of Australia s best-known and most accomplished trackwork riders, Joe Agresta, has been named the winner of the Thoroughbred