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HRH The Princess Royal Guest Of Honour At 20th UK Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards

The finalists for the 20th edition of the UK Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards (TIEA), sponsored by Godolphin, have been announced. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal will be the guest of honour at Ascot Racecourse where the awards will be held on Monday, Feb. 26.

Previously a three-day European eventing champion, Olympian, and amateur jockey, Princess Anne is involved in several equine-themed charities including Racing Welfare, the Injured Jockeys Fund and Amateur Jockeys Association.

The finalists will be judged earlier in the day on Feb. 26, with the awards hosted by ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin. The finalists and their employers for the 2024 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, are as follows:

David Nicholson Newcomer Award
Bethan Nelson (Warren Greatrex)
Molly Roberts (Ed Walker)
Hollie Wiltshire (Alan King)

Leadership
Cheryl Armstrong (Charlie Fellowes)
Andrew McIntyre (William Haggas)
Eamonn O'Donnabhain (Tom Lacey)

Rider/Groom
Vicki Boyle-Atkins (Richard Phillips)
Lyndsey Bull (Ian Williams)
Alice Kettlewell (Karl Burke)

Stud Staff
Noel Challinor (Northmore Stud)
Jack Conroy (Chasemore Farm)
David Porter-Mackrell (Newsells Park Stud)

Dedication
Andrea Kelly (Tim Vaughan)
Linda Murphy (Rae Guest)
Brian Taylor (Luck Greayer Shipping)

Community Award
Joanne Flaherty (Chelmsford City Racecourse)
David Letts (Racing With Pride)
Lauren Semple (Police Scotland/Scottish Racing Academy)

Each individual winner and runner-up will receive a share of the £128,500 prize money, again generously provided by Godolphin, with £30,000 in total for the overall Employee of the Year and their yard or stud.

BHA chief executive, Julie Harrington, said, “I'd like to congratulate this year's finalists on this wonderful achievement.

“The 2024 ceremony promises to be a truly memorable occasion and it is fitting that The Princess Royal will be with us as guest of honour as we mark 20 years of recognising the very best of British racing and breeding.

“We are also very grateful to our sponsor, Godolphin, and award partners, the Racing Post, Racing TV and Ascot Racecourse Supports, for your ongoing commitment to shining a spotlight on the hard work, expertise and dedication of our people.”

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Affordability Check Debate Will Take Place In Late February

After the required 100,000-signature mark was reached on a petition to review the proposed implementation of affordability checks, a debate on the subject will be held on Feb. 26, the British government's Petitions Committee announced. The petition was originally launched by Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale.

British Horseracing Authority (BHA) chief executive Julie Harrington said in a statement, “We are pleased that the important issue of affordability checks will now be subjected to proper levels of parliamentary scrutiny.

“The fact that our survey reached the required 100,000 signatures threshold in just 27 days is powerful testament to the strength of feeling shared by bettors over the proposed checks. This has today been recognised by the Petitions Committee.

“No other form of leisure activity is subjected to the kinds of restrictions being proposed by the Government and so it is right that MPs have the chance to forensically debate this issue.

“The BHA and other racing stakeholders will work with MPs on both sides of the House to ensure that the views of British racing and those who bet on the sport are properly represented within the debate.

“While we support the need to protect individuals from the risk of gambling-related harm it remains the case that millions of people enjoy betting on horseracing without suffering any ill effects.

“The BHA will therefore continue to push for changes to the Gambling Commission's proposals on affordability checks to protect the sport's financial future and limit the impact on racing bettors.”

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UK Thoroughbred Industry Economic Impact Study Begins

A third UK Thoroughbred industry economic impact study began on Friday, following confirmation of funding support from the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB). The third study of its kind was commissioned by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA), with additional financial support from the Racing Foundation, and will provide an up-to-date audit of the British market, analysing the impact of wider economic and political factors to identify emerging challenges and opportunities. PwC has been appointed to conduct the study. The wider racing ecosystem will also be explored in the study, including the source and size of its horse population, international trade and subsequent impact on the future racing programme.

Claire Sheppard, TBA Chief Executive, said, “We are incredibly grateful to the Levy Board and the Racing Foundation for their support of this vitally important piece of work. The previous studies enabled us to firstly assess the environment in which thoroughbred breeders were operating in, but also provide evidence to build our long-term strategies. Both the emerging and more established trends in these reports demonstrated areas of the sector at risk, which were subsequently addressed by the introduction of initiatives to influence market behaviour and assist the industry.

“This third study will give us an up-to-date overview of the market and allow us to monitor the influence of industry incentives such as the Great British Bonus Scheme. It will also examine the supply of thoroughbreds to British racing and the effects of global trade and competition on the sport. Crucially, the results of this project will show us if our areas of focus remain key priorities for the future or if there is evidence that we should re-align parts of our strategy to new, emerging threats and opportunities.”

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TBA Awarded Over £360K to Support Racing Industry

Over £360,000 will be issued to the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association over a three-year period for activities that work towards improving the education provision, equine welfare and environmental sustainability of the UK racing industry. The money will come from the Racing Foundation, the racing industry's charitable grant issuing body.

The plans include funding for further development and delivery of new initiatives within the TBA's Thoroughbred Breeding Industry Training and Qualification Pathway, which provides a formal structure to industry learning–ranging from essential skills at Level 1 through to advanced management training at Level 4. Continued support at Level 1 for the successful Entry to Stud Employment (E2SE) programme in 2022 will ensure that the industry continues to attract new entrants and deliver accessible training. The expansion of content on the TBA's e-learning platform TB-Ed will also enable thoroughbred breeders, enthusiasts and students to improve their knowledge of topics relating to thoroughbred horse care and breeding at their own convenience.

Plans for the third Economic Impact Study will be able to proceed this year to provide further data on which to assess trends from the 2014 and 2018 research. The previous studies, instrumental in the formulation of the TBA's evidence-based strategies to combat industry challenges, resulted in the successful creation and delivery of NHMOPS and subsequent GBB scheme.

TBA Chief Executive Claire Sheppard said, “Equine health and welfare is at the heart of our work at the TBA. By prioritising education and training we can ensure that all our industry participants can continue to deliver the highest standards of equine care.

“Funds from the Racing Foundation will support these key areas, whilst progressing the TBA's equine welfare strategy which includes improved data collection and analysis, education, traceability and aftercare.

“All of this wouldn't be possible in the long term without a sustainable environment in which to raise thoroughbreds, hence our commitment to encourage environmental best practice within the industry. The Racing Foundation funded our first award-winning sustainability project last year and we are delighted to be partnering with them again as we develop this work.

“The third Economic Impact Study will also enable us to assess the current state of the industry, whilst identifying possible future challenges and opportunities for the sector.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Racing Foundation in helping us deliver these projects to achieve our five-year goals to improve the operating environment for all participants in the industry.”

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