The Gold Coast provided the perfect backdrop for last night's 2022 Stud and Stable Staff Awards as the Australian racing industry's unsung heroes were duly recognised.
Having received a record number of nominations this year, Reg Fleming, who grew up in Brisbane before forging his career inter-state, was named the overall winner of the Thoroughbred Excellence Award after being awarded the recipient of the Dedication to Racing Award earlier in the evening.
Fleming is one of seven winners of the annual Stud and Stable Staff Awards that acknowledge the thousands who operate behind the scenes in Australia’s thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.
Fleming, formerly the long-time Melbourne foreman for legendary trainer Bart Cummings and now filling the same role with Godolphin Australia, also takes a keen interest in the welfare of retired racehorses, recently becoming the lifetime carer for the former top-class galloper Hartnell.
For Fleming, it has always been horses first, second and third.
“I didn’t start in this game to win any awards, it was always for the horses,” he said.
“It’s great to be nominated and to be a finalist, but the main thing is that the strappers, the stable hands, the stud workers, all the people down the line, get the credit they deserve.”
Fleming began his association with racing at the stable of Brisbane’s then leading trainer Alby Pratt when he was still at school. While his father rode work on the gallopers, the young Fleming worked the trainer’s harness horses.
After stints with various other trainers, including Bruce McLachlan in Brisbane, Tommy Hughes in Melbourne and Buster O’Malley in Perth, Fleming joined forces with Bart Cummings in Melbourne. He remained there for 18 years and was associated with the winners of most of Australia’s greatest races.
When Cummings retired in 2014, Fleming moved to the newly instituted Godolphin team and continues his long association with the family as Foreman for Godolphin trainer James Cummings at Carbine Lodge.
Other winners to emerge from hundreds of nominations from around the country were Liesl Baumann from Cressfield Stud in NSW who won the SSSA’s Leadership prize and Adam Shankley from Arrowfield Stud, winner of the Horsemanship Award.
On a big night for Arrowfield, Jess Hood made it a double for the Hunter Valley-based farm, taking out the Administration and Ancillary Services category, while in the Dedication to Breeding section, the nod went to Kelly Frost from Godolphin Australia’s Northwood Park farm in Victoria.
In the Care and Welfare section, presented by Racing Queensland, a previous finalist, Fiona McIntyre, had her selfless and vital work in re-homing and retraining rewarded with top honours.
As well as recognising long-term service, the SSSA also offers a Newcomer Award to those who have been working in the industry for two years or less.
The 2022 Newcomer winner is Sacha Roberts whose move from running a chicken shop to working for Victorian trainer Mick Kent has been a revelation to both her and her boss. The Newcomer winner receives $5,000 and an educational visit to Dubai.
Winners in each category, excluding the Newcomer, receive a cash prize of $10,000 and a trophy with $3,000 to each runner-up and $1,000 to share among workplace colleagues with the Excellence winner receiving a further $5,000.
2022 Stud and Stable Staff Awards recipients:
- Administrative and Ancillary Services Award sponsored by the MRC Foundation: Jess Hood, Arrowfield Stud
- Dedication to Racing sponsored by the Australian Turf Club: Reg Fleming, Godolphin Australia – Thoroughbred Excellence Award winner
- Dedication to Breeding sponsored by Magic Millions: Kelly Frost, Godolphin Australia
- Horsemanship Award sponsored by Inglis: Adam Shankley, Arrowfield Stud
- Leadership Award sponsored by the Victoria Racing Club: Liesl Baumann, Cressfield Stud
- Thoroughbred Care and Welfare Award sponsored by Racing Queensland : Fiona McIntyre
- Newcomer Award sponsored by Thoroughbred Industry Careers and Marcus Oldham College: Sacha Roberts, Mick Kent Racing