Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards

The seventh Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards were presented to a variety of worthy recipients at the Gold Coast Turf Club on Wednesday 25 May; we had a chat with each of the winners to see just what this award means to them - and how they came to be on the stage on that night...

FI MCINTYRE

Thoroughbred Care & Welfare

Her father Ricky - who started his professional life as an apprentice jockey before moving onto training - managed the stud at Sunbury where she grew up whilst her mother Kaye’s passion was retraining racehorses for second careers.

And so Fi was around horses from birth, including the 1972 Caulfield Guineas and Caulfield Cup winner Sobar who stood at the Sunbury farm owned by that horse’s owner Keith Southwick.

“So it was a natural progression for me to work with horses,” Fi said - “I have never known anything different!”

“I was plonked on a Shetland pony before I could even walk and then I was off to pony club, I grew up playing cowboys and indians on horses.”

Fast forward and Fi’s life is still filled with the equine!

Named Racing Victoria’s Retrainer Of The Year in 2020, Fi takes in horses not only via Racing Victoria’s RESET programme but also for private clients - many of whom wish to keep the horse, but have him or her trained professionally first.

Based at Inverleigh outside of Geelong, Fi has around 20 horses on the farm at any given time and what a mixed bag they are... “horses from three to 29!” she said, “all in different stages of their retraining.”

Plus some rather special retirees such as the Mackinnon Stakes and Australian Cup winner Sirmione who at the age of 19 is enjoying his “life of luxury.”

Another former member of the Bart Cummings stable is the horse Fi is best associated with, the five times Group winner Precedence who raced from three to ten, lining up in four Melbourne Cups.

Fi has fond memories of his arrival - the horse noted for wanting to pull in his races proving to be rather good at that! “On my first ride I thought I was going to have my arms dragged off,” she laughed.

But Precedence proved to be a quick learner and is now an established member of the show circuit, at the time of writing having just been to the Adelaide and Melbourne Royal Shows.

Fi has taken hopeless cases (including a son of Zabeel who had been confiscated from an unworthy owner by the RSPCA) through to success as well and nothing gives her a bigger thrill than that progression.

And she thanks her horses for this award - “it is a huge honour but it’s the horses who deserve the recognition, they are amazing.”

Fi had a great time at the awards, a rare chance to catch up with lots of like-minded people - “it was great spending time with people who work so hard behind the scenes, it was brilliant.”

JESS HOOD

Administration and Ancillary

When someone has worked at the same stud for over 20 years, you know that not only do they love their job - but also the environment in which they work. And in Jess Hood’s case, work is also home... Arrowfield Stud.

A long way (some 1320km!) from where she was raised in Edenhope on the Victorian/South Australian border (her parents still in the area - at Horsham), Arrowfield is, Jess says “definitely like a family.”

“The Messaras are fantastic, great people,” she said.

“They have big knowledge and a lot of passion not only for the industry but for the people who work in it.”

As does Jess, with one of her Arrowfield roles being to help out the ne

w recruits - not only officially, but as their friend; someone they can feel comfortable having a chat with.

Jess does not hail from a particularly horsey background, joking that “my parents couldn’t put a head collar on a horse!” but they always had a share or two in a bush horse, sharing the fun with a neighbour.

And it was another local who told Jess at a very early age (seven!) that her pony wasn’t quite up to scratch - gifting her a 15hh horse... she had to be a quick learner!

Jess Hood

With her natural affinity with horses it was only natural that Jess pursue a career with them and after school she completed Marcus Oldham College’s equine course which set her on her way.

Eight years with the yearlings at Baramul Stud where she quickly rose to yearling manager followed and then it was onto Arrowfield, the first decade with the yearlings, the last decade in the office.

And she has loved both roles.

“I love the horses, love being with them. Getting to know the yearlings as individuals, seeing them turned out for the sales and then the finished products as successful racehorses.”

Office life is a bit different but equally as challenging and enjoyable.

“You would think this would be a 9 - 5 life but it’s nothing like it!” she laughed, noting that she loves the interaction with staff both old and new along with the many differing challenges of the stud year.

Enjoying the awards night with her brother, Jess said that winning “meant a lot,” in regards to recognition of a lifetime in the industry.

“It is nice to be seen as a valuable member of the thoroughbred community,” she said.

REG FLEMING

Dedication To Racing

As a child, in his bedroom decorated with photos of horses like Leilani, Reg Fleming dreamed big. One day, he thought, he would love to work for Bart Cummings.

Raised in the Brisbane suburbs close by to Eagle Farm and Doomben, Reg was taken to the track from a very early on by his father Reg Snr who had also been around stables since he was young - at one stage sharing quarters with the legendary jockey Darby McCarthy.

