The 29th Southland Harness Racing Awards sponsored by Cullen Breeding were held at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill on Sunday 14 August 2016. Following pre dinner drinks, Neville Skinner welcomed all guests and introduced the awards committee. MC’s for the evening were Nicole Elliott and Bruce Stewart.
The evening commenced with Bruce Stewart interviewing Andrew Sellars concerning star Southland broodmare Leyava (dam of Sassenach, Ryal, Shavande, Profiteer, Socialist, Zadabak, Stampede, all bred by Andrew Sellars).
Among major award winners on the night were :
- Southland Standardbred Breeders Broodmare of Southland Award : Tosca Hanover, this John Stiven owned 17 year old unraced Walton Hanover – Tosti mare has produced six named foals for five to race, three winners and a two year old qualifier. Arden Torres was a winner in New Zealand before being exported to Australia where he won six races and earned stakes of $44,104, 1:58.3. Maritime Arden has won three races for $19,524, 2:03.1 while Tosca Hanover’s star performer has to be Arden Rooney who raced three times in NZ in the season under review winning the Group 2 Kaikoura Cup and the Group 1 NZ Cup where he lead all the way to win in a time of 3.57.4/1:59.3. He raced four times in Australia this season for a win in the Group 3 Swan Hill Cup. Last years winner of the Gp1 Hunter Cup, he has amassed Australasian wide earnings of $1,070,230 for his 21 wins from 50 starts.
Other nominees with seasonal highlights listed were –
Chicago Blues (Christian Cullen/Bluejeanbabyqueen, 1:59..1, $27,263, 3 wins), dam of Chicago Bull (seven Gloucester Park wins in 9 starts including WA Derby; 2 NZ 2yo wins)
Mossdale Kara (In The Pocket/Kute Jaccka), six foals for four winners; dam of Mossdale Conner (1:51.7, $400k+ (2015 Taylor Mile], Northern Southland Cup, 2nd NZFFA, Franklin Cup, 3rd Hannon Memorial, Ashburton Flying Stakes, NZ/Victoria Cups, 4th Auckland Cup); Mossdale Sue (2 wins); Mossdale Flynn (4 WA wins)
Satire Franco (Falcon Seelster/Samantha Franco, non winner), eight foals for five winners and two qualifiers, dam of Costa Del Magnifico (refer Southland Horse of Year below); The Musics Over (4 NZ/11 AUS wins, $123,446, 1:58.0); Turbine (3 wins); Rowchester (3 NZ/8 AUS [6 GP] wins, $106,174, 1:57.5); I Smart (6 wins, 1:57.0, $35,640)
Breath of Life (Village Jasper/My Names Good, 7 wins, 1:56.9, $109,034), winner of 2015 Southland Broodmare of Year Award and dam of Fight For Glory (Queen of Hearts, 3rd GN Breeders Stakes, 1:52.1 Menangle [as 3yo NZ/NSW/QLD/Gold Coast Oaks, $650K+); GI Joe, five 3yo wins from 12 starts, 1:56.8, $36,666
- Southland Horse of the Year : Costa Del Magnifico (4g Mach Three/Satire Franco) : winner of seven of fourteen starts in 2015/6 including Gp3 Invercargill Cup, Alabar Super Series race at Addington, Alabar Centenary Winton Cup, Wairio/Southland Country Cup Final, second in Gp2 Northern Southland Cup (Mossdale Conner) and fourth in Gp1 Easter Cup (Locharburn).
Other nominees with seasonal highlights listed were –
Captain Dolmio (4g Grinfromeartoear/Kate Rocks) : winner of four from thirteen starts in 2015/6 including a 1:56.1MR (2600mM) on Premier night at Addington, trained by Matthew Brinsdon
Queen Kenny (6m Monarchy/Nice One Kenny) : winner of five of twenty one starts in 2015/6 including Gp3 Green Lane Cup, third in Gp1 Rowe Cup and fourth in GN Trotting Breeders Stakes, trained by Tony Barron
Tas Man Bromac (4g American ideal/Tasmcmanian) : winner of two from fourteen starts in 2015/6 including Riverton/Roxburgh Cups with second in Gp1 Taylor Mile, thirds in Gp2 Superstars Championship, Gore/Waikouaiti Cups, fifth in Jewels (4yo Emerald), trained by Nathan Williamson
- Personality of Year : Hamish Hunter, after forty years of training, brought up 500th training win during season, the first to do so in Southland. The Edendale bred trainer took out a trainers licence in 1976 training from his father’s property until 1980 before moving to his Ryal Bush establishment..
