Breisner and Stevens on judging panel for Team Champion Award

The new National Trainers Federation award, introduced to recognise a strong ethos in racing yards, will have renowned coach Yogi Breisner and former trainer Olly Stevens on the judging panel.

Breisner, former world class performance manager and chef d'equipe of the British Three Day team, and Stevens will form part of a five-strong panel that will decide the inaugural winner of the Lycetts Team Champion Award.

The other judges are former jockey Dana Mellor, who helped establish the Jockeys Education & Training Scheme (Jets), BHA director and former head of human resources at John Lewis Laura Whyte and Kevin Parsons, a project manager at the National Association of Stable Staff who has worked for a number of leading yards.

Renowned coach Yogi Breisner, working with Lulu Stanford

There are two categories with the award, one for stables with more than 40 horses and the other for those with fewer than 40. The winner of each will receive £4,000 to be used in a way that benefits and supports the team.

The closing date for nominations is December 1 with the winners' ceremony to take place at the NTF annual general meeting on February 22 2018 at the Institute of Directors in London.

Breisner said: "I think this is a great initiative. There are common ingredients to successful teams and I look forward to playing a part in an award that promotes the team ethos."

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