2026 TBA Stud Employee Awards Now Open
Nominations for this year’s TBA Stud Employee Award are now open. Generously sponsored by New England Stud, the annual award is presented at the TBA Flat Breeders’ Awards Evening, which will take place on Wednesday, 8 July at Chippenham Park.
The TBA Stud Employee Award aims to celebrate the significant contribution that stud employees make to the breeding industry. Nominations are encouraged for those who have shown:
-
- A willing attitude to learning and taking on new responsibilities
- Promise as a future leader
- Excellence in their day-to-day role
- Exceptional performance in a specific situation
- A team player who motivates or acts as a mentor to others
Sponsored for a seventh year, by the Hon Peter Stanley’s New England Stud – the winner will take home a £2,000 cash prize and a perpetual trophy in the form of a magnificent Charlie Langton bronze.
The Award winner will be selected from six shortlisted candidates and will be invited to attend the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Flat Breeders Awards Evening on Wednesday 8 July 2026, where they will be presented with their prize and trophy. The remaining shortlisted nominees will receive £250 each in recognition of their achievement.
Last year, the award was presented to Zoe Isaacson of Barton Stud, Bury St Edmunds. Isaacson joined the Barton team over ten years ago and is now Stud Manager. Reflecting on winning the award she said: “Even to have been nominated was amazing, especially when I saw the list of nominees alongside me. To win was such a proud moment for me personally, but also a great reflection on the whole team I work with at Barton Stud.”
Caroline Turnbull, the TBA’s Industry Education and Retention Manager said: “The breeding industry relies on a highly skilled workforce, and this Award is designed to acknowledge and celebrate all those who work specifically across the breeding sector.
“We are incredibly grateful to Peter Stanley and New England Stud for their generous and ongoing support of the this award and we would encourage anyone running or working on a stud farm to put forward a deserving employee or colleague.”
Nominations are open between 6 March and 10 May 2026, and studs are invited to nominate deserving employees from Flat and National Hunt stud farms.
Nominations can be submitted by an employer, colleague or client, by visiting the TBA website and completing the online nomination form by the closing date of Sunday, 10 May 2026. For any questions or to request a paper copy please contact [email protected].
Late nominations will not be accepted; full terms and conditions can be found on the TBA website. Alternatively, a voice note/text can be sent via Whatsapp to 01638 661321. This needs to detail name and contact details of the nominator, the nominees name and employers name, as well as the reasons why they are being nominated for the award.