Nominations open for Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards
The nominations for the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards (GSSSA) were opened yesterday.
First established in 2015, the GSSSA is run in partnership with Racing Australia and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia.
The aim of the awards night is to show the dedication that the stud and stable staff have for the thoroughbred and to demonstrate how these often unsung heroes are the backbone of the racing and breeding industry.
Spanning across five countries, the awards are an international initiative and, in Australia alone, the GSSSAs have awarded over $500,000 in prize-money to 98 finalists since its inception.
Nominations can be made for an award in any of the following seven categories: Leadership, Horsemanship, Dedication to Breeding, Dedication to Racing, Administration and Ancillary, Thoroughbred Care and Welfare, and the Newcomer category.
In addition, the overall Thoroughbred Excellence Award will be selected from one of five of the above categories, with the recipient of this award having made an extraordinary contribution to the industry.
Past winners of the Thoroughbred Excellence Award are Mark Newnham (2015), Jenny Watson (2016), Jeremy Rogers (2017), Joe Agresta (2018), David Merrick (2019), Wendy Smith (2020) and Gary Fennessy (2021).
In the previous six years, 1,026 people have been nominated for contributions to an industry that now employs an estimated 230,000 people.
“We work in such a great industry and it’s the people that make this industry so extraordinary,” said Barry Bowditch, managing director of Magic Millions, whose Cassandra Simmonds won the Administration and Ancillary Award last year.
“It’s awards like this that give our staff a chance to shine, be special and be appreciated.”
Nominations will be accepted until Tuesday, March 15 and the five nominees shortlisted in each category will be named in late March.
The 11 judges, who represent all parts of the racing industry, will then convene to choose two finalists in each of the seven categories.
The finalists will be announced on April 14, with the winners revealed at the GSSSA ceremony to be held at the Gold Coast Turf Club on the evening of Wednesday, May 25.
To nominate, or for more information, visit https://www.studandstablestaffawards.com.au/ or contact Fran Khan at sssa@studandstablestaffawards.com.au.