OUR Team
Mrs Claire Ellison
Behind every successful man there is a great woman! That may not be true in all cases but couldn’t be more on the mark here and Brian is the first to acknowledge the massive role his wife Claire plays in the running of the business.
Claire is very much hands-on, assisting Brian with the day-to-day running of a busy racing yard. And it is Claire and Brian who are up at the crack of dawn every day to feed their 100 plus horses breakfast. Whether it’s confirming declarations at deadline or cooking breakfast for visiting owners in their warm and welcoming spacious kitchen, Claire is constantly involved.
She regularly accompanies Brian to the races and has a Black Belt in mixed Martial Arts!!
- Birthplace: Consett, Co. Durham
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? I Married Brian in 2002
- Favourite Horse/s: Cant say that, its like saying I have a favourite child! But I bred Little Legs so she is very special.
- Likes: Spending Time with my Grandkids
- Dislikes: Tidying up after them
- Superstitions? White feather falling means an angel is near.
- Hobbies: Growing Veg, Cooking and Swimming
- Favourite Film: The Notebook
- TV: Nature or Cooking programmes
- Music: Bit of everything depending on my mood
- Food: Changes daily, Love all food but I try to Kick Carbs.
- Birthplace: Consett, Co. Durham
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? I Married Brian in 2002
- Favourite Horse/s: Cant say that, its like saying I have a favourite child! But I bred Little Legs so she is very special.
- Likes: Spending Time with my Grandkids
- Dislikes: Tidying up after them
- Superstitions? White feather falling means an angel is near.
- Hobbies: Growing Veg, Cooking and Swimming
- Favourite Film: The Notebook
- TV: Nature or Cooking programmes
- Music: Bit of everything depending on my mood
- Food: Changes daily, Love all food but I try to Kick Carbs.
OUR Team
Jessica Robinson – Assistant Trainer
Jessica is Brian’s stepdaughter and was brought up around the horses. She is hard working, dedicated, reliable and conscientious and from a very young age has been assisting Brian with the training of the horses. She takes over the reins in Brian’s absence and does a cracking job. In December 2021 she married our stable jockey, Ben Robinson.
- Birthplace: Consett, Co. Durham
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? 2008
- Favourite Horse/s: Northgate Lad, Windsor Avenue, Pendragon, Top Notch Tonto
- Likes: My job & Family time
- Dislikes: Disorganisation
- Superstitions? Single Magpies
- Hobbies: Gym
- Favourite Film: Secretariat
- TV: The Soaps
- Music: All Music
- Food: Steak and mash with peppercorn sauce
Laura Robertson – Head Girl
Laura joined the team in January 2014 and is reliable, conscientious and dedicated. Laura was promoted to Head Girl in October 2016 and does a great job. She also holds an Amateur Riders Licence.
- Birthplace: Beverley
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? January 2014
- Favourite Horse/s: Scottsdale, Oscar Blue, Sumner Beach
- Likes: My job, race-riding, Been happy, pleasing people, having fun!
- Dislikes: Creepy crawleys, Lazy people, Fighting
- Superstitions? Black cats, Magpies, Ladders
- Hobbies: Keeping fit, Zumba, Socialising
- Favourite Film: Fifty Shades Of Grey, Dumb And Dumber, War Horse, Twilight, Hunger Games
- TV: Jeremy Kyle, Hollyoaks, The 100, Talent shows
- Music: All Music
- Food: Roast dinner, Steak, Cheese
Andy Robertson – Traveling Head Lad
Andy has been with us since November 2004 and is like part of the furniture! A familiar face at the races, he’s responsible, reliable and completely professional. His horses are turned out immaculately at the track and we have lost count of how many best-turned out prizes he has won! He puts in numerous hours travelling up and down the country and also travelled to Australia with our runners in 2006 and 2011.
When he’s not away racing he rides out and takes care of the racing tack and colours.
- Birthplace: Hull
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? November 2004
- Favourite Horse/s: Definitly Red, Baraweez, Forest Bihan
- Likes: Going to the pub!
- Dislikes: Poor time keepers
- Superstitions? Always salute single magpie
- Hobbies: None
- Favourite Film: Wolf Of Wall Street, American Sniper
- TV: Soaps
- Music: Anything from late 90’s to recent charts
- Food: Roast dinner, KFC, Steak, Cheese
Mandy Corner – Office Manager
Mandy worked for us for five months during the 2014/15 winter and, following a short break, started back working full time in the office in July 2015. Mandy oversees the day-to-day running of the office including Decs & Entries and all correspondence in relation to horse racing in addition to all accounts and wages and everything in between!
Very professional with a great attitude, she is highly experienced in the running of a busy racing office and is an adept multi-tasker. She is more than likely the friendly voice on the end of the phone and keeps our office stocked up with cakes and chocolate!! Her talents by no means end there though and if anyone has a query Mandy is the person to contact.
- Birthplace: Westow
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? July 2015
- Favourite Horse/s: Definitly Red
- Likes: Pimms
- Dislikes: Cruelty to animals, cups of Tea
- Superstitions? Go out of the same door as you came in, Walking under ladders, Touch wood
- Hobbies: Watching my daughter Emma & her horses compete, help look after the horses, Dog walking
- Favourite Film: Pretty Woman, Mrs Doubtfire
- TV: Hollyoaks
- Music: Ed Sheeran, Rod Stewart
- Food: Gammon, cakes and more cakes!
Shelley Brown – Secretary
Shelley has been part of the team since 2013 and in January 2021 started assisting Mandy in the office three days a week. Shelley is responsible for wages, monthly reports and filing in addition to keeping other admin up to date.
Shelley loves her horses and continues to ride out one or two lots in the morning before heading into the office.
In October 2023 Shelley married Matt Brown.
- Birthplace: Malton
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? January 2013
- Favourite Horse/s: Explorers Way, The Dancing Poet, Hardy Bloke
- Likes: Being with my family, Prosecco, Christmas, Organisation, animals
- Dislikes: Not having things organised, animal cruelty, mushrooms
- Superstitions? Touch wood
- Hobbies: Don’t have a lot of time for hobbies but dog walking & cleaning (haha)
- Favourite Film: All the Harry Potter films
- TV: Eastenders
- Music: Anything other than heavy metal
- Food: Roast dinner, Seafood
Ally Morris – Yard Manager
Ally has been with us since March 2007. Ally takes care of the horses in the open-air stables and does a fantastic job. She loves the horses and misses nothing!
- Birthplace: Norton On Derwent
- When did you start work at Spring Cottage Stables? March 2007
- Favourite Horse/s: I love them all!
- Likes: My Family, they are very important to me, my horses and my dog
- Dislikes: People telling lies
- Superstitions? Everything including never bet on horses I look after
- Hobbies: My horse Global Village and my Rottweiler, Princess
- Favourite Film: Black Beauty
- TV: NCIS, Two and a Half Men
- Music: Rock Music
- Food: Pasta’s – Lasagne & Bolognese
John Wiley
Matt Brown
Stuart Morris
Kayleigh Rayner
Jack Cross
Rachel Laird
Courtney Hughes
Francesca Pollock
Kieran Schofield
Marvin Mello
Shay Farmer
Leah Burnett
Ben Robinson – Stable Jockey
