Trainor is Employee of the Year at Stable Staff Awards

Paddy Trainor was crowned the 2022 Employee of the Year at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards the evening of Feb. 21.

A virtual ceremony, which saw £128,500 (US$174,647 of prize money shared among the winners courtesy of event sponsors Godolphin, was held for the second year running on Racing TV.

Trainor, a qualified industry coach, was announced as the recipient of the Employee of the Year award and £10,000 ($13,593) prize in recognition of his 23 years of service to Johnston Racing.

The work-rider also took home the Rider/Groom award earlier in the evening, for which a further £10,000 is to be shared among his colleagues. Dan Skelton's assistant trainer Tom Messenger was also recognized for his leadership qualities.

Broadcaster and chair of the judging panel, Nick Luck, said: "Paddy is an incredibly deserving winner of the Employee of the Year award and all of his colleagues at Johnston Racing will rightly feel very proud this evening.

"It's been an honor and a pleasure to get to know the nominees for each category and picking winners from among them is an exceedingly difficult task, as everybody who has been nominated is most deserving of their moment in the spotlight."

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Julie Harrington added: "The awards are special, not only because they shine a light on the incredible work done by racing staff up and down the country but also, in being nominated, those individuals are given an indication of the high regard in which they are held by their peers.

"Everybody nominated tonight has done their bit to make horse racing a better sport and for that we are all extremely grateful."

Award Winners

Employee of the Year: Paddy Trainor (Johnston Racing)

David Nicholson Newcomer: Elouise O'Hart (Ed Walker)

Leadership: Tom Messenger (Dan Skelton)

Rider/Groom: Paddy Trainor (Johnston Racing)

Stud Staff: Dulcie West (North Farm Stud)

Dedication: Alyson West (James Ferguson)

Community (in recognition of the wonderful work Rory MacDonald achieved at The British Racing School): Freedom Zampaladus (Urban Equestrian Academy)