New EBF award announced ahead of TBA Flat Breeders’ Awards 2020
The British European Breeders’ Fund (British EBF) is sponsoring a brand-new award at this year’s virtual TBA Flat Breeders’ Awards Evening. The European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award, developed by the trustees, celebrates a British based stallion who has made a significant impact during the previous flat season.
The British EBF has long supported prize money in racing, enabling over 500 flat races a year to be run above minimum value. The contributions that provide these valuable prize money enhancements are, in the main, made by stallions standing at stud in Great Britain. The European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award is a new avenue through which the British EBF thank domestic stallion owners and celebrate the achievements of their horses.
James McHale, British EBF trustee and selection committee member commented:
“The award was specifically designed not to be just another statistic driven accolade. It means stallions covering smaller numbers of mares, standing at lower fees and producing fantastic results despite having fewer runners can get the recognition they deserve for their achievements.
There are a huge number of sires in Great Britain that far out-perform their covering fee or sales average and given that "leading sire awards" tend to focus on winners or prize money totals, meaning horses with the highest number of runners in any one season are at a perpetual advantage, this new award is a great platform through which stallions with fewer runners can be recognised.”
The long list of stallions was taken from the Stallion of the Month features which appear in the European Bloodstock News with support from the British EBF. The features highlight a stallion standing in GB at the time of writing who have excelled with their offspring in the preceding month. Amy Bennett, Managing Editor of the publication and selection committee member explained:
“Producing the monthly Stallion Focus articles, supported by the British EBF, has really called attention to the diversity and strength of the British stallion market and hopefully highlights to breeders some of the less obvious stallions who are out-performing their fee, as well as celebrating the achievements of those in the upper echelons. Some of the highest-achieving stallions will of course always appear in the nomination list for this award but it also gives a very positive avenue for every stallion that achieves noteworthy success.”
TBA Chief Executive Claire Sheppard added:
"We are delighted to be working with the EBF team and their development of this new award which will recognise an outstanding achievement from a stallion within the domestic market. The criteria of this award ensures that significant achievements are duly rewarded and recognised, looking beyond the realms of statistics to support a broad and diverse thoroughbred breeding industry. We would like to thank the BEBF Trustees for developing and supporting this award which will be presented at our virtual Flat Breeders' Awards Evening online."
The judging panel has been taken from across the industry and has been joined by guest judge Oisin Murphy to select the overall winner of the award.
European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award Short List (2019 achievements):
CABLE BAY
DUE DILIGENCE
FARHH
NIGHT OF THUNDER
The winner will be decided by the selection committee and the winner announced on the day of the virtual TBA Flat Celebration event.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award Selection Committee:
Anita Wigan TBA Trustee
James McHale British EBF Trustee
Amy Bennett European Bloodstock News Managing Editor
Cheryl Caves Operations Manager, EBF
Guest judge Oisin Murphy, Champion Jockey 2019.
European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award Long List (2019 achievements):
BATED BREATH
CABLE BAY
CHARM SPIRIT
DUE DILIGENCE
FARHH
KINGMAN
MUKHADRAM
NIGHT OF THUNDER
SIR PERCY