Reg would hang around the stables of renowned trainer Alby Pratt and the very minute he was old enough to get his strappers licence he was off to the races - a memorable day at the Gold Coast in 1979 seeing the first horse he ever led into the mounting yard - Claire’s Victory - salute.

He was there to strap another horse later in the day but John O’Shea, working for Henry Davis, needed a helping hand. And so began a friendship that would lead to Reg’s current position at Godolphin - John asking him to come aboard in early 2015.

And when John left his position at Godolphin, along came James Cummings who Reg has known since he was a kid.

Reg Fleming

The reason he has known James so long... Reg was able to fulfil that childhood dream of his; for over two decades being an integral part of the Bart Cummings success story.

After his first racing job working for Bruce McLachlan (who was introduced to racing by his school mateReg Snr), Reg ventured to Melbourne were he gained further valuable experience with Tommy Hughes who he describes as “an absolute gentleman and a great trainer.”

After a couple of years working in Perth for Buster O’Malley, Reg returned to Brisbane, helping out in his dad’s stables in the mornings before heading to a 9-5 job which lasted seven years before he “got the itch to get back into racing.”

And so he took the leap and rang Bart Cummings, the best phone call he ever made! Working at different times in Melbourne and Brisbane - also taking horses such as Catalan Opening and Rogan Josh to Hong Kong - Reg worked with the likes of Saintly and So You Think, citing Precedence (now in the care of fellow award winner Fi McIntyre) as his favourite.

Enjoying the awards night with Sheralee Paterson who (along with Ashley Oldham) nominated him, Reg said that the win was “very humbling.”

“I didn’t get into this caper for awards but dad always said that sometimes it is just nice to get that well done pat on the back.”

And it was a full circle event for him - Reg happy to be back at the Gold Coast where he strapped that first winner!

ADAM SHANKLEY

Horsemanship

It is funny how fate steps in to map the path for a person’s life, in the case of Adam Shankley it was his sister’s childhood desire to have a horse. And her subsequent lack of enthusiasm once she fell off said horse!

“She wasn’t interested in riding after that so dad said, ‘well he is your horse now!’”

Discovering an instant love for and affinity with horses, Adam spent many a weekend riding through the bush in the Pilbara region of Western Australia... great memories.

And racing was in the background, his grandfather “always loving a punt.”

Adam was still at school when his family moved to Newcastle, an area which enabled him to gain experience with thoroughbreds - taking a weekend job at a small farm.

From there he moved to Victoria, working at Hobson’s Lodge firstly with Jim Mason at the helm, and then Mathew Ellerton. A two year breeding course at what was then Wangaratta Tafe (now Goulburn Ovens Institute of Tafe) ensued - and his final work placement was at Widden Stud.

Adam Shankley

It was during this time that Adam met his future wife (a member of the Vinery team) but he soon found the drive from Widden into Scone tiresome and he made the switch, with the help of Peter Keating, to Arrowfield. That was just over 20 years ago, Adam describing Arrowfield as “an unbelievable place to work!”

“I have spent half of my working life at Arrowfield,” he said, noting his enjoyment in a variety of rolesspending time in the covering shed, with yearlings and sale preparation, in stallion management and in the hospital area.

One experience stands out however, the time he spent working with a rather talented horse by the name of Redoute’s Choice.

Three times crowned Australian Champion Sire, Redoute’s Choice was - Adam says “a life-changing horse for everyone.”

“He was a great horse - he could be a bit cheeky at times but he was a gentleman, he’d do anything for you.”

Adam enjoyed the awards night in the company of his wife and with the Arrowfield team in town for the broodmare sales.

“It is nice to be appreciated for doing a good job,” he said, “and I think the whole concept is such a great idea.”

LIESL BAUMANN

Leadership

There was a pleasant surprise in store for Liesl Baumann on the night of the awards - not only the well deserved win - but in regards to who she got to share the excitement with.

“I took up a good friend as my plus one and I thought it would be just her and me but a few of the Cressfield team flew up to surprise me - it was so nice seeing them walk through the door!”

And so a great night was made even better and Liesl felt honoured to receive the award, noting that “it was a really nice moment to pause and reflect on the fact that years of hard work had not gone unnoticed.”

Describing her equine career as “a childhood obsession which took hold,” Liesl was raised amongst horses with her parents keen on Arabians.

“I did the usual pony club stuff, as well as some endurance riding though a career in horses was not what my parents had in mind - they thought it would all be long hours of picking up poo with not enough pay!” she laughed.

Liesl Baumann

“But there are wide and varied pathways you can take into the thoroughbred industry.”

