Carlow and Kilkenny were well represented in the Irish Stud and Stable Staff Awards this week.
Nuala Healy from Carlow town who’s the manager of Ballincurrig House Stud in County Cork won the Stud Employee Award.
Dick Dowling from Coon in Kilkenny whos is head lad for Willie Mullins got the award for Head Lad/Girl.
And Sonny Carey, from Suncroft in Kildare who is a work rider for Willie Mullins, won the Rider/Groom Award.
Background
Manager of Ballincurrig House Stud in County Cork, Nuala Healy, who hails from Carlow town, won the Stud Employee Award. After spending time as head girl for trainer Jessica Harrington, in Moone, County Kildare, Nuala moved to Cork and began working in Ballincurrig House Stud in 1999 under the late Josie Rohan and her brother Michael Moore. Nuala was nominated by Michael who described her as a much-respected, loyal and hard-working employee with a caring nature. Nuala received a specially-commissioned trophy and €5,000 and her colleagues in Ballincurrig House Stud will share €4,000, which is an additional part of the Stud Employee Award.
Dick Dowling, originally from Coon, County Kilkenny and living in Old Leighlin, County Carlow, received the award for Head Lad/Girl or Travelling Head Lad/Girl. Dick, who is employed as head lad for Willie Mullins is the first person into the busy yard every morning and the champion trainer says that many of the younger stable staff members have been positively affected by his strong work ethic, punctuality and total dedication to his job. Dick received €5,000 and a trophy with an additional €4,000 for employees from the Closutton yard.
Sonny Carey, from Suncroft, County Kildare, who is employed as a work rider for Willie Mullins, won the Rider/Groom Award. Sonny is described as “one of the most talented riders in a yard not short of them, who shows a lot of patience and care with horses in need of rehabilitation”. He received €5,000, a trophy and €4,000 to be shared among employees in the yard.
The full list of winners and runners-up is as follows:
Irish Racing Excellence Award
James O’Neill, Assistant Trainer, John Oxx
Leadership Award
Damien McGillick, Assistant Trainer, Noel Meade
(Runners-up: Sally Carroll, Student Liaison Officer, Irish National Stud and James Mahon, Head Stallion Man, Derrinstown Stud)
Head Lad/Girl or Travelling Head Lad/Girl
Dick Dowling, Head Lad, Willie Mullins
(Runners-up: Deirdre McCurtin, Head Girl, John Kiely and Deirdre Ryan, Head Girl, John Ryan)
Rider/Groom Award
Sonny Carey, Work Rider, Willie Mullins
(Runners-up: Jeff Byrne, Rider/Groom, Dermot Weld and Martin Deegan, Yard Manager/Groom, Ballydoyle)
Stud Employee Award
Nuala Healy, Manager, Ballincurrig House Stud
(Runners-up: Mick Conroy, Stud Groom/ Head Lad, Eyrefield House Stud and Mick Ryan, Head Stud Groom/ Yard Manager, Derrinstown Stud)
Administration Award
Martina Murphy-Dunne, Racing Secretary, Dermot Weld
(Runners-up: Pauline Byrne, Office Manager, Derrinstown Stud and Denis Hickey, Racing Secretary, Ballydoyle)
Dedication To Racing Award
James O’Neill, Assistant Trainer, John Oxx
Newcomer Award
Lorna Buggle, Head Girl, Dick Brabazon
Ancillary Services Award
Kathleen Hanratty, Grooms’ Canteen, the Curragh Racecourse
Racecourse Award
Dundalk Stadium
