Champion pacer Beautide, has been awarded his second consecutive NIMS Global Tasmanian Horse Of The Year at the 2015 Tasracing Harness Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner at Wrest Point in Hobart.
The eight-year-old Tasmanian-bred and owned gelding, raced by the Rattray Family Trust, was recently named the Australian Horse Of The Year for 2014/15 after winning the Inter Dominion and finishing second in the Miracle Mile.
Beautide was also inducted into the Tasracing Harness Hall Of Fame thanks to his victories in the 2013 Miracle Mile and the 2014 and 2015 Inter Dominion.
While little separated Mister Lennox and Jerrys Jet for the Corporate Communications Tasmanian 3YO Colt Or Gelding Of The Year Award, Mister Lennox prevailed by the slimmest of margins after winning the Tasmanian Derby and finishing his season with a fourth in the final of the rich breeders crown series at Melton (Vic).
The Edgar Tatlow Medal, which recognises the major influence of the Tasmanian pioneer breeding legend Edgar Tatlow whose stallions and their progeny have dominated Australasian Harness Racing since the 1930s, was presented to 76-year-old Hobart veterinarian James (Art) Meeker.
Meeker was born in the US. He moved to Tasmania in 1972 and established Neptune Stud at Colebrook. Neptune Stud had up to 300 mares during the breeding season.
Winners sired at Neptune Stud included the champion juvenile The Yank (Duke Duane), Vicar Neptune and Napoleon Stone (Timely Napoleon), Lea Sands (Holly Sands), Thomas Magnum and Irish Town (Magnum Almahurst), Almeta Boy and Good Town (Inner Circle), Little Ronnie and Michaels Luck (Scotch Luck).
Neptune Stud was sold in 1990 and Meeker established Mobile Clinics. Since then, he has been the on course vet at all southern harness meetings. Meeker has served terms on the committees of the Launceston Pacing Club and the Tasmanian Pacing Club.
Gareth Rattray won the Halwes Medal. Rattray has won the medal, which was first presented in 2012, on three occasions with Ricky Duggan winning the award in 2014.
The Young Achiever award for participants aged under 25 at the start of the season was run in conjunction with the Halwes Medal and resulted in a win to Todd Rattray.
Nine horses and people were inducted into the Tasracing Harness Hall of Fame. They were Beautide, Chamfer, Dandy Patch, Floodlight, Jim Greig, Terry Knowles, Leigh Plunkett, Gareth Rattray and Retreat.
2014/2015 Award Winners
SMITHAWARDS LEADING FEMALE DRIVER – Taylor Ford
ST MARYS PACING CLUB LEADING FEMALE TRAINER – Juanita McKenzie
NORTH EASTERN PACING CLUB JUNIOR DRIVER – Dylan Ford
FOOT & PLAYSTED LEADING DRIVER – Gareth Rattray
CLAUDE OUTDOOR LEADING TRAINER – Rohan Hillier
SAFE AND SOUND @ BRAEBOURN STUD TASMANIAN 2YO FILLY OF THE YEAR – Chica Bella
HARDINGS HOTMIX TASMANIAN 2YO COLT OR GELDING OF THE YEAR – Hillview Jake
BURNIE HARNESS RACING CLUB TASMANIAN 3YO FILLY OF THE YEAR – Barooga Minnie
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS TASMANIAN 3YO COLT OR GELDING OF THE YEAR – Mister Lennox
TASMANIAN HORSE TRANSPORT TASMANIAN MARE OF THE YEAR – El Jays Magic
OFFICE NATIONAL TASMANIAN 4YO & OLDER HORSE OR GELDING OF THE YEAR – Beautide
6tyo BROODMARE OF THE YEAR – Gorse Bush
NIMS GLOBAL TASMANIAN HORSE OF THE YEAR – Beautide
HALWES MEDAL (Sponsored by BOTRA Tasmania and Jamie Cockshutt) – Gareth Rattray
YOUNG ACHIEVER (Sponsored by BOTRA Tasmania) – Todd Rattray
BEAUTIDE MEDAL (Sponsored by Barrie Rattray and BOTRA Tasmania) – Star Chamber
BOTRA ACHIEVER – Sue Duggan
THE EDGAR TATLOW MEDAL – James (Art) Meeker