Embarking on her thoroughbred journey with three years spent at Turangga Farm, Liesl learned all about that variety - “being a small farm, I got to do a bit of everything. There were some long days and hard yakka but it was great.”

From there Leisl headed to Cressfield - some 16 years ago - and it is there she happily remains.

Starting off as a stud hand, Liesl gravitated towards the foaling side of the business, describing that “as my passion and where I most like to spend my time.”

Now the stud’s Operations Manager, Liesl said that she “struggles to define” just what her job is but basically she is “across everything!”

With Cressfield home to high quality stock, Liesl said that she feels “privileged” to work with such mares as the Group 1 winning sprinters Pippie and Spright; a couple of her favourites who she describes as “lovely mares and easy to do anything with.”

She also has plenty of time for the not so straightforward horses - “I love the quirky ones, they tend to win you over!”

SACHA ROBERTS

Newcomer

en years selling charcoal chickens is not the usual lead-up to a career with horses and Sacha Roberts admits that there was never any stage in her life where she considered an equine career.

In fact she didn’t even have a dog - “there is no way anyone would pick me for being an animal person!” she laughed.

But when a friend suggested that she spend an afternoon at the Cranbourne stables of Mick Kent, something just clicked... though not exactly immediately.

“I was petrified at first, I’d never been around horses at all,” Sasha said but it was within a very short time frame that she started to realise that she was having a really good time.

“I thought, wow I am loving this!”

“It was helping me mentally, the stables were just such a nice place to work and I soon realised that this was where I wanted to be.”

Sacha Roberts

Learning the ropes at the Kent stables, Sasha switched jobs during the winter and within six months of working for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace partnership, the stable had won the Melbourne Cup with Gold Trip.

“That was amazing,” Sasha said, already thrilled to be in the thick of things at Flemington that day - strapping her favourite horse Ascension in the all-greys race - and all the more excited when Gold Trip stormed home.

In the final stages of completing her certificate 4 in racing, Sasha also has plans to finish a nursing course she started pre-COVID with the hopes of at some stage combining her passion for mental health with her new found love of horses.

But in the meantime she is very happy where she is, noting that “I just love my life in racing - there is never a day when I wake up and don’t want to go to work.”

Attending the awards night with her very proud mother Jo, Sasha said that “it felt amazing to be appreciated.”

“And winning has given me the confidence to keep pursuing all that I would like to do in racing.”

KELLY FROST

Dedication To Breeding

When you are a little girl and you just want a horse!”

That is how Kelly Frost, with no equine background - no family involvement in horses of any sort let alone thoroughbreds - came to be where she is today.

Just where she wants to be, in the very thick of things working for one of the world’s biggest racing and breeding operations, Godolphin.

Stud Secretary at their Darley base in Victoria, Kelly is kept very busy managing the comings and goings of the stud’s horses with the spring a particularly challenging time of year.

It is a side to the horse industry that is still relatively new to Kelly who took over this role in March 2020 having spent the rest of her horse life in the great outdoors.

“This is a whole different side to things,” she said“when you are out there doing things with the horses you don’t realise how much organisation goes into the everyday operation of a farm.”

And she loves it, enjoying bringing everything into alignment, ticking all the boxes, making sure everything runs smoothly.

And she still has time to spend with horses, something she has been passionate about since that childhood dream of having her own horse.

Kelly Frost

Growing up in Hopetoun in north-west Victoria, Kelly had that horse she wanted and once her family moved to Mudgee in New South Wales her sights were set on the thoroughbred game.

“I saw Gooree and I fell in love with the place and decided that’s what I wanted to do.”

Kicking off her thoroughbred career as a trainee at Yarraman Park (where she spent four happy years), Kelly then spent time overseas - gaining valuable experience at the Irish National Stud, Rathbarry Stud and Old Connell Stud and then on to the United States where she served as a veterinary technician intern. Back home, with recognition of her prior learning and experience, she was (after a 12 month course) able to qualify as an equine veterinary nurse.

Throughout this time Kelly’s passion was working with foals, enjoying her time on night watch before being made the foal unit manager at Darley, NSW.

“I then decided I was getting a bit too old for the hands-on work with horses,” she laughed... hence the switch in roles to stud secretary.

And now, recognition for her long time devotion to the thoroughbred industry.

“It was actually incredible just to be nominated for this award,” she said, “and winning it was totally unexpected.”

“You don’t do your job or live your life in pursuit of such things, you just do it because you love it.”

Kelly enjoyed the awards night, describing the Godolphin team as “a big extended family,” delighted to share her achievement with many of her fellow staff who were in town at the time for the broodmare sales... as well as with her mum who was obviously very proud!

“Everyone was so supportive, it was all very lovely.”