Ballots have now been released to voters for the 2015 O’Brien Awards.
Voters are media people who cover harness racing on a regular basis across Canada, including writers for the various trade publications and websites as well as those in print, radio, television. All Canadian race secretaries, track publicists and simulcast hosts also participate in the voting. Ballots are due by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Monday, December 14.
A reminder to fans and Standardbred Canada (SC) members, that they can take part in the voting and they will have access to all of the same information that all of the O’Brien Voters use. You can vote on the 2015 O’Brien Awards starting tomorrow, Friday, December 4.
The O’Brien ballot package will be made available online from December 4 to December 14. Fans can vote for the first and second place horse/person in each category. All of the fan votes received will count for one vote towards the voting results of the O’Brien Awards. There will be a limit of one vote per person (ie. IP address or email address).
Just a reminder that in addition to voting for a potential winner in each category, voters will also be asked to make a second place selection in each category. The horses/people who receive a first place vote will receive two (2) points and those that receive a second place vote will receive one (1) point. The top two point earners will be the finalists in each category. The number of first place votes will be used as a tie breaker.
Eighteen O'Brien Awards will be given out for the 2015 racing season. Thirteen of these honour the premier horses over the past racing season including the most coveted trophy, Canada's Horse of the Year. The horse awards are divided by age, sex and gait.
In addition there are five awards for people, one each for Driver of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Armstrong Bros. Farm Breeder of the Year, the O'Brien Award of Horsemanship and the Future Star award, which was introduced at the 2013 awards, will be given to recognize a Rising Star in the industry.
Standardbred Canada has an O’Brien Committee that determines the candidates for the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship and the Armstrong Breeder of the Year Award.
Voters are asked to vote for one of the following candidates for the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship:
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Travis Cullen of Airdrie, AB
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Guy Gagnon of Gatineau, QC
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Dr. Ian Moore of Guelph, ON
For the Armstrong Breeder of the Year, the committee has put forward the following candidates for the voters to choose from:
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William Andrew, Calgary, AB / Meridian Farms, Milton, PE
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Marvin Katz, Toronto, ON / Al Libfeld, Pickering, ON
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Al McIntosh Holdings Inc., Leamington, ON, / Robert McIntosh Stables Inc., Windsor, ON
The finalists will be announced on Monday, December 21.
The O’Brien Award winners will be announced and honoured at the annual awards banquet on Saturday, February 13, 2016 at the Hilton Mississauga / Meadowvale (formerly the Delta Meadowvale Hotel) in Mississauga, Ontario.