Jessica McLernon Crowned Employee Of The Year At 2018 Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards
At a gala evening ceremony celebrating the achievements of stud and stable staff from across the country at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, Jessica McLernon, Assistant Trainer at Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank Stables, has been named as Employee of the Year 2018.
Jessica was awarded with the perpetual Godolphin Trophy by special guest presenter Michael Owen alongside presenter Ed Chamberlin at an event hosted by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).
She was also presented with a cheque for £40,000, of which £20,000 will be shared amongst the staff at Musley Bank, part of £120,000 in prize money which was awarded on the evening by sponsors Godolphin.
Jessica also landed the Leadership Award on the night for her rapid progress to become assistant trainer since joining the team at Richard Fahey Racing in May 2011.
As well as managing day to day duties including rotas, allocating staff to go racing and managing veterinary visits Jessica keeps in close contact with the office and 75 staff who help make the yard run so efficiently.
Her positive, friendly attitude and astute manner and natural management skills have always shone through and she has worked hard to hone her skills in managing, motivating and mentoring the staff to get the best out of everyone.
The Awards ceremony took place at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London’s Knightsbridge in front of a specially invited audience from across the racing industry to celebrate the vital role of stud and stable staff in the racing industry and the care which they provide to the horses they look after.
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: Adrian Stewart of David Lougnane Racing who took the David Nicholson newcomer award; Petra Sebestikova of Luca Cumani’s Bedford House Stables who was successful in the Rider/Groom category; Sarah Taylor of Mickley Stud who landed the Stud Staff award and William Reddy, whose years of service with the Johnson Houghton family earned him the Dedication to Racing award.
Also honoured were John and Jackie Porter, formerly of the Injured Jockeys’ Fund, who landed the Rory MacDonald Community award for their work at Lambourn’s Oaksey House.
The winners of the Leadership, Rider Groom, Stud Staff and Dedication to Racing categories received a prize of £5,000 with an additional £5,000 also being awarded to the winner’s yard or stud. The two runners-up in these categories won £2,000 each, with the same amount going to their yard or stud.
By Ritesh Jamkhedkar - ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com