Alan Varey Honoured for Contribution to NH Breeding at TBA Awards

[Wandering Eyes]

 Alan Varey of Batsford Stud in Gloucestershire admitted to being “lost for words” when presented with the Queen Mother's Silver Salver at the TBA's 11th annual National Hunt Breeders' Awards.

The special recognition award is the highest honour bestowed by the TBA's National Hunt committee and recognises Varey's long and distinguished career in the racing and breeding industry. Sponsored by Goffs, the awards ceremony took place in Doncaster on Monday evening.

Asked by host Nick Luck what gets him up in the morning, Varey replied, “Just seeing what we have in front of us; beautiful stallions who are performing well, all their offspring doing well and seeing the foals in the paddock – the up and coming.”

He also acknowledged the role of his son Tim at Batsford Stud. 

Varey said, “He's fifty per cent of the business. We didn't let him come in early, he had to go out and learn his trade and then said we need you – we need your skills.”

Varey's wife Anna is also involved in the running of the picturesque stud in the Cotswolds along with their daughter-in-law Linzi.

After leaving home at 15, Varey worked for trainer Jack Yeomans and then Matt McCourt, who supplied his first winner as a jockey. He later set up a livery yard to train point-to-pointers as well as using it as a spelling facility and for preparing horses for the sales. Varey leased Hillwood Stud near Lambourn in 1995 and moved to Batsford in 2001.

Stallions at the farm have included Kadastrof, Haafhd, Cockney Rebel, Erhaab, and Harbour Law, while Kew Gardens has recently joined the Batsford roster of four to stand alongside established National Hunt sire Passing Glance.

TBA NH BREEDERS' AWARD WINNERS:

Overbury Stud Trophy for Leading Novice Hurdler

The late Robert Chugg and his wife Jackie Chugg for The New Lion

Dudgeon Cup, sponsored by Batsford Stud, for NH Broodmare of the Year

Little Lodge Farm for Raitera, dam of The New Lion

The Mickley Stud Trophy for leading steeplechaser 

Yorton Farm and the late Maggie Luck, breeders of Gentlemansgame

Whitbread Silver Salver for the Leading Active British-based stallion by prize-money

Golden Horn, owned by Jayne McGivern, standing at Overbury Stud

Highflyer Bloodstock Trophy for Leading Hurdler

Sally Noott for Constitution Hill

Yorton Trophy for Leading Steeplechase Mare

Elizabeth Gordon-Lennox for Telepathique

Shade Oak Stud Trophy for Leading Hurdle Mare 

The Reveley family for That'll Do Moss

Midnight Legend Trophy for Leading Novice Chaser

Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes for Gidleigh Park

Peel Bloodstock Trophy for Leading National Hunt Flat horse Rowland Crellin for Green Splendour

The Horse & Hound Cup for the Leading active British-based NH stallion by individual steeplechase winners in Britain & Ireland 

Schiaparelli, standing at Overbury Stud

Eric Gillie Trophy for special achievement 

Jane Micklethwait for Copperhead

Queen Mother's Silver Salver

Alan Varey

 

The post Alan Varey Honoured for Contribution to NH Breeding at TBA Awards  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article