The most notable horses trained by Hunter include Franco Ledger 25 wins (Central Otago/Waikouaiti and Wyndham Cups twice, Invercargill/Wairio/Methven/
Southland Country Championship Cups, Maurice Holmes Vase, Hannon Memorial and in Australia Shepparton Cup, Bohemia Crystal/Minuteman/Preux Chevalier FFA‘s), Malaz 15 wins (Sapling/Cross Stakes, Southern Supremacy, Invercargill Cup, Louisson Hcp), Nursemaid 14 wins (Southland Oaks, Ashburton Cup, Southern Belle Speed Series, Central Otago Cup), Devil May Care 11 wins (Cromwell/Wyndham Cups), Canardly Lover 10 wins (Wairio Cup)..
This season he trained 13 winners and placed 59 times for stakes of $142,001. Hamish Hunter has also reined home 415 winners in his lifetime and reckons he is not finished yet as he loves the industry he is in and says it is his hobby.
Other nominees with seasonal highlights listed were –
Craig Ferguson : passed 100 driving successes in last season as junior driver (105) and recorded first training successes (4 winners and four placings in 11 starts – Havinaravup [3], No More Change). During his last season as a junior driver 23 year old Craig Ferguson reined home 33 winners and was placed 74 times for stakes of $222,651. His 100th winner was Havinaravup which he trains and owns in partnership with his mother Susan and Rory McCall. Employed as stable foreman for Wayne Adam’s, he reined home three winners at Winton. Craig was Southland’s leading junior driver for the third consecutive year and he finished third on the NZ junior drivers premiership
Nathan Williamson : This season was Nathan’s eighth year as Southland’s leading driver and he became first Southland based reinsman to drive 100 winners in a season, his previous record being 78 in 2013 (fourth on Drivers Premiership). Nathan’s driving highlights this season – Tas Man Bromac’s second in the Taylor Mile and Costa Del Magnifico’s seven wins (five for Williamson, two for Matt Anderson) including the Wairio Cup in record time.
As leading Southland trainer, Nathan won 31 races and had 70 placings for stakes of $241,403 (sixteenth on Trainers Premiership). His stable star was this year’s Southland horse of the year nominee Tas Man Bromac who won the Roxburgh and Riverton Cups, was second in the Group 1 Taylor Mile and third in the Group 2 Superstars Championship. He had 18 individual winners with other horses to win multiple races being Grey Power (4), Gangnam Style (3).
Nathan also set up his new home, stable and track at Branxhome while he and Katy are expecting their first child.
In addition to the award winners listed, certificates were issued to breeders of group race winners; NZ record holders (Nek Time, 2400mM NZ overall & 3yo record 2:53.0/1:58.0 : owners RF & SF Symons, trainers : Terry & Glenys Chimel) and 1:58 pins honouring pacers and 2:00 pins honouring trotters who won in 1:58/T2:00 or better mile rates during the 2015/6 season for their Southland Standardbred Breeders members.
