SIOBHAN Sheridan, who works at Olive O’Connor’s Ballykeane Stud in Redcross, Co Wicklow, was presented with the Irish Racing Excellence Award this week.

It was the top accolade presented at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin and supported by the Irish Stable Staff Association, Horse Racing Ireland, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and Racing Post.

Sheridan works in the foaling unit at Ballykeane Stud and, in a video interview recorded at her workplace, she spoke about the importance of showing kindness and patience to newborn foals. “It’s important to give these animals a good, happy start to life,” she said, “and that’s something I have always passed on to others.”

Although the nights on foal watch could be long and lonely, Sheridan said she was more than rewarded by the privilege of welcoming new foals into the world. Her passion and pride shone through her words, so much so that it was no surprise to guests at the Keadeen Hotel on Tuesday evening when she was named the winner of the overall award.

In addition to the distinctive trophy designed by Ani Mollereau, Sheridan received a total of €9,000 as part of her prize, while her employer was awarded €2,500 to be used for the benefit of their work colleagues.

Sheridan said: “I need to thank Olive, my boss and also a good friend, I am doing something that I love and it makes life easier when you are working with people who understand that and feel the same way.

“I am not from a horsey background. At 12 years of age I pestered my parents for a pony. They got me a job in a local stud to try and get it out of my system but it backfired on them because I ended up working there for 20 years.

“I just love being with horses, the smell, I just breathe it every day. It is more than a job, it becomes part of your life. I am very privileged to be able to do something that I love.”

The other seven individual winners received €4,000 and their employers were given €2,500 for the benefit of staff.

Richard Young’s Bert House Stud in Athy won two awards, courtesy of farm manager Paul Croke and newcomer Katie Peate. Croke spent 21 years at the Irish National Stud before joining Bert House.

Former jockey Andrew Duff, now assistant to Ger Lyons, also picked up an award and spoke about the thrill of taking Magnum Force to the Breeders’ Cup last year, where he was a winner.

It’s good to see office workers acknowledged, such as Philippa (Pip) Proctor Quinn who is a racing secretary for Gordon Elliott.

Olover Geraghty of Castlefarm Stud in Narraghmore, Co Kildare, was a popular winner. Carrying on a family tradition (his grandfather looked after Pretty Polly), Geraghty worked for Kevin Bell, Liam Queally and Dermot Weld before joining Mark Gittins and Aisling Kinane at Castlefarm. When with Weld, he led up a York winner ridden by Lester Piggott.

David Nolan, travelling head man for Philip Rothwell, is another who has spent a lifetime working with horses. He actually worked for Rothwell at the start of the trainer’s career and then gave 20 years as a professional huntsman before rejoining the trainer a few years ago.

Peter O’Riordan is still going strong after 31 years working for Denis Brosnan at Croom House Stud. The yearling manager has quite literally brought on the next generation as his own son and daughter have followed him into the industry and completed the Irish National Stud thoroughbred breeding course.

The winner of the Racecourse Award, chosen by the Irish Stable Staff Association and based on a quality programme evaluation, is Roscommon. The survey assesses each racecourse on a range of criteria relating to facilities for stable employees with the purpose of setting and maintaining quality standards at all racecourses in Ireland.

Roscommon manager Michael Finneran was unable to attend and the track was represented by chairman Pat Rogers and committee member Dick O’Brien.

Award winners

Irish Racing Excellence Award: Siobhan Sheridan, Yard & Foaling Unit Manager, Olive O’Connor Bloodstock, Redcross, Co Wicklow

>Paul Croke, Farm Manager, Bert House Stud, Athy

>Andrew Duff, Assistant Trainer, Ger Lyons Racing, Dunsany, Co Meath

>Oliver Geraghty, Stud Manager/Groom, Castlefarm Stud, Narraghmore, Co Kildare

>David Nolan, Travelling Head Man, Philip Rothwell, Tinahely, Co Wicklow

>Peter O’Riordan, Yearling Manager, Croom House Stud, Croom, Co Limerick

>Katie Peate, Assistant Farm Manager, Bert House Stud, Athy, Co Kildare (Newcomer Award)

>Philippa Proctor-Quinn, Racing Secretary, Gordon Elliott, Longwood, Co Meath

Racecourse Award: Roscommon

MARTIN Heydon, the Minister for Agriculture, was the guest of honour at the awards and he stayed for over four hours. In his address the local Fine Gael TD reminded those present of his racing roots.

