A MAN who has provided life-saving treatment to riders on the Lambourn gallops has been given a prestigious national award.
Tom Lovell-Stagg, who resuscitated 19-year-old work rider David McMinn after he was thrown from his horse, received a Pride of Racing Award for his life-saving work at a black-tie ceremony in London on October 16.
“It was a complete shock,” said Mr Lovell-Stagg (pictured above with Mr McMinn), who manages the gallops around Lambourn where trainers can exercise their race horses, for Jockey Club Estates.
“The other winners were three very impressive human beings, and it was a fabulous night.
“I was fortunate enough to meet Princess Anne, who was a charming lady.”
The awards, organised by horseracing paper the Racing Post, recognise the unsung heroes of the horseracing world, who enhance the lives of people who work in the racing industry.
As reported on newburytoday in July, Mr Lovell-Stagg helped Mr McMinn after he was thrown from his horse and thrown against a barrier.
He revived Mr McMinn, who stopped breathing, with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation 16 times before paramedics arrived.
Mr Lovell-Stagg, who lives in Lambourn and is in his 30s, also met one of the people who nominated him, Yorkshire nurse Anne Jaques-Morgan, for the first time on the night of the awards, and said it had been very moving to have been nominated by a stranger.
“That was one of the most satisfying things about the night,” he said. “Anne got in touch with the Racing Post, which organises the awards, after she heard about the accident involving David McMinn. She said she was impressed with the effort of someone who had relatively little medical training.”
Mr McMinn also nominated him, and was at the awards ceremony to celebrate with the man who saved his life.
“It was a brilliant night,” he said. “It was really good to see Tom get the award. I think quite a few people nominated him.”
Another West Berkshire racing stalwart honoured at the awards was Grace Muir, who runs a racehorse re-homing and rehabilitation centre from North Farm Stud in Fawley, as well as training and breeding horses from there.