A full list of Award winners follows :
Southland Standardbred Breeders Awards :
2Y0 Filly : Shezacullengirl (owners MJ & Mrs SJ Little & Havtime Breeding, tr Nathan Williamson)
3Y0 Filly: Rakarazor (owner, Brendon Fahy, tr Clark Barron)
Aged race mare : Queen Kenny (owners GJ McKenzie & Mrs RH Dixon, tr Tony Barron
Southland Harness Awards :
2Y0 Colt or Gelding: The Honey Badger (owners, PJ Hailes & CJ McIntyre, tr Tony Stratford
SSBA/Shard Farms Fastest Winning Mile Rate Filly/Mare :
Erin Jaccka (owners Charlie & Alisa Smaill, tr Murray Brown) : 1:53.9, Winton (19 March 2016)
SSBA Broodmare of the Year :
Tosca Hanover (breeders Sandy & Jan Yarndley, owner John Stiven), dam of Arden Rooney
Contribution to Harness Racing : following persons were recognised –
- a) Graham Cooney, breeder, owner, committee man, NZ Racing Industry Board (independent) member and an avid race follower who has recently shifted to Tauranga. He has been involved with Southland Institute of Technology, New Zealand Rugby Union, Blue Sky Meats and many others. In 1995 he joined the committee of the Southland Harness Awards, has been on the committee of the Southland Standardbred Breeders for about 20 years and served his term as President
- b) Alisa Smaill, breeder and owner with husband Charlie (Jaccka Lodge and Jaccka horses), working in the hospitality side of the industry when Charlie was President of Gore Harness Racing About 20 years ago Ailsa joined the Southland Standardbred Breeders Association and is still on the committee where she served her time as President. Ailsa was voted onto the NZ Standardbred Breeders Association, a position she held from 2003 – 2010. In 2004 she was duly elected as the second female ever on the board of HRNZ (first being Helen Pope, former President of Ashburton Trotting Club), retiring from this position at the end of last season
- c) Russell Freeman, 34 years ago Russell took over as Secretary of the Wyndham Trotting Club. He went on to be Secretary to nine harness racing clubs in Southland and Otago and Secretary of the Racing Bureau for all clubs south of the Waitaki. He has been CEO of Southern Harness Racing for ten years. With the expertise that he accrued over the years he was able to develop the financial projections for the new funding model for Southland Harness Racing. Russell has represented Southern Harness Clubs on the HRNZ dates subcommittee and the group race subcommittee. Besides his duties as CEO and his secretarial work Russell is a member of the Waihopai Racing Syndicate. Russell has now moved to Cromwell
- d) Noeline O’Connor, long-time manager of birdcage cafeteria. Noeline may not have anything to do with racing horses or with administration but her services do not go unnoticed on raceway. Noeline will be found in the driver‘s room at Invercargill and Winton making cups of tea and serving food to the trainers, drivers and stable-hands. Noeline has given 17 years of service to the industry, without which a number of wives and mothers would still be packing lunches
Harness Awards Mare of Year :
Motu Moonbeam (breeders Motu Lodge Stud Ltd, owner Friendship Stables LLC); 5 win horse (4 from 17 starts in 2015/6), best mile rate of 1:55.8, Invercargill (30 January 2016), $35,429; second in 1:55.6 to Rocker Band in Southern Belle Speed Series final at Winton
Robin Dundee Club Awards :
3Y0 Filly: Rakarazor (owner, Brendon Fahy, tr Clark Barron)
3Y0 Colt or Gelding: Galactic Star (owners The Test Syndicate, tr Des Baynes)
Southland Trainers and Drivers Association Awards :
Leading Trainer: Nathan Williamson (31 wins, $241,403, UDR 0.2969)
Leading Driver: Nathan Williamson (100 wins, $716,867, UDR 0.2717)
Leading Junior Driver: Craig Fergusson (33 wins, $222,651, UDR 0 1557.)
Leading driver of trotters: Nathan Williamson (13 wins)
Southland Harness Awards Person of Year :
Hamish Hunter
Award of Excellence 2016 :
Nathan Williamson
Caduceus Club of Southland Awards :
Caduceus Club trotter : Mass Invasion (owner JO (Owen) Crooks, tr Clark Barron )
Members Award : John Stiven for Ardens Choice (3 wins in 2015/6; seconds Caduceus Club Ladyship Stakes, NZSS/Nevele R Fillies heats (4th final); thirds GN/NZ Oaks
McMillan Feeds Southland Horse of the Year:
Costa Del Magnifico (owners Murray & Sandra Allen, tr Brent Shirley)
Peter Craig
15 August 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
