news room
2012 RQs Harness Award winners announced
10 September 2012
(Left to right) Assitant Minister for Racing Hon. Tim Mander, Kevin Seymour AM, Kay Seymour, Trista Baz, Grant Dixon and Kevin Dixon. Photo by Ross Stevenson.
The 2011/12 harness racing season was capped off with the announcement of Majestic Mach as the Queensland Horse of the Year.
The Grant Dixon-trained gelding won the award for his amazing undefeated two-year-old season. “Razzle” as he is known around his stables, has shown that he could well be the best juvenile pacer to emerge from Queensland in many years.
In an outstanding season, the son of Mach Three secured three Group 1 victories with his most dominant performance a 15 metre victory in the Australian Pacing Gold Final in May at Albion Park. Majestic Mach dominated his age division winning the Group 1 Colts & Geldings Nursery Pace and RQIS finals.
In the eyes of the industry media and administrator voting panel, the gelding beat other Horse of the Year nominees Washakie and Torque in Motion. Majestic Mach’s owners Solid Earth managed by Kay Seymouraccepted the award at the 2012 RQs Harness Awards Night on Sunday, September 9 at the Sofitel Brisbane with a host of industry stakeholders.
The star two-year-old also took home the Queensland 2YO Horse of the Year title as well as the RQIS (QBred) Achiever of the Year. The performance of Majestic Mach and Group 1 winning stablemate Rani Major ensured that owners and breeders Solid Earth Pty Ltd secured the Queensland Breeder of the Year title also.
It was a case of back-to-back Horse of the Year titles for Queensland’s Kevin and Kay Seymour who also won the 2011 Horse of the Year with stallion Mr Feelgood.
Hosted by Racing Queensland Limited, the RQs recognise the season’s achievements in the harness racing industry.
Grant Dixon was the recipient of the Queensland Trainer of the Year, also taking home the Albion Park, Gold Coast and Redcliffe Harness Racing Clubs’ Trainers Premierships.
He was also awarded the Queensland Driver of the Year and also topped the Gold Coast and Redcliffe Harness Racing Clubs’ Drivers Premierships. Shane Graham claimed the Albion Park Harness Racing Club’s Drivers Premiership for the first time.
Racing Queensland awarded this year’s Chairman’s Scholarship to Bart Cockburn after the young reinsman showed great initiative and courage to part ways with mentor Grant Dixon and start his own training operation. Cockburn also won his first Group 1 aboard the Grant Dixon trained Rani Major on July 28.
The 2012 RQs Harness Awards winners include:
- Queensland Horse of the Year – Majestic Mach Sponsored by Sky Racing
- Queensland Trainer of the Year – Grant Dixon Sponsored by TattsBet
- Queensland Driver of the Year – Grant Dixon Sponsored by TattsBet
- Chairman’s Scholarship – Bart Cockburn Sponsored by Racing Queensland
- RQIS (QBred) achiever of the Year – Majestic Mach
- Queensland Breeder of the Year – Solid Earth Pty Ltd
- Queensland Owner of the Year – Greg Mitchell
- BOTRA Pegasus Award – Kerry Ebert
- BOTRA Junior Driver Encouragement Award – Nikki Johnson and Adam Richardson
- BOTRA Junior Drivers Premiership – Pete McMullen
- BOTRA Junior Concession Drivers Premiership – Bart Cockburn
- Trotting Horse of the Year – Supper Waltz Wilson
- Trotting Drivers Premiership – Pete McMullen
- Trotting Trainers Premiership – Graham Harriott
- Trotting Mare of the Year – Star of Jordaine
- Redcliffe HRC Horse of the Year – Black Cruiser
- Redcliffe HRC Drivers Premiership – Grant Dixon
- Redcliffe HRC Trainers Premiership – Grant Dixon
- Redcliffe HRC Junior Drivers Premiership – Bart Cockburn
- Gold Coast HRC Horse of the Year – Return of the King
- Gold Coast HRC Drivers Premiership – Grant Dixon
- Gold Coast HRC Trainers Premiership – Grant Dixon
- Gold Coast HRC Mare of the Year – Lateforlunch
- Gold Coast HRC Trotter of the Year – Supper Waltz Wilson
- Albion Park HRC Horse of the Year – Destreos
- Albion Park HRC Drivers Premiership – Shane Graham
- Albion Park HRC Trainers Premiership – Grant Dixon
- Albion Park HRC Mare of the Year – Forever Gold
- Albion Park HRC Strike Rate Drivers Premiership – Shane Graham
- Albion Park HRC Strike Rate Trainers Premiership – Bill Crosby
