Michelle Nichols honoured with HTBA award
The team at Arrowfield has celebrated many successes this season, but the announcement of Stud Secretary Michelle Nichols as the 2017 Hunter Valley Breeders Association Employee of the Year (Administration) is a particularly special highlight.
Michelle was honoured at the HTBA’s 26th annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday evening, one of many events scheduled during the Scone & Upper Hunter Horse Festival, which concludes with the Darley Scone Cup Carnival on Friday and Saturday.
Michelle’s high level of professional performance and dedication to her work at Arrowfield during a period of great change and progress has been, and continues to be very valuable.
Michelle joined Arrowfield in 1998 and her role as Stud Secretary gives her responsibility for all administrative operations at the farm, notably the management of more than a thousand stallion bookings during the breeding season. The respect and gratitude that farm managers, stud administrators and broodmare owners express for Michelle’s work is the best testament to her effectiveness in this vital and challenging role.
She is also held in very high regard by her Arrowfield colleagues who can always rely on her efficiency and personal support.
Arrowfield Chairman John Messara says, “Michelle is one of the mainstays of Arrowfield, and her integrity, accuracy and diligence are all impeccable. Just as her home is the first building most visitors see at Arrowfield, so Michelle is the first port of call for our staff and clients, and she never fails to provide the advice, information and assistance they need.”
A second Arrowfielder, Broodmare Farm Manager Nigel Bentley, was a finalist for the Employee of the Year (Horsemanship) Award, won by Daniel Krzanic of Coolmore Australia.
Paul Messara collected two other awards during the evening: the HTBA Champion Sire Award, won by Snitzel, and the HTBA Champion 2YO Colt Award, won by Group 1 winner Invader (Snitzel-Flame of Sydney), and accepted on behalf of the colt’s breeder Michael Pitt. Invader was bred and raised at Arrowfield and sold through the Arrowfield draft on behalf of Mr Pitt. Those awards were sponsored respectively by William Inglis & Sons and International Animal Health Products.
