2009 EQUUS AWARDS

PRESS RELEASE – 2009 EQUUS AWARDS

THE Equus Awards – known as the “Oscars” of horse racing in South Africa – will have an Oscar as guest of honour at the 2009 presentation ceremony: athletics superstar Oscar Pistorius.

The awards will be presented at a banquet at Emperors Palace in Gauteng on Thursday 13 August.

Apart from the prestigious awards made for outstanding achievement in the past racing season, the gala evening in the Theatre of Marcellus also features top-class entertainment in the form of musician extraordinaire Ian von Memerty in cabaret, rising star Dantaneo singing at the after-dinner party, and the Vienna String Quartet performing before and during dinner.

Guest of honour Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee known as the world’s “Fastest Man On No Legs” for his amazing achievements on the athletics track, recently entered the fascinating world of horse racing as the owner of a horse in the stable of popular trainer Mike Azzie.

The Equus Awards are funded and hosted by the Racing Association and Gold Circle Racing to honour champions of the turf, both human and equine. The audience of 450 will include the who’s who of SA racing, and a limited number of seats are available to the public at a cost of R450 per head, all inclusive.

The master of ceremonies for the evening will be well-known racing filmmaker and television presenter Aiden Lithgow.

The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association has agreed to contribute towards the costs of the Equus Awards this year – a welcome gesture with outstanding local breeders being recognised at the awards ceremony.

Racing South Africa is another supporter, with its contribution focusing on the international achievements of South African horses and breeders.

Other important sponsors include Klawervlei, which has donated the white wine for the banquet, and Zandvliet, which provides the red wine.

Emperors Palace has again been extremely generous in offering favourable rates for the function – but at the same time providing five-star service and accommodation.

An important change to the awards this year is that both the 2008 and 2009 Canon Gold Cup results will be included in the judges’ deliberations.


Awards will be made in the following categories:

Champion two-year-old colt (distance immaterial)

Champion two-year-old filly (distance immaterial)

Champion three-year-old colt (distance immaterial)

Champion three-year-old filly (distance immaterial)

Champion older male (distance immaterial)

Champion older filly or mare (distance immaterial)

Champion sprinter (1000m-1200m, age and gender immaterial)

Champion middle-distance horse (1400m-2200m, age and gender immaterial)

Champion stayer (2400m and up, age and gender immaterial)

Horse of the year

Breeder awards

Champion apprentice

Champion jockey

Champion trainer

Champion owner

Merit award

Work riders from Gauteng and Western Cape are also recognised. These important role players in the racing industry do not get Equus Awards but receive monetary prizes.

For the first time, there will be an award for excellence in print and electronic media covering horse racing. The first prize of two international air tickets and R30 000 in cash has been donated by Brian Roux of BBR Bloodstock Shipping. Work published and broadcast between 1 August 2008 and 31 July 2009 is eligible and journalists have until 31 July 2009 to submit entries.

Monthly journalism awards, also sponsored by BBR, have been made in recent months and these winners automatically go forward for consideration by the judges for the overall prize. But other journalists are also encouraged to submit entries for the grand prize.

The voting panel for the 2009 Equus Awards is:

Colin Aitken
Jehan Malherbe
Mathew Lips
Roger Smith


Ken Nicol
Chad Cooke
Mel Kaplan
Nico Kritsiotis
Clyde Basel
Vee Moodley (non-voting chairperson)