Cover image courtesy of Off The Track
Thoroughbred Events Australia and The Thoroughbred Club, with support from Thoroughbred Girls, have come together to create the “After the Track Community Awards.”
This initiative aims to recognise the success and achievements of riders, individual contributors, and, of course, the horses themselves.
The inaugural ‘After the Track Community Awards’ opened on Sunday, May 5. Following three rounds of competitions, the winners will be crowned on Sunday, October 20, at the Coogee Legion Club. This ceremony will be a ‘Recovery/Cocktail Party,’ held the day after the running of the 2024 $20 million The Everest at Randwick racecourse.
Off the track racehorse competing at eventing | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
It is well known and encouraged that accredited re-homers and those who adopt off-the-track thoroughbreds once their racing days have ended are an essential and much-needed part of the industry. Like many who work with horses, their achievements and hard work often go unsung.
As Founder of Thoroughbred Events Australia, Sharon Lenton, said, “They are the unsung heroes - they create happiness, give meaningfulness and show unconditional love to our racehorses after their life in a racing stable.
“We want to give these heroes a voice, a name, acknowledgement and, most of all, our utmost gratitude.
Sharon Lenton
“To achieve this, we are hosting these awards to share with the entire thoroughbred community the amazing information we uncover on each of the nominees, so we can all be in awe of their achievements. It will all culminate with our community awards day, when we can celebrate and give the racing industry and the associated industries a way to say, ‘Thank You’ to our ‘After the Track Community.’”
Grateful for support
Lenton has been thrilled by the acceptance and support the industry has shown for the 'After the Track Community Awards' since the announcement. Leading operations such as Arrowfield were quick to lend their support to the inaugural edition, as was Shoalhaven Turf Club.
However, Lenton is keen to remind people that as exciting as the prizes and winning the categories are, the main point is to say, “Thank You” and show appreciation to all the people involved in caring for a Thoroughbred once they have been retired.
“Arrowfield jumped at the idea and were quick to support us. We are extremely grateful and appreciative of that, and we’d love to say a big thank you for them coming on board,” Lenton told TTR AusNZ.
“We want to give these heroes a voice, a name, acknowledgement and, most of all, our utmost gratitude.” - Sharon Lenton
“We are equally appreciative of the support from Shoalhaven Turf Club. They have also sponsored the After the Track Community Awards, and I think it’s really nice and positive that a race club has come on board to show support. I’m just loving that the racing industry has been very accepting.
“It’s slow and hard to bring anything new in and get it off the ground, but it is really nice when people and organisations get behind it and support. So, I am really just thankful for all of it.”
Speaking about some expert judges set to be on the panel, Lenton shared, “Nash Rawiller is going to be one of the judges, as well as Judy Foley, who is an ex-STC director and is now heavily involved with the racing industry in various capacities.
Nash Rawiller | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“And then we’ve got two other judges from the equestrian world. So, we’ve got two racing people and two from the equestrian world. It’s going to be as fair as possible, but I hope people understand our main message is to really acknowledge everyone who is helping our off-the-track horses.
“And we want to say thank you to every single person, even if they are nominated. So, yes, we’ve got a prize at the end, but our focus is to show appreciation to the people behind the scenes.
“We are going to be doing a directory about all the re-trainers and the clubs so that people can see, whether they’re in the racing industry or more in the equestrian world, we’re all on the same page when it comes to our horses.”
Categories and process
The After the Track Community Awards are open to riders, retainers, and clubs within New South Wales who have contributed to a successful transition for a thoroughbred from racehorse to ‘off the track’ and a life of retirement.
There are five categories in the inaugural ‘After the Track Community Awards’:
Boots An All enjoyed a second career as an eventer before more recently stepping into the dressage arena | Image courtesy of Off The Track
New South Wales Outstanding Rider Award: This category is based on achievements in any equestrian discipline on off-the-track thoroughbreds.
New South Wales Most Outstanding Handler and Off the Track Thoroughbred: This category is also open to any equestrian discipline.
New South Wales Most Outstanding Individual Contributor to the Off the Track Thoroughbred Community: This category is for sole traders or hobbyists who are not employed within the Australian Racing Industry.
New South Wales Most Outstanding Off the Track Thoroughbred Trainer: This category is for those who have not received or do not receive funding from any racing body or race club in the Australian Racing Industry.
New South Wales Most Outstanding Equestrian Club: This category celebrates thoroughbreds in existing clubs or programmes that facilitate thoroughbred post-racing retirement.
Nominations for each category will be judged by an expert panel chosen by the event organiser. Each panellist will have seven days to select three finalists, with their first choice allocated three points, their second choice two points, and their final choice one point.
Off the track thoroughbred competing at the International Horse Trials | Image courtesy of Off The Track
Points will be tallied for each finalist, and the three top-scoring finalists in each category will be named the Grand Finalists, announced at the end of Round 3 on Sunday, 11 September.
As outlined by the After the Track Community Awards judging process, the panel will then discuss and agree upon the overall winner in each category.
There are three award rounds. The first round opened on Sunday, May 5, with the judging date on Thursday, August 1, followed by the announcement of the first round finalists on Sunday, August 11.
Judging dates
Round 2 opened on Sunday, June 23 and will be judged and concluded on the same dates as Round 1. The final Round (3) will open on Sunday, August 4, close on September 1, and the finalists will be decided on Sunday, September 15. The winners will be crowned at the Coogee Legion Club's 'recovery/cocktail party on Sunday, October 20.
At the completion of each award round, each category finalist will receive a prize, which may include cash, vouchers, or gifts from award sponsors. The overall category winners will be announced on October 20, with prize details to be revealed closer to the date.
“At the completion of each award round, each category finalist will receive a prize, which may include cash, vouchers, or gifts from award sponsors. The overall category winners will be announced on October 20.”
