Yard manager who stepped in when boss fell ill takes top award

A yard manager whose love of horses sparked her career was honoured with a prestigious award in recognition of helping others fulfil their potential.

Sarah Guest won the leadership award and was named employee of the year at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, at York racecourse on Monday (20 February). Her wins meant she took home £15,000, with the same again to be shared among her colleagues at trainer John O’Shea’s yard.

In 2022, John fell ill and was out of action for more than three months. Sarah’s “initiative, leadership and determination” was credited for keeping the yard running and she was described as “the very definition of a leader”.

“It’s very much a family. We all work together and we all support each other,” said Sarah, on collecting her leadership award from ITV Racing’s Francesca Cumani and former champion jockey Richard Johnson.

“Everyone leans on me and I lean on them, because we are a small yard and we just keep everything rolling.”

She credited John’s support for where she is today, and explained more about how she helps people follow their racing career dreams.

“We find them the right paths in racing that suits them,” she said. “It’s not always going to be the jockey route, it could be more of a sort of administration route, we find what’s right for them and we push them down the right path.”

On receiving her overall accolade, a “speechless” Sarah spoke about how learning never stops when it comes to horses.

“I know I’m not perfect and every day is a school day,” she said, adding that the award is “massive” for the “little yard in the middle of nowhere”.

“I learn on courses, and today to speak to the newcomers, to the other staff here and to the stud staff… that is an inspiration. I have loved it and I’ve taken something from it. And I can’’ wait to go back and tell everyone all about it,” she said.

Broadcaster Nick Luck, chair of the judging panel, said Sarah is a “richly deserving winner”.

“There can be no doubting the importance of Sarah to the John O’Shea operation, which was demonstrated to greatest effect during 2022 when he was unwell,” added Nick.

“Sarah is a shining example of the sort of hard work and dedication that keeps yards up and down the country running, and we as an industry can be rightly proud of her dedication to ensuring the wellbeing of her colleagues and the horses in her care.

“It is particularly pleasing to name an employee of the year from outside the nation’s most powerful yards.”

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