The 2016/17 club awards season has been occurring around the country with the Waikato, Christchurch and Auckland clubs all recently presenting their annual Greyhound of the Year awards.

The Waikato GRC celebrated 20 years of racing at the Cambridge Raceway when they held their recent annual awards at the venue. It was also an awards function that was dominated by the local trainers Karen Walsh and Arch Lawrence.

Here’s a list of the Waikato GRC 2016/17 season award winners:

Waikato GRC Greyhound of the Year - Timmy Trumpet, Karen Walsh
Waikato GRC Sprinter of the Year – Unileven, Denis Schofield; runner up Coruba Cate, Glenis Farrell
Waikato GRC Middle Distance Greyhound of the Year – Timmy Trumpet, Karen Walsh; runner up Oliva, Arch Lawrence
Waikato GRC Distance Greyhound of the Year – Shandell, Arch Lawrence; runner up Thrilling Flo, Karen Walsh
New Zealand Bred Waikato GRC Greyhound of the Year – Oliva, Arch Lawrence; runner up Augello, Arch Lawrence
New Zealand Based Waikato GRC Sire of the Year – Sergio, Gary Harding
New Zealand Based Waikato GRC Dam of the Year – Teegan, Arch Lawrence
Waikato GRC President’s Trophy – Jimmy’s Rocket, Steve Clark
Waikato GRC Trainer of the Year – Karen Walsh (79 winners); runner up Denis Schofield (60)
Waikato GRC Strike Rate Trainer of the Year – Karen Walsh (UDR 0.5317); runner up Phil Green (0.3357)

  
Local trainer Karen Walsh won numerous Waikato GRC Greyhound of the Year awards, including the overall title with the ultra consistent greyhound Timmy Trumpet; Arch and Gloria Lawrence were the recipients of a number of Waikato GRC Greyhound of the Year awards; the five Waikato GRC Life Members were in attendance – from left: Tom Rodewald, Peter Henley, Dianne Lozell, Max Mathews; Olly Lawrence

Christchurch 2016/17 Greyhound of the Year awards

The Christchurch GRC 2016/17 awards function was very well attended at the Addington Raceway which resulted in the sharp record breaking sprinter Swimming Goat receiving the Canterbury club’s ultimate accolade.

Here’s a list of the Christchurch GRC 2016/17 season award winners:

Christchurch GRC Greyhound of the Year – Swimming Goat, Calum Weir
Christchurch GRC Sprinter of the Year – Swimming Goat, Calum Weir
Christchurch GRC Middle Distance Greyhound of the Year – American Warrior, Dave & Jean Fahey
Christchurch GRC Stayer of the Year – Can’t Catch Tim, Ray Adcock
Christchurch GRC Dam of the Year – Opawa Angela, Opawa Racing; runner up Mini’s Fantasy
Christchurch GRC Trainer of the Year – John McInerney (201 winners); runner up Dave & Jean Fahey (168)

In addition to the overall award winners the Christchurch GRC also presented monthly awards – those winners were: August Swimming Goat, September Can’t Catch Tim, October Tony Hart & Kristy Taylor, November Alan Joyce, December Graeme Bennett, January Jasmine Tanner, February Malcolm Grant, March Andy McCook & Janine Jopson, April Jean & Dave Fahey, May Lisa Waretini, June Ray Adcock, July Steve & Bonnie Evans

  
Swimming Goat was the 2016/17 Christchurch GRC Greyhound of the Year with his trainer Calum Weir, accepting the trophy from Christchurch GRC Chairman Chris Earl; Jonathon McInerney, with his sons Blake and Isaac accepted the Trainer of the Year award from Christchurch GRC Board member Denise Barron; Jasmine Tanner received her January monthly award from Christchurch GRC Board member Doug Allen (photos supplied by Dave Robbie - drobbie@ihug.co.nz – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos)

Auckland 2016/17 Greyhound of the Year awards

The Auckland 2016/17 Greyhound of the Year title was shared between the Denis Schofield trained Manukau 527m consistent chaser Lochinvar Brogue and Obstinatus who was a Ron & Naomi O’Regan prepared regular Sunday afternoon 318m winning sprinter.

Here’s a list of the Auckland GRC 2016/17 season award winners:

Auckland GRC Greyhound of the Year – Lochinvar Brogue, Denis Schofield & Obstinatus, Ron & Naomi O’Regan
Auckland GRC Sprinter of the Year - Obstinatus, Ron & Naomi O’Regan
Auckland GRC Middle Distance Greyhound of the Year – Lochinvar Brogue, Denis Schofield
Auckland GRC Stayer of the Year – Ring The Bell, Gerry O’Keefe
Auckland GRC NZ Bred Greyhound of the Year – Alex Attack, Jared Udy & Denise Cottam
Auckland GRC Trainer of the Year – Denis Schofield (90 winners); runner up Ben Craik (75)
Auckland GRC Strike Rate Trainer of the Year – Peter Ferguson & Greg Hore (UDR 0.3066); runner up Steve Clark (0.2986)
Auckland GRC Track Star of the Year (most wins) - Obstinatus, Ron & Naomi O’Regan (11.5 wins, cash bonus $250), runner up Lochinvar Brogue (11 wins)

  
Trainers Denis Schofield (left) and Ron O’Regan with their joint Auckland GRC Greyhound of the Year winning plagues; Jared Udy accepted the Auckland GRC NZ Bred Greyhound of the Year award from Auckland Chairman John Roberts; Peter Ferguson received the Auckland GRC Strike Rate Trainer of the Year plague also from John Roberts

By Peter Fenemor