Te Akau Team Member of the Month

Te Akau's "Team Member of the Month" for October has been announced ...

Te Akau is proud to introduce you to our Team Member of the Month for October - Te Akau Stable Manager Lena Jones ...

Diligent, professional, personable and knowledgeable, Lena is worth her weight in gold.

“She's a champion and such an important part of how we manage the stable,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “She basically manages me, making sure everything gets done, is super-organised and provides me with checklist to work through.

“She's not only a massive asset to me in helping to run the office, but the whole team of staff. Looking after wages, visas, staff houses and much more. She is an integral part of the entire business and we're indebted to her for everything she does. She's certainly plays a big part in organising my work life, which helps take the pressure off. I can't thank her enough.”

Lena Jones:

I like being involved in the success the stable has, sushi run (laugh), and working with a really good bunch of passionate people.

My main roles are assisting Jamie, updating owners and organising the communications (images and videos), wages, accommodation, flights and travel arrangements. But, owner communication is a major part of my job.

The people I work with are extremely hard workers and striving to
be the best that they can be.

Te Akau is a very supportive business to work for. They help out with whatever the staff need, both in our work and personal lives, if people need that. David (Ellis) is an outstanding boss and he is very supportive.

The team spirit is good and everyone gets along as we all share the same passion for our horses. There is great humour, even early in the monring, the regular staff breakfasts are good, we have some dinners together and overall it's very good. A great place to work.

One of the highlights I've had this year was going on holiday with Benji to England, Ireland and Italy. Also, watching the team win Group Ones and stakes' races. It feels a bit different because I'm not working much with the horses but watching the horses win Group Ones and the group races is very exciting.

My favourite horse is Weaponry. I think he looks cute and he's a good racehorse too, winning the Southland Guineas earlier this year and racing really well in the Guineas' series down there. I like the look of him and he's quite cool.

I love the game (thoroughbred racing) and there's always something
exciting to look forward to - big races and babies coming through and progressing.

I was bred into it, I guess. Dad is an owner/trainer in Hawera. We've sold horses together when we were young. We'd have half the horse each and we sold a good one to Singapore, which is how I bought my first house. We bought a few mares to breed from, Mum and Dad and me and Kane, which is a hobby type thing. And, we always have shares in horses with Dad and Mum. They might give us a share at Christmas, birthdays, or whenever he's in a good mood.

I can't get out of it, really. I tried to work in a shipping office
in Taranaki, but I was drawn back to the horses.

I like Matamata because it's peaceful, central, good eateries, but I actually live on a farm in Scotman's Valley.

David (Ellis) and Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) introduced the award as a way of saying thanks to all the staff, from themselves, and also on behalf of the owners, in appreciation that the horses are given every opportunity to fulfil their potential.

“I keep saying that because these
people love horses they're prepared to get up at 3.30 a.m. in winter and
summer, rain, hail, and shine, six days a week,” Ellis said.

“We create opportunities for
young people to get involved in a thoroughbred business that we try to run as
professionally as we can, and also employ people that have spent their careers
working in the industry and bring enormous amounts of experience.”

The "Team Member of the Month" receives a cash prize and each year, overall winner receives an all expenses paid trip for two to the Gold Coast.

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