The Tasman Room at Auckland Trotting Club’s Alexandra Park headquarters provided the venue for this year’s Always B Miki North Island Awards night (sponsored by Alabar and Nevele R), held on Saturday 1 September 2018.
The North Island Harness Racing Awards are a registered charitable trust which acts as an umbrella fundraising body for the kindred bodies :
- Auckland Trotting Owners Association
- North Island Standardbred Breeders Association Inc
- NZ Harness Racing Trainers and Drivers Association (Northern Branch) Inc
Nominees for the various awards are selected by the kindred bodies using their own set criteria which promote merit and North Island racing. Junior Drivers and Cadets were fully subsidised for the Award evening.
The evening commenced with pre dinner drinks in the Lyell Creek Lounge, a three course dinner and awards ceremony followed by a live band “The Monroes” in the Tasman Room. Masters of Ceremonies for this evening of celebration were the well-respected industry duo of Greg O’Connor and Mark McNamara. Palmerston North farming couple Braeden and Caroline Whitelock were the major winners on the night taking out four Awards – NI Breeders of Year, Owners of Year, Two year old Filly and Broodmare of Year with the outstanding Princess Tiffany.
Among the major award winners were :
The NI Racing Achievement Award went to John and Joshua Dickie and Amanda Kiddie
The NI Outstanding Contribution to Harness Racing Award went to Murray and Deneece Goldsworthy.
A full listing of winners from the 2018 Always B Miki North Island Harness Racing Awards follows :
AUCKLAND HARNESS TRUST – NORTH ISLAND PREMIER CADET AWARD – Alicia Harrison, employed by Ara Donnelly
WAIKATO BAY OF PLENTY HARNESS – NORTH ISLAND AMATEUR DRIVER OF THE YEAR – Logan Darby
Other nominees : Rodney Frampton, Cheree Wigg, Sheryl Wigg
KAHUKURI BLOODSTOCK HOLLIS & ROBERTSON – NORTH ISLAND GROOM OF THE YEAR – Sheridan Rapley
Other nominees : Chanelle Lawson, Christopher Morrison, Danielle Rowden
MAGNESS VIDEO LTD / VID-COM LTD – NORTH ISLAND LICENCE TO TRAIN / OWNER – TRAINER OF THE YEAR – Dave Iremonger (eight training wins)
Other nominees : Phil Fleming, Scott Phelan, Tim Vince
MITAVITE – NORTH ISLAND JUNIOR DRIVER OF THE YEAR – Benjamin Butcher (thirty seven winners, $440k, second on NZ JD Premiership)
Other nominees : Tony Cameron, Dylan Ferguson, Alicia Harrison, Jack MacKinnon
PGG WRIGHTSON – NORTH ISLAND 2 YEAR OLD COLT OR GELDING OF THE YEAR – Supreme Dominator (Bettors Delight/Galleons Supreme), owners Katrina Purdon, Dr K J McKerrow, R Cole, Mrs S M Faddy, A P Saker; trainer : Barry Purdon; seasonal record : ten starts, one win, six places, $54,705, 1:57.3, Young Guns heat)
Other nominees : Beaudiene Western, Make Way, Star Of Montana,
PGG WRIGHTSON – NORTH ISLAND 2 YEAR OLD FILLY OF THE YEAR – Princess Tiffany (Art Major/Dancing Diamonds), owners : leased by Braeden and Caroline Whitelock, Phil and Margaret Creighton; trainer : Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen; seasonal record : NZ – six starts, six wins, $209,000, Jewels Diamond, Caduceus Club and Delightful Lady Fillies Classics, 1:54.2; AUS three starts, three wins, $160,400, 1:55.3AUS, Australasian Breeders Crown – 2f
Other nominees : Arma Indie, Havtime, Miss Streisand
BRECKON FARMS – NORTH ISLAND 2 YEAR OLD TROTTER OF THE YEAR – Tickle Me Pink (Muscle Hill/Luby Ann), owners : leased by Breckons Farms Perfect Ten Syndicate; trainer : Tony Herlihy; seasonal record : NZ – five starts, four wins, T2:04.0, $18,960; AUS – two starts, one placing, $2,500
Other nominees : Adelle, She Reigns, Sunnys Little Jestic, Vatican Hill
BRECKON FARMS – NORTH ISLAND 3 YEAR OLD TROTTER OF THE YEAR – Monaro Mia (Imperial Count/Monaro Miss), owners : J B Brinsdon, Mrs M J Robertson; trainer : Nicola Chilcott; seasonal record : 21 starts, five wins, four placings, $70,168, NZ and Waikato Trotters Oaks, T2:01.1, NZR 3f Trotters, 2200mM, T2:45.6;
Other nominees : Girls On Film, Sex On Fire, Stress Factor, Sundees Son
DUNSTAN – NORTH ISLAND 3 YEAR OLD COLT OR GELDING OF THE YEAR – Triple Eight (American Ideal/Slangevar), owners : Scott Plant, Stonewall Stud Ltd; trainer : Steve Telfer; seasonal record : thirteen starts, four wins, five starts, $63,051, 1:57.8, NZSS 3yo Graduate
Other nominees : Culpeka, On The Cards, Solid Gold
DUNSTAN – NORTH ISLAND 3 YEAR OLD FILLY OF THE YEAR – Ivana Flybye (American Ideal/Cathys Flybye); owners : Stonewall Stud Ltd, I and J Bublitz; seasonal record : sixteen starts, five wins, five placings, $49,064, 1:55.1
Other nominees : Gold Orchid, Kotare Cullen, Ruebe Star
MERV & MEG BUTTERWORTH – NORTH ISLAND FEMALE RACING ACCOMPLISHMENT AWARD – Michelle Wallis, leading female trainer (323 winners plus further 147 with Bernie Hackett; 275 trotters) and driver (232 winners with 139 being trotters) over two decades
Other nominees : Nicky Chilcott, Trish Dunell, Alicia Harrison, Amanda Kiddie
