2022 Horse Of The Year winners

[Messenger]

Australian Harness Horse of the Year King of Swing NZ

Australian Pacer of the Year King of Swing NZ

Aged Pacing Horse/Gelding of the Year King of Swing NZ

2YO Pacing Filly of the Year Major Delight

2YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the year Never Ending

3YO Pacing Filly of the Year Encipher


3YO Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year Leap to Fame

Aged Pacing Mare of the Year Ladies In Red

Australian Trotter of the Year Majestuoso NZ

2YO Trotting Filly of the Year Rockinwithattitude

2YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the year The Locomotive

3YO Trotting Filly of the Year Egret

3YO Trotting Colt/Gelding of the Year Cravache Dor

Aged Horse/Gelding Trotter of the Year Majestuoso NZ

Aged Trotting Mare of the Year Queen Elida NZ

The only contentious one might be Never Ending over The Lost Storm but the winner did win 6/6 and twice as much prizemoney. It could also be argued that in the Big Finals that they both contested, School Captain beat The Lost Storm in both

https://www.harness.org.au/media-room/news-article/?news_id=59887

[Bonnie]

Congratulations to King Of Swing , he is an outstanding racehorse. I have supported him at stud with 3 very good mares . As a horse breeder ,I would like to see the best mares given more opportunity to receive consideration for the Horse Of The Year Title. The Gr1’s and Grand Circuit races are contested by colts / geldings only. Consideration for mares concessions in all Gr1 / Grand Circuit races to encourage mares participation is essential. Preferential barrier draws for mares is the answer , as is the case with The Rising Sun in QLD, Ladies In Red would not have been an acceptor without it.

[aussiebreno]

Congratulations to King Of Swing , he is an outstanding racehorse. I have supported him at stud with 3 very good mares . As a horse breeder ,I would like to see the best mares given more opportunity to receive consideration for the Horse Of The Year Title. The Gr1’s and Grand Circuit races are contested by colts / geldings only. Consideration for mares concessions in all Gr1 / Grand Circuit races to encourage mares participation is essential. Preferential barrier draws for mares is the answer , as is the case with The Rising Sun in QLD, Ladies In Red would not have been an acceptor without it.
Grand Circuit or Horse of the Year titles isn't the spot to be giving concessions for mine. Its meant to be about who is the best, not who is pretty good but also got good concessions. Hardly Horse of the Year if you need to rely on preferential treatment.

Not pointed at LIR specifically, just in general.

[Messenger]

Interesting point Brendan
It made me wonder whether the merit of runs in relation to barrier draws is considered when assessing awards such as Horse Of The Year

What if a winner of HOTY won a couple of Gp1's after drawing the front and leading while another noted leader drew the second line several times and still got within a metre of the winnner in the Gp1's

[aussiebreno]

Interesting point Brendan
It made me wonder whether the merit of runs in relation to barrier draws is considered when assessing awards such as Horse Of The Year

What if a winner of HOTY won a couple of Gp1's after drawing the front and leading while another noted leader drew the second line several times and still got within a metre of the winnner in the Gp1's

I think you go on cold hard results first without looking at the merit of the run, then when its a close call look at the merit of runs. So unfortunately a couple good draws in RBD might get you horse of the year over a horse who had better runs from the 2nd row. BUT - the cold hard results at this level should only be influenced by RBD and luck not by PBD.

Miracle Mile barrier draw is what probably ultimately decided 2020 Horse of the Year with King getting it over Arty.

[Messenger]

I do not know leader/winner ratios and I would think mile races would be higher than longer distances but despite my preference for small tracks, I do like to think that the 350m home straight of Menangle has to be fairer

[Bonnie]

The point I’m making is that mares do not get the opportunities in Harness Racing to compete at the higher level as much as colts / geldings do. In the field of human sports endeavour , genders are given equal opportunity at the elite level. It doesn’t happen in Harness Racing. I am sure that Winx received a 2.5 kg weight allowance when racing in mixed company and I haven’t seen female Olympians competing against the men or Ash Barty playing Roger Federer to win a tennis match.

[aussiebreno]

The point I’m making is that mares do not get the opportunities in Harness Racing to compete at the higher level as much as colts / geldings do. In the field of human sports endeavour , genders are given equal opportunity at the elite level. It doesn’t happen in Harness Racing. I am sure that Winx received a 2.5 kg weight allowance when racing in mixed company and I haven’t seen female Olympians competing against the men or Ash Barty playing Roger Federer to win a tennis match.
They have equal opportunity to nominate for Grand Circuit races. In fact more opportunity as they can race in not only Miracle Mile, Hunter Cup, Derby etc but also races like Ladyship Mile, Queen of the Pacific, Oaks.

For each age group there is a filly/mares award so they are not missing out on due recognition.

Winx allowance doesn't make it right. How unfair Humidor getting beat half a length in a Cox Plate carrying 2kg more. Would be equally unfair a gelding losing to a mare based on PBD. Elite competition is for elite competition, not evening up participation. How about a PBD based on yearling/broodmare/stallion cost, number of driver/trainers wins, driver/trainers strike rate % to even things up for everyone? The smaller stables don't get the same opportunities as the bigger stables to compete at the higher level. What disadvantages do we curb, where do we draw the line in trying to stop disadvantages? Maybe I am being a bit facetious but these disadvantages are every bit as real as the mare v colt disadvantage.

Who would win a tennis match? Federer or Barty? Its 100% fine to give Barty the womens competition and give her the womens award, but its incredibly demeaning to then try and say she is better than Federer and for Federer to miss out on a crown as Worlds Best Player (well he misses out to Djokovic anyway!).