Celebrating Excellence: Southland’s Harness Racing Awards Night Success

A capacity crowd gathered at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Saturday evening as the Southland harness racing fraternity celebrated the achievements of the 2023 season in a slickly presented awards function.

Trotter Smokin Bandar won the Regent Car Court Horse Of The Year Award in a season where it ran second in the prestigious Group One Dominion Handicap at Addington.

Smokin Bandar is owned by Tom & Julie Kilkelly and Shea and Holly McKenzie and is trained by Craig Ferguson of Wyndham who enjoyed a successful night in his own right.

Ferguson received the Achievement of the Year Award after a successful season that saw him train the winners of thirty-four races with eighteen second placings and eight thirds while he also drove forty-eight winners with a further fifty-seven placings.

At season’s end he had the highest UDR (strike rate) in the country as a trainer. Ferguson’s achievements as both a driver and trainer also included success in several group races.

Awards on the night were as follows:

Regent Car Court Horse Of The Year:
Smokin Bandar – owned by Tom & Julie Kilkelly, Shea and Holly McKenzie, trained by Craig Ferguson

Achievement Award:
Craig Ferguson

Southern Standardbred Breeders Assn Elite Broodmare of the Year:
Democrat Party – John & Katrina Price

Macca Lodge Broodmare Of The Year:
The Fiery Filly – Tom Kilkelly

Caduceus Club Trotter Of The Year:
Dwindle Star – owned by Bev Williamson, trained by Phil Williamson

Robin Dundee Club 3yo Gelding Of The Year:
Captain Tom – owned by Ian and Lindsay Thomson, trained by Alister Black

Robin Dundee Club 3yo Filly Of The Year:
Julie Jaccka – owned by Ailsa and Charlie Smaill, trained by Brett Gray

Fastest Mile Of The Year:
Ruby Roe – owned by John & Katrina Price trained by Nathan Williamson

Donaghy’s Trainer Of The Year:
Nathan Williamson

Driver Of The Year:
Nathan Williamson

Junior Driver Of The Year:
Mark Hurrell