He was raised next door to the Latham family’s Blackrath Stud and his father owned Blackrath Prince, who finished 10th behind Last Suspect in the 1985 Grand National. In the early 2000s the future Minister was a fence steward at Punchestown for four years.

“So I have a bit of an understanding of those who work behind the scenes in racing and breeding,” he said. “It is the talented men and women, like tonight’s award winners, who are the heart and soul of the industry and it is their unique skills that gives us our reputation as a world leader. It’s important that we recognise all the people who help bring the superstar horses ot the track.”

The Minister heads a department of 4,000 staff and there are a further 3,000 employed in state agencies (such as Horse Racing Ireland) which are answerable to him. “With that comes a lot of invitations to dinners and awards, and I cannot attend them all. But this is a key night that I did not want to miss. You represent the 8,000 staff who work in racing and breeding in Ireland.”

He added that he fully supports Horse Racing Ireland’s plan to build a ‘people campus’ at the RACE site in Kildare which will be a centre for industry education, training and upskilling. “It has so much potential,” he said. “I will continue to work with Carol (Nolan) and Shane (O’Dwyer) on this, and I would ask that everyone does what they can to make sure it is the success it can be. It’s really important that we future-proof that for the next generation.”

Earlier HRI chief executive Suzanne Eade said “significant progress” has been made in developing the new campus and “when it is completed we will have a world class educational and training facility in the heart of Kildare.” She added that HRI would continue to support these areas through its Equuip division. “Another prioirity is expanding the continuous professional development for those working in racing. If you are interested in doing courses, further education or upskilling please come and talk to Equuip or look at the website.”

Eade singled out her colleague Barbara White, HRI’s PR and events manager, for special praise for her efforts in planning and organising the awards night.

This was echoed by Bernard Caldwell, chief executive of the Irish Stablestaff Association, who also thanked awards ambassador Sandra Hughes for the long hours she put in to encourage nominations.

Caldwell also thanked all those who sponsor best turned out awards around the country. “I go racing all over the country and a lot of people ask what do I do,” he said. “A lot of the time I do nothing and that’s a sure sign of my success! I am watching what’s happening and getting little problems fixed, things that might seem trivial to you but are important to stable staff.”

Spotting former HRI chairman Denis Brosnan in the crowd, Caldwell took the opportunity to thank him for his contribution to Irish racing.

Brosnan, who later came on stage to present an award, said: “The industry would not be what it is without the stud and stable staff. During my time in Horse Racing Ireland, the owners and trainers and everybody else would say they were the most important part of the industry, until Bernard [Caldwell] joined the Board and he said ‘Don’t forget about the staff!”

Joe Osborne, managing director of Godolphin Ireland, said this was the ninth year that Godolphin had sponsored the event. They sponsor similar ceremonies in numerous other jurisdictions. Godolphin also support a lot of other educational initiatives in Ireland which promote the thoroughbred and industry participation. Osborne welcomed that other stakeholders were following suit.

He also welcomed special guest Aidan O’Brien, the deputy principal of Good Counsel College in New Ross, Co Wexford, who has retired after almost four decades as a teacher. Osborne said: “Throughout his 39 years of teaching Aidan has encouraged an impressive number of students to enter the racing industry. We thank him for the work he has done as a promoter of our industry.”

Richard Forristal did a fine job as MC for the evening and he began by paying tribute to the late Davy Glennon, who died in April, aged just 49. An award winner here in 2021, Davy spent almost his entire working life with trainer Dermot Weld.