The O'Brien Awards celebrate the absolute best in harness racing over a given year. They are the highest honour the sport bestows upon its heroes in this country. The following explains exactly how the voters arrive at the nominees and eventual winners of the coveted O'Brien trophy.

Who votes for the O'Brien Awards? 

Media persons across Canada who cover harness racing on a regular basis receive a ballot, this includes writers for various trade publications as well as those in print, radio and television. Select Canadian race secretaries and race secretary staff, also select track publicists to participate in the voting.

Voters Screening Committee: Cross-section of industry professionals and SC Board of Directors Members.

Media Excellence Awards Committee: External representatives from mainstream industry media.

Caretaker Award Committee: SC Management appointed an internal screening committee.

The voters' list is vigorously scrutinized each year with names added and deleted when necessary.

A comprehensive and detailed ballot package is assembled for each voter and sent to them with sufficient time for the voter to return their completed ballot to the SC office e-mail. 

The ballot package is subdivided by category. We provide listings of the top 20 Canadian-registered horses (and add some that aren't Canadian-registered but still merit the voters' consideration) in each of the 12 horse categories. We then provide race lines for the voting year for the top five horses (and sometimes more if warranted) in each division.

For horses to be eligible for consideration for an O'Brien Award, they must have made a minimum of three (3) starts in Canada between January 1st and November 30th. The type of race (stakes, overnight) is irrelevant and schooling, and qualifying races do not represent a start (Breeders Crown races are excluded).

In the trainer category, we provide statistics on the top 50 Canadian trainers by earnings and wins.

In the driver of the year category, we provide listings of the top Canadian and North American drivers both by earnings and wins.

Each voter is strongly advised that the information provided to them is to be used as a reference guide only. The voters' mandate is to vote for the horse or person in each division they felt made the greatest contribution to Canadian harness racing over the past season. It's important to remember that when all is said and done, it is still a subjective process, as each voter makes his or her selections based on their opinion.

Once the votes have been tabulated, the names of the nominees are released, and the winners are announced at the annual O'Brien Awards. Before the night of the awards, the winners' identity are kept in strictest confidence.