'To receive the main award from Princess Anne - I was completely gobsmacked. It was magical'

Nominations for the 2025 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards close at 5pm on November 5 with the Godolphin-backed awards ceremony taking place on February 24, 2025. Newsells Park Stud's David Porter-Mackrell, who was crowned Employee of the Year for 2024, shares his experience and why staff should nominate their deserving colleagues. Nominations can be made here.

How did you find out you’d been nominated?

David Porter-Mackrell: It was completely out of the blue. I was on a day off and I got a call from someone at Godolphin. They explained to me that Julian Dollar had nominated me and that judges would be getting in touch to speak to me. I was flabbergasted, I couldn’t believe it. Once it had sunk in, it felt amazing. Julian and I have always had a good working relationship and I’ve always felt appreciated, but this was on another level.

How was the night of the awards?

DPM: I have to say thanks to the sponsors and everyone involved because it really was incredible. Even before I’d won, to be at Ascot was so special. But the thing that stood out was how onside everyone was. Everyone was so supportive of each other, there was a great spirit and such a positive vibe. Everyone just seemed grateful to be part of this great industry.

What was it like to hear yourself called the winner?

​DPM: To win the stud staff award was one thing. You like to hope and I was thinking, ‘I’m here, I’ve got a squeak’, and I was quietly hoping. But to win the main award hadn’t even entered my calculations. I was stuck for words on the night. And to receive it from Princess Anne, I was completely gobsmacked. It was magical.

What would you say to anyone thinking of nominating a member of staff?

DPM: You’ve got nothing to lose. If you think highly enough of someone to be thinking about nominating them, you should just go for it. Even if they don’t make the shortlist, to know that they’ve been nominated, that the people who know them best have taken the time to do it, would mean the world to them.

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