2026 Racecourse Groundstaff Awards Winners
The Racecourse Association is delighted to confirm the winners of the 2026 Racecourse Groundstaff Awards.
Now in its 29th year, the Racecourse Groundstaff Awards are the recognised celebration of excellence in ground management and turf husbandry, and are sponsored by Agrovista Amenity, DLF Seeds & Science and Duralock.
Following deliberation by the independent judging panel, the full results from the 2026 Racecourse Groundstaff Awards are as follows:
Flat winner— Goodwood Racecourse
Image courtesy Goodwood Racecourse
Jump winner—Stratford Racecourse
Image courtesy Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse
Dual purpose winner— Newcastle Racecourse
Image courtesy Newcastle Racecourse
Flat runner-up—York Racecourse
Jump runners-up— Bangor on Dee Racecourse
Dual purpose-runners up—Ayr and Ffos Las Racecourses
Richard Linley Award—Morgan Hughes (Ffos Las Racecourse)
Image courtesy Ffos Las Racecourse
Neil Wyatt Lifetime Achievement Award—Simon Davis (Southwell Racecourse)
Image courtesy Southwell Racecourse
Special Merit Award—Richard Langley (Brighton Racecourse)
Image courtesy Brighton Racecourse
Consequently, Goodwood, Stratford and Newcastle will all be in the running to be crowned the 2026 Racecourse Groundstaff Champion which will be confirmed later in 2026 following a site visit from an expert, independent agronomist.
The winners and runners-up are deemed to have demonstrated the highest levels of commitment, innovation and excellence across the year to racecourse groundsmanship and turf husbandry. The racecourses all showed impressive dedication to sustainable turf management practices, equine welfare, redevelopments, innovation, and training. The judging panel also commended all racecourse groundstaff on their work to manage the challenges presented by this summer’s dry weather.
Ed Arkell, Director of Racing, at Goodwood said: “I am thrilled for Andrew and his team that their incredible efforts over the summer and their innovative approach have been recognised with this award. It has been a very challenging summer for all grounds teams and they have all done an amazing job, so to be judged the Flat winners is extremely special and testament to the Goodwood teams skill and hard work.”
Ilona Barnett, Managing Director, at Stratford, said: “We are absolutely delighted and incredibly proud to receive this Racecourse Groundstaff Award. It is a fantastic recognition of the hard work, dedication and professionalism of our entire groundstaff team, who work tirelessly throughout the year, often behind the scenes and in challenging conditions, to deliver the highest standards for racing.
This award is a real testament to the passion and commitment of everyone involved, and we are extremely grateful to the Racecourse Association, along with sponsors Agrovista Amenity, DLF Seeds and Science and Duralock, for recognising the vital contribution of groundstaff to our sport.”
Joe Gibson, Clerk of the Course at Newcastle, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been named the Dual-Purpose winner at the Racecourse Groundstaff Awards. This recognition is a real testament to the hard work, skill and dedication of our groundstaff team, who work tirelessly throughout the year to produce the best possible racing surfaces for both Flat and Jump racing. Maintaining consistently high standards across a busy dual-purpose racecourse takes enormous commitment and teamwork, often in challenging conditions and behind the scenes. To have that effort recognised by the industry means a great deal to everyone at Newcastle Racecourse, and we are extremely proud of the whole team.”
In addition to the core categories, the Racecourse Groundstaff Awards recognise excellence from individuals with three further awards:
- The Richard Linley Award, which celebrates groundstaff who have joined the industry in the last two years and have considerably improved their skills, shown determination and have a passion for learn, was given to Morgan Hughes from Ffos Las, in recognition of his enthusiasm, reliability and willingness to learn. Morgan is personable and a huge team player. He joined the team on a permanent basis in July 2025, having been a casual fence attendant for a year.
- Simon Davis from Southwell Racecourse won the Neil Wyatt Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to the industry having been at Southwell Racecourse since 1989. Simon is hugely dependable, hardworking and is described by the team as an action man. Alongside his racecourse work, Simon has given a huge amount of time to mentoring and has shared his knowledge and expertise with many individuals which has enabled them to go into great industry roles.
- The Judging Panel nominated Richard Langley from Brighton Racecourse for the Special Merit Award for his dedication to Brighton Racecourse. Richard has been working at Brighton for 15 years and has gone above and beyond to have the track in good condition. Alongside this the panel commended a number of charitable activities undertaken by Richard to raise awareness of bowel cancer including a 100-mile ultramarathon on the South Downs.
The BHA Inspectors of Courses said: ”This year’s competition was as fiercely contested as ever, reflecting the incredible standards being set across the industry. Despite an exceptionally demanding year from an agronomy standpoint, the dedication of the groundstaff teams was evident at every single track. Our warmest congratulations go to all the deserving winners.”
Dale Gibson, Racing Director at the PJA, said: “Every year, without fail countless groundstaff work diligently to produce a safe and effective racing surface for horses and jockeys. None more so than this year. We yet again witnessed an extended period of drought in all areas of the country over multiple weeks this summer, meaning incredibly early starts and extra-long hours for all groundstaff. Everyone who was nominated deserves credit with special recognition to the winning teams. The PJA and our safety officers continue to work regularly with all racecourses and their management teams.”
Tabby Killingbeck, Senior Racecourse Services Executive, said: “Each year the Racecourse Groundstaff Awards shine a light on the teams and individuals who go above and beyond to produce the best racing surfaces. This year grounds teams across Great Britian have faced an exceptionally challenging year of weather but have risen to the challenge and worked relentlessly to ensure racing continues. Congratulations to all the winners of the awards.”
