Ballots for this year’s O’Brien Awards will go out to voters next week and there are a couple of changes to the voting procedure effective with the 2013 O’Brien Awards.

Voters will be asked to make a second place selection in all of the categories and for the first time ever, Fans and SC members will be able to participate in the O’Brien voting.

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.

Previously, voters were asked to select one horse or person who they felt should be the winner in each category.

It was felt that by asking the voters to select a winner and runner up, that it would help to determine the best runner up in each category, especially in categories that are dominated by one horse.

For the first time in the history of the O’Brien Awards, fans and SC members will have the opportunity to cast a vote. The O’Brien ballot package will be made available online for the same period that all of the other voters have (December 4 – December 13). 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).

Eighteen O'Brien Awards will be given out for the 2013 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 for the first time a Future Star award will be given to