London

Terry Doherty, Stud Manager for Watership Down Stud, picked up the prestigious Employee of the Year at the 2017 UK Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.

Hosted by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the Awards honour the vital role of stud and stable staff in the racing industry and the care which they provide to the horses they look after.

In a poignant moment, Doherty was awarded the perpetual Godolphin Trophy by Freddy Tylicki, special guest presenter and jockey. Tylicki was left paralysed from the waist down after a four-horse pile-up at Kempton in October last year.

Tylicki broke 18 ribs in the fall, but most significant was the T7 paralysis, which meant he no longer had movement in the lower half of his body.

Doherty was also presented with a cheque for £40,000 (Dh182,753), of which £20,000 will be shared amongst the staff at the Watership Down Stud, a Hampshire-based facility owned by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, the legendary music composer and his wife Madeleine.

In total, £120,000 in prize money was awarded to winners of the various categories by sponsors Godolphin.

Doherty has been Stud Manager of Watership Down for 24 years and was earlier in the evening presented the prize as winner of the Stud Staff Award.

When he arrived in 1992, bringing with him a wealth of experience, the Stud had no name, no horses and no post and rails. His professionalism, integrity and dedication has helped shape what the Stud has become today.

Doherty has helped develop the prestigious broodmare band, has never missed a foaling, personally feeds each horse and leads the dedicated team from the front.

What he has given to Watership Down, the Lloyd Webbers, their horses and thoroughbred breeding, both on the track and in the sales ring, is exceptional.

Brough Scott, Chairman of the Judging Panel, commented: “The finalists were of a quite exceptional standard and it was really inspiring for the judges to hear their stories. However, in the end, Terry emerged as a clear and very fine winner and I am sure he will be a great ambassador for the sport.”

The winners of the Awards were decided at a formal judging day at the BHA’s London office in the morning before the ceremony, where the finalists were interviewed by members of the judging panel.

The other category winners on the night were: Elisha Whittington from Tom Dascombe’s Manor House Stables who took the David Nicholson Newcomer Award; Brian Meehan’s assistant trainer Rory O’Dowd who took the Leadership Award; Jamie Bunsell of Paul Henderson Racing who was successful in the Rider/Groom category; and Head Lad to Sir Mark Prescott, Colin Nutter, whose 45 years caring for horses at Heath House earned him the Dedication to Racing Award.

Also honoured was Sarah Monkman whose work raising the profile of Racing Welfare saw her land the Rory MacDonald Community Award, which is in just its second year.

 

The full list of winners:

Employee of the Year: Terry Doherty – Watership Down Stud

Leadership Award: Rory O’Dowd – Brian Meehan

Rider/Groom Award: Jamie Bunsell – Paul Henderson

Stud Staff Award: Terry Doherty – Watership Down Stud

Dedication to Racing Award: Colin Nutter – Sir Mark Prescott

David Nicholson Newcomer Award: Elisha Whittington – Tom Dascombe

Rory Macdonald Community Award: Sarah Monkman – Racing Welfare