This year the HTBA is adding two new award categories to celebrate the achievements of our people, the industry staff who are the backbone of the Hunter’s premier thoroughbred breeding industry.

These awards are HTBA Employee of the Year (Horsemanship) sponsored by Nationwide Superannuation Fund and HTBA Employee of the Year (Administration) sponsored by Employers Mutual Insurance Limited.

These awards will complement the President’s and the Murray Bain Awards. The HTBA Employee of the Year (Administration) Award will recognise an individual staff member who works in administration in or for the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeding Industry who has demonstrated exceptional skills, loyalty or achievement that has added value to their employer’s business and directly or indirectly to the Hunter Valley Thoroughbred Breeding Industry.

The HTBA Employee of the Year (Horsemanship) Award will recognise an individual staff member who has shown talent for horsemanship, consistency and reliability, an affinity with horses and who gives priority to animal welfare.

Must demonstrate a degree of success within the Hunter Valley Thoroughbred Breeding Industry that has been borne out of their particular skill set.

The winners of these new awards will also be nominated as HTBA candidates for similar award categories in the Australian Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.

All HTBA members are encouraged to nominate staff for these awards via the nomination forms posted with HTBA member Awards night invitations or online https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R2FW93Y by 5pm Friday 6th May, 2016.

This year’s nominations for the Hunter Valley Champion Thoroughbreds in each category are: Champion 2 year-old filly (award sponsored by Scone Race Club): Arrowfield bred Scarlet Rain; Cressfield bred Missrock, Godolphin bred Calliope; SF Bloodstock bred Zamzam and Yankee Rose bred by Wexford Farm, Doyles Breeding & Racing and Wamslet Partnership.

Champion 2 year-old colt (award sponsored by International Animal Health Products: Godolphin bred Astern, Telperion and Souchez; and El Divino bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds.

Champion 3 year-old filly (award sponsored by Pages Event Hire): Stay with Me bred by Arrowfield Pastoral, Planette Thoroughbred and Belford Productions; Arrrowfield and Jungle Pocket bred Perignon; Godolphin bred Ambience, Pearls and Ghisoni; and Badawlya bred by Sheikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

Champion 3 year-old male (award sponsored by Equilaw): Exosphere and Holler bred by Godolphin; and Japonisme bred by Ingham Racing.

Champion Racehorse (award sponsored by Goldners): Exosphere bred by Godolphin; Winx bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds; Politeness bred by Sledmere; and Chautauqua bred by Woodbury Pty Ltd.

Champion Broodmare (award sponsored by Scone Equine Hospital): Vegas Showgirl (dam of Winx and El Divino) bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds; Polska (dam of Seaburge, Catch A Fire) bred by Henderson Racing & Breeding; Zelady (dam of Zelady’s Night Out, Excites Zelady, Comprende, I Am Zelady) bred by Miss J Henderson; and Lovely Jubly (dam of Chatauqua) bred by Woodbury Pty Ltd.

Champion Sire (award sponsored by Inglis): Arrowfield’ s Not a Single Doubt; Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock and Encosta de Lago; and Darley’s stallion Street Cry.

Champion First Season Sire (award sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research/ Ridley Barastoc): Arrowfield’s Smart Missile; Coolmore’s So You Think; Darley’s stallion Sepoy; and Newgate’s Foxwedge.

The HTBA President and Committee look forward to celebrating our dedicated employees and champion thoroughbreds with all HTBA members at this year’s quarter century milestone.