The annual Harness Breeders Victoria (HBV) awards ceremony took place at the Shepparton Harness Racing Club yesterday.
For the second year running HBV’s three key awards formed part of Harness Racing Victoria’s Gordon Rothacker Medal night at Crown Palladium last Sunday, where Colin Murphy collected the trophy for Niota Bloodstock Victorian Trotting Broodmare of the Year with Tupenny Bit, the dam of New South Wales Trotters Derby and Need for Speed winner Wobelee, and Bendigo Trotters Cup and Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum winner Save Our Pennys.
The Benstud Victorian Pacing Broodmare of the Year trophy was taken out by Robert Watson for Pixel Perfect, the all-conquering dam of Soho Tribeca, Carlas Pixel, Soho Nolita and Birdy Mach.
HBV Secretary Brett Coffey presented Anne and Bill Anderson of Lauriston Bloodstock with the 2018 Woodlands Victorian Breeder of the Year trophy after their stellar year, producing stars such as Speak No Evil and Hurricane Harley.
The full draft of awards was presented at Shepparton yesterday as the IRT Victorian Breeders Awards Afternoon was celebrated.
HBV committeeman Dr Tony Britt was honoured with admission to the status of HBV Life Member after he announced his retirement from the board.
We had a very special guest on hand today at our award ceremony today!
Smudge Bromac wowed the crowd and helped deliver the envelope containing the names of all our championship winners.
Thanks to @HRVHERO and Willowood Equicentre (represented by Sue and Duncan Terry). pic.twitter.com/FaVYbvDkEz
— HarnessBreedersVic (@HarnessBreeders) October 28, 2018
A former HBV president, Dr Britt was acknowledged for being a “significant asset to the association and aiding in lobbying and providing great insight and knowledge to HBV plans and proposals”.
Group 1 winning breeder Peter Gleeson was awarded the Metro Ian Daff Memorial Award, the committee acknowledging his long history of developing the breed in Victoria.
Four sires were recognised for their impressive strike rate of winners to crop in the juvenile ranks – the Always B Miki @ Alabar 2YO Sire of the Year was Alabar’s own Art Major, the Always B Miki @ Alabar 3YO Victorian Pacing Sire of the Year was Somebeachsomewhere (Empire Stallions), while the Hygain Feeds 2YO Victorian Trotting Sire of the Year was Majestic Son (Alabar) and the Hygain Feeds 3YO Victorian Trotting Sire of the Year went to Angus Hall (Global Stallion Management).
Championship trophies were awarded to 2YO fillies Kualoa (Bruce Edward) and Sleepee (Colin Murphy), 2YO colts and geldings Centenario (Benstud) and Always Ready (Yabby Dam Farms), 3YO fillies Shez All Rock (Peter Gleeson) and Moonshine Linda (Michael and Neville Pangrazio), 3YO colts and geldings Poster Boy (Lauriston Bloodstock) and Anywhere Hugo (the MacLean family), and aged horses Carlas Pixel (Robert Watson), Maori Time (Fred Crews), Soho Tribeca (Robert Watson) and Kheiron (Peter Lane and Anita Burke).
Breeders were again recognised for excellence in breeding saleable stock, with Aldebaran Park awarded the HRV APTS High Earner trophy for its $90,000 Muscle Hill colt, and Lauriston Bloodstock for its $160,000 Art Major filly, which took the HRV Australian Pacing Gold Melbourne Sales High Earner trophy.
Almost 100 horses were recognised for clocking an exceptional mile rate for the first time in 2017-18 and were eligible to collect an Aldebaran Park Time Excellence Pin.
Breeders of Group 1 race winners across the country were also presented by HRV with plaques and trophies for their efforts in the major races across the season.
Available for comment: Mr Terry Lewis – HBV President (0419 509 676)