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
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
