Futura named SA's horse of the year

Futura won the Gr 1 J&B Met and the Gr 1 L'Ormarin's Queen's Plate at Kenilworth for original trainer Brett Crawford before winning the Gr 1 Champions Cup at Greyville for new trainer Justin Snaith.

This announcement took place at the prestigious Equus Awards, known at the ‘Oscars’ of South African horse racing, held at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg on Tuesday night.

Gavin Lerena has been announced as the 2014/15 horseracing season’s Champion Jockey of the Year after his impressive 220 wins with S’manga Khumalo coming second with 198.

The experienced and brilliant Piere ‘Striker’ Strydom who has won the Champion Jockey title six times and achieved 5 000 wins, a milestone unmatched by any jockey in the history of South African horseracing, was presented with a Special Achievement Award.

Kevin Harris, the independent filmmaker who wrote and directed the documentary entitled “To Be a Champion’ which tells the story of S’manga Khumalo’s journey to become one of the country’s greatest jockeys, was awarded the media award for television. This documentary premiered at last month’s Durban International Film Festival powered by Racing. It's a Rush!

The Sean Tarry-trained French Navy was awarded Champion three year old colt with Tarry himself winning Champion Trainer, recording a brand new high in stakes earned in one season by any trainer. Tarry earned in excess of R25 million in stakes during the season.

Tarry and Strydom were not the only record breaking recipients, Ingrid and Markus Jooste were crowned Champion Owners of the Season for the eighth consecutive year, they too earned a remarkable new high in stakes of over R20 million!

List of awards presented:

CHAMPION TWO YEAR OLD COLT (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)

Seventh Plain

CHAMPION TWO YEAR FILLY (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)

Entisaar (AUS)

CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD COLT(DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)

French Navy

CHAMPION THREE YEAR OLD FILLY (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)

Alboran Sea (AUS)

CHAMPION OLDER MALE (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)

Futura

CHAMPION OLDER FILLY/MARE (DISTANCE IMMATERIAL)

Hammie’s Hooker

CHAMPION SPRINTER (1 000-1 200 METRES; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)

Captain Of All

CHAMPION MILER (1 400-1 600; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)

Legislate

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE (1 800-2 200 METRES; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)

Futura

CHAMPION STAYER (2400 METRES UPWARDS; AGE/GENDER IMMATERIAL)

Wild One

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Piere Strydom

CHAMPION STALLION

Captain Al

CHAMPION BROODMARE

Si Senorita

CHAMPION BREEDER

Klawervlei Stud

OUTSTANDING STALLION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dynasty

OUTSTANDING BREEDER AWARD

Highlands Farm Stud

MEDIA AWARDS

Print – Michael Clower

Television – Kevin Harris

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

Craig Zackey

CHAMPION JOCKEY

Gavin Lerena

CHAMPION TRAINER

Sean Tarry

OWNER OF THE YEAR

Mrs I & Mr M J Jooste

(Photo via Facebook/J&BMet)

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