FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Launched in USA

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Open to anyone working in a supporting role in racing and breeding, TIEA recognize and reward the dedicated, hard-working people who are the backbone of the industry.

Announced by Godolphin in May, the TIEA are in the homestretch for nominations for five award categories with winners to be announced at a ceremony at Keeneland in October. In partnership with the National HBPA, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) and The Jockey Club, the awards are open to anyone working in horseracing and breeding across the USA in order to recognize and reward the dedicated, hard-working people who are the backbone of the industry and play an invaluable role in caring for our equine athletes.
John Ferguson, Chief Executive and Racing Manager for Godolphin, said: “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin are proud and honored to be able to launch the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards in America. We speak of our equine athletes at length but it is also important to ensure that those individuals who make up the fabric of the sport and work tirelessly behind the scenes get the merit they deserve. We look forward to watching this initiative become a significant event in the racing and breeding calendar this year and in the years to come.”

Trainers Kiaran McLaughlin and Bob Baffert, owners Maggi Moss and Sol Kumin, breeder and owner John Phillips, Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron and former jockey and broadcast racing analyst Donna Brothers, have taken on ambassadorial roles in support of the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards.

The TIEA ceremony will be held on opening day of Keeneland’s fall meet, October 7, with recognition given to a total of 13 individuals in five different categories: Leadership Award Farm, Leadership Award Racing, Dedication to Breeding Award, Dedication to Racing Award and a Thoroughbred Industry Community Award.

In addition to a commemorative trophy for the winners, three individual awards in each category will be distributed for first place ($10,000), second place ($2,500) and third place ($2,500) in the first four categories respectively, with a single first-place award given in the fifth. On top of this, farm and racing employees associated with each award recipient will receive monetary recognition. Total prize money for the five awards will be $115,000.

The nominating process closes on Monday, August 1st. For more information go to www.godolphinUSawards.com.

About TOBA
TOBA, based in Lexington, Ky., was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of leading Thoroughbred breeders and owners. TOBA’s mission is to improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Breeding, Conformation & Pedigree Clinics, TOBA Owners Concierge, OwnerView and the Sales Integrity Program. TOBA provides international representation for U.S. owners and breeders on the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, International Cataloguing Standards Committee and International Breeders Federation. Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) is the charitable arm of TOBA. TOBA Media Properties, a subsidiary of TOBA, owns The Horse magazine, Eclipse Press and is co-owner of The Blood-Horse LLC. TOBA is represented on the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium as founding members.