20 awards done, Horse of the Year to come

[Wandering Eyes]

It’s the dinner break at tonight’s annual Harness Racing New Zealand awards at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, and it’s been full steam ahead with 20 awards presented so far.

Nearly 300 of the sport’s highest achievers, including drivers, trainers, owners, and breeders, are at the function which is being MC’d by Box Seat host and well-known racing identity Greg O’Connor and Trackside presenter Nicole Sims.

All the age group awards have been presented so far, and two new awards have also been presented – the Gavelhouse Newcomer to Training and the Future Wealth Stablehand of the Year.

They are as follows :

2YO Awards :

Emblems NZ 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year – High Energy
Philip and Glenys Kennard 2YO Pacing Filly of the Year – Millwood Nike
www.hrnz.co.nz 2YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the Year – Confessional
Tyre General 2YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year – Don’t Stop Dreaming

3YO Awards :

The Commodore 3YO Trotting Filly of the Year – Con Grazia Love
The Vincent (AUS) 3YO Pacing Filly of the Year – True Fantasy
The Dunstan Horse Feeds 3YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the Year – Highgrove
Renwick Farms 3YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year – Akuta

4YO Awards :

Garrards Horse and Hound 4YO Trotting Mare of the Year – Resolve
Breckon Farms 4YO Pacing Mare of the Year – Allamericanlover
Team Teal 4YO Trotting Entire/Gelding of the Year – Five Wise Men
Brandwear 4YO Pacing Entire/Gelding of the Year – B D Joe

5YO Awards :

What The Hill 5YO and Older Trotting Mare of the Year – Gold Chain
Blue September 5YO and Older Trotting Entire/Gelding of the Year – Need You Now
Hotel Montreal 5YO and Older Trotting Entire/Gelding of the Year – Sundees Son
Woodlands Stud 5YO and Older Pacing Entire/Gelding of the Year – Self Assured

Other awards :

Cruickshank Family Leading UDR Junior Driver – Olivia Thornley
Gavelhouse Newcomer to Training Award – Zachary Butcher
Future Wealth Stablehand of the Year – Penny Boyle
Stevie Golding at Harcourts Best Moment of the Year Award – Sundees Son winning the 2022 Dominion Trot

The second half of the night will get underway soon. There will be a full list of the night’s winners posted on www.hrnz.co.nz at 10.45pm tonight, including the most coveted award of them all, the NZB Airfreight Horse of the Year.

To keep in touch also check out HRNZ’s social media channels, especially Facebook.

Harness Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong is regularly updating his own Facebook page, as well as doing interviews for HRNZ.

In case you are wondering what’s for dinner at the awards the menu is :

Entree :
American rye flat toast, cold smoked salmon leaves, walnut, caper, whipped feta, baby rocket
Confit thyme and garlic lamb shoulder rillette, red currant and mint glaze

Main :
Grass-fed eye fillet, pumpkin, rosemary risotto cake, roasted truss tomatoes, truffled greens
Tamarind chicken thigh, crushed broad bean, onion and chickpea pakora, green beans, chutney and saffron cream

Dessert :
Red jelly centred mixed berry mousse, crem anglaise, berry compote
Triple chocolate later cake, soft whipped cream

Tea and coffee

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