Throughout the foaling season, Jenny Watson spends her nights at Armidale thoroughbred stud in Carrick.
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She clocks on at 10pm and will check on the mares that are due to foal every fifteen minutes, all night until 6am.
Her attention can be the difference between life and death, her more than 30 years of experience critical in bringing a new generation of racing thoroughbreds safely into the world.
A highly respected career that began in 1981 after completeing agriculutural college in Western Australia has now netted Ms Watson two national awards.
The Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards recognise the skill of racing industry workers – the people who put in the hours of work behind the scenes of celebration on race day.
On Friday night Ms Watson took out both the Dedication to Breeding Award, and the Thoroughbred Excellence Award for her years as foaling supervisor for Armidale Stud.
“Bringing these foals out alive … and seeing the instant bond between the foal and the mare, from go to whoa, every part of it – it’s hard to describe, it’s just something I love,” she said.
“I delivered The Cleaner, he foaled down here, probably Lady Lynette was another good race mare … there’s so many, I can’t think.
“I’m delivering foals from grandchildren of the ones I delivered in the first years.
“I go to the races and I go oh, I delivered that one, and that one, and that one.”
Ms Watson said of the hundreds of foals she has delivered over the years, she “likes to think every one’s a winner”.
The Godolphin Awards were founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.
The awards are now run internationally to recognise the hard work of racing staff across the world, with ceremonies held in the United States, England, Ireland and Australia.
This is just the second year the awards have been held in Australia, with their ceremony at Moonee Valley on Friday a celebration of the best and brightest of the racing industry.
“When they announced that I’d won the Dedication to Breeding – wow, fantastic,” Ms Watson said.
“Then when they announced I’d won the Thoroughbred Excellence award as well, I was just … I couldn’t think of anything to say.”
Ms Watson was nominated by Armidale Stud, where she has spent the majority of her career working with the Whishaw family.