On Saturday, March 31, the Truro Harness Horse Owners Association hosted its annual awards banquet to recognize the best from its 2017 racing season.

Top honours in the driver category went to reinsman Ryan Ellis, who picked up the High Percentage Driver award in memory of Neldie Haley. Ellis hit the board 105 times from 174 starts and recorded 35 wins.

The Horse of the Year hardware was handed out to His Boy Elroy, who was trained and driven by Bernard ‘Pooker’ McCallum before heading back to the Woodbine Entertainment circuit in the fall.

The Truro Harness Horse Owners Association also acknowledged members Kyle Burton and Chantel Gillis on their recent O’Brien Award wins (Media Excellence – Outstanding Photography, and Outstanding Groom, respectively).

Chantel Gillis (right) presents the Groom of the Year Award to Kolby Oickle (Image courtesy of the THHOA)

The association also held a moment of silence and a video tribute courtesy of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame for the late Somebeachsomewhere. ‘Beach’ began his legendary racing career on the Truro oval for the Truro-based ownership group, The Schooner Stable. For every start he went behind the gate, the Truro horsepeople were there to cheer him on at their ‘Beach Party.’

A complete list of award winners appears below.

Horse of the Year
His Boy Elroy

Mare of the Year
Badlandia

Most Improved Horse
Go With It

Most Improved
Jamantha

Claiming Horse
Mortal Combat

Claiming Mare
Western

Two-Year-Old Colt
PH Hippie

Two-Year-Old Filly
Royaltywestho

Three-Year-Old Colt
Lucbobski

Three-Year-Old Filly
Glenview Paisley

Top Dash-Winning Driver (Over 50 Under 100)
Carl Isenor

Top Dash-Winning Trainer (Over 50 Under 100)
Paul Langille/Chris Covin

Top Dash-Winning Driver (Over 100)
Todd Trites

Top Dash-Winning Trainer (Over 100)
George Rennison

Senior Horsemen of the Year
Clayton Stevens

Horsewoman of the Year
Chantel Gillis

Groom of the Year
Kolby Oickle

Junior Horseperson of the Year
Madelyn Ellis / Sydney McGean

Jamieson 3-D Award
Roy Burton

Jim Chambers Sportsmanship Driver
Carl Isenor

Jim Chambers Sportsmanship Trainer
George Rennison

Jim Chambers Sportsmanship Groom
Sean Baxter

Jim Chambers Lifetime Achievement Award
Phil Pinkney

High Percentage Driver (In Memory of Neldie Haley)
Ryan Ellis

Owner of the Year Award
Ryder and Andrea Rennison and the late Cathy Benedict

(THHOA)