Jules Stowell serves as client relations manager for Niall Brennan Racing where she watches young Thoroughbreds and brave riders complete relatively short journeys on the Ocala, Fla., training facility's training track and rolling turf course. Stowell knows all about longer journeys.
At a low point in her life Stowell saw an opportunity to move forward through horses. While serving six years at the Lowell Correctional Institution near Ocala, she decided to participate in a Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Second Chances program offered there. After years of bad decisions, it proved to be a step in the right direction.
"Poor choices, bad company, led me there," Stowell said. "It was a blessing in disguise. I'd always loved horses; always wanted to work with them. I say God has a sense of humor in giving me 50 horses but not under the circumstances I expected. But it was the best thing that ever happened to me; changed my life."
That experience helped pave the way for Stowell to work at one of the country's top training centers. Her personal turnaround was honored Oct. 15 with the Newcomer Award, one of seven awards presented at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Oct. 15 at Keeneland in Lexington.
Brennan's wife Stephanie, who serves as director of sales and marketing for the training center, is a TRF board member. While Stowell was serving time and participating in the TRF program, Brennan got to know her.
"Two weeks prior to my release she got a hold of me and offered me a position," Stowell said. "As soon as I came out of the gates I went right there; first stop."
Stowell marvels at how much everything changed.
"Who would think you would go to prison and then be able to leave the facility and work with horses?"
Joel Helmburg, a finalist for the Dr. J. David "Doc" Richardson Community Award, also has seen lives turned around in his role as a vocational instructor for the TRF Second Chances Program at Blackburn Correctional in Lexington.
"They're rewriting their story," Helmburg said in a short film outlining his efforts. "It's incredible."
While not every TIEA winner (and finalist) has seen such dramatic changes in their lives, hearing their work stories, life stories, and commitment makes for an inspiring night each and every year. Godolphin has championed celebrating these efforts. It started such awards internationally 20 years ago and Tuesday marked the ninth ceremony in the United States, celebrating the many different people fully committed to this industry.
Other winners of 2024 included Lauren Marks of Ocala Breeders' Sales receiving the Katherine McKee Administration Award, sponsored by Keeneland; the Support Services Award, sponsored by 1/ST Racing, going to Cass Dewey of Desert Oasis Rescue; the Dedication to Breeding Award, sponsored by Hallway Feeds, going to Steve Vargas of Bridlewood Farm; the Dedication to Racing Award, sponsored by the NTRA, going to Milver Martinez of Brendan Walsh Racing; the Managerial Award, sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, going to Christine Jones of Pleasant Acres Stallions; and the aforementioned Community Award, sponsored by Churchill Downs, going to Nancy LaSala, of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
Going forward, Stowell hopes to pave the way for others to follow in her footsteps. She wants to help facilitate the types of life turnarounds that she's experienced.
"We're trying to start a program similar to Taylor Made's Stable Recovery, something modeled off of that," Stowell said of the Central Kentucky program that provides a path forward and potential employment for people with substance abuse problems. "We're trying to bring that to Ocala for the women of Lowell Correctional Institute.
"It's really a beautiful thing to pair the two together—the aftercare of horses and the aftercare of people coming out; introducing them to society. It's a perfect pairing; perfect rehabilitation for both. That's the goal."
