TRAINERS, stud employers and family members are being urged to put forward people working within the industry for the newly branded Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards before the cut-off time for nominations at 5pm this Monday.

The awards, supported by Godolphin, are divided into three categories, with eight awards for the Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Award category. This includes racing stables, stud farms, spelling and pre-training yards, administration bodies, veterinary practices, farriers, horse transport, grounds staff at sales companies or racecourses, horse dentists and physiotherapists.

There is €62,000 in prize money up for grabs at a special ceremony on October 25th. Sandra Hughes is the ambassador for the event and she stressed this week that anyone can put forward a nomination.

“People often mistakenly assume that the awards are just for stable staff in racing yards but, of course, it’s for anyone working in the Irish thoroughbred industry,” she said.

“It doesn’t even have to be an employer, if you’ve got a family member working in racing, you can nominate them, or even a friend.

“You do have to sit down and put a bit of time into making a nomination. It’s not just a case of nominating a person and that’s it, you have to write a good nomination. I know how busy trainers are, and maybe a lot of the studs are on holidays at the moment before the sales period gets going soon, but I do think it’s well worth taking the time to make nominations.

“The awards are a wonderful initiative and we’re lucky to have them. Each nomination is judged on its own merit. We don’t judge it on the person that made the nomination, it’s judged on what’s written on the form. That is how the finalists are determined and it’s definitely the fairest way.

“The awards are presented at a dinner in October — this year it will be in the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge. Each of the finalists can bring family members and work colleagues. It is a really special evening.”

Online

Only online nominations are being accepted this year (www.ITIEA.org) and Hughes anticipated a stream of late entries over the weekend and on Monday morning, but Irish Stablestaff Association chairman Bernard Caldwell has been particularly disappointed with the response from trainers on the racing side so far.

“We’re always hearing trainers say how great their staff are but now it’s time to prove it,” he said. “So far, the response from trainers, which there over 600 between permit holders and full licences trainers, has been very slow.

“There is significant prize money and, between that and the promotion and staging of the event, you’re probably looking at well over €100,000 of support from Godolphin. If they pull out, will there be anyone else to come in and support the event?”