GARRARDS HORSE AND HOUND – NORTH ISLAND OWNERS OF THE YEAR – Braeden & Caroline Whitelock (outstanding two year old fillies Princess Tiffany – three Group Ones and Kayla Marie, one Group One)
Other nominees : Breckon Farms, Tony & Anne Parker, Tim Vince
CADUCEUS CLUB – NORTH ISLAND FILLY / MARE OF THE YEAR – Princess Tiffany (see earlier)
Other nominees : Ivana Flybye, Opoutama, Utmost Delight
NORTH ISLAND STANDARDBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION INC – NORTH ISLAND BREEDER OF THE YEAR – Braeden & Caroline Whitelock (eight winners 2017/8 season including outstanding two year old fillies Princess Tiffany and Kayla Marie)
Other nominees : Breckon Farms, Tony & Anne Parker, Braedon & Caroline Whitelock, Woodlands Stud
IRT – NORTH ISLAND DRIVER OF THE YEAR – David Butcher (seventy five winners, $906k, fifth overall in NZ driver’s premiership, 2,312 NZ lifetime winners, 15 September). Major win last season with Sunset Peak (Greenlane Cup), no Group One winners
Other nominees : Zachary Butcher, Josh Dickie, Tony Herlihy
VETERINARY ASSOCIATES EQUINE AND FARM – NORTH ISLAND TRAINER OF THE YEAR –
Steve Telfer (fifty wins, $695k, fourth in NZ trainer’s premiership, 244 NZ lifetime winners). Major seasonal victory with No Doctor Needed (Spring Cup).
Other nominees : John & Josh Dickie, Robert Dunn, Barry Purdon, Michelle Wallis & Bernie Hackett
VETERINARY ASSOCIATES EQUINE AND FARM – NORTH ISLAND BROODMARE OF THE YEAR – Delicata, (Falcon Seelster/Dreaming Spires), bred by Parkers, dam of leading three year old Chase Auckland, by Auckland Reactor; 2017/18 seasonal record, nine starts, eight wins, one second, $392,329, 1:52.2 (1950m), NZSS – 3, Alabar Elsu Classic, NZYSS – 3, GN Derby
Other nominees : Dancing Diamonds, Goodlookinggirl, Starlitnight
HR FISKEN AND SONS – NORTH ISLAND TROTTING STALLION OF THE YEAR – Majestic Son; 2017/18 – 56 winners of 92 races, $1.378m (lifetime : NZ – 111, AUS – 69 winners; over 300 worldwide)
Other nominees : Great Success, Love You, Pegasus Spur
WOODLANDS STUD – NORTH ISLAND PACING STALLION OF THE YEAR – Bettor’s Delight
(leading sire world-wide, in excess of 2,500 winners); 2017/8 – 200 winners of 391 races (two trotters won four races), $6.955m
Other nominees : American Ideal, Art Major, Mach Three
HARNESS RACING NEW ZEALAND – NORTH ISLAND AGED TROTTER OF THE YEAR – Speeding Spur (Pegasus Spur/Dellas Speed), owners : Woodlands Partnership Syndicate, Kieran Reid, Andy Ellis, Dick Taylor, Dave Hewett; trainers : John & Joshua Dickie; seasonal record : seven NZ starts, three wins, three placings, $180,450, Rowe Cup, NZ Trotting Championship, T2:02.5; one Aust start, unplaced A$4,500
Other nominees : Lemond, Massive Metro, Temporale
AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB – NORTH ISLAND AGED PACER OF THE YEAR – Star Galleria (Art Major/Starlitnight), owners : Reg Caldow, Steven Reid, John and Terese Screen; trainer : Steven Reid; season al record : eleven starts, six wins, four placings, $176,140, 1:53.9, Summer Cup, Waikato Flying Mile, Founders 1700, City of Auckland FFA
Other nominees : Italian Delight, Jack’s Legend, Utmost Delight
SIR LINCOLN AT LINCOLN FARMS BLOODSTOCK – NORTH ISLAND RACING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – John and Joshua Dickie; Amanda Kiddie
Formidable father and son training partnership of John and Josh Dickie – John has trained 354 winners (174 trotters) in own right and 186/91 with son Josh. John has driven 58/38 winners while son Josh’s record shows 357/122 winners to date. Their training partnership won thirty eight races (24 trotters) last season with Speeding Spur being their standout performer.
Amanda Kiddie trained impressive six year old mare Jo’s Dream to two wins and three placings from nine starts last season – an outstanding performance handling an at times “tricky” mare. Her wins included the Group One Queen Of Hearts, third in Waikato Flying Mile and fifth in City Of Auckland FFA. Already a winner in two starts this season. With a licence to train, Amanda had seventeen to the races last season for two winners, each of two races (four in total) with five placings (UDR : .3725).
ALWAYS B MIKI – ALABAR / NEVELE R STUD – NORTH ISLAND AWARD FOR
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO HARNESS RACING – Murray and Deneece Goldsworthy
Long-time stalwart in the North and founders of Kid Kartz, Murray and Deneece Goldsworthy, formed NZ’s first club, Kumeu Kid Kartz in 2004. Their hard working deeds have taken Kid Kartz far. Murray also trains and supplies ponies for the kids. Murray is a racenight steward with the Auckland Trotting Club,
As was promised, a fabulous night of fun and entertainment was enjoyed by all. The evening was again superbly organised for the eleventh time by the “Fab Four” of Suzanne Herlihy, Karen Blanchard, Janene Cole and Raelene Balle.
Peter Craig
17 September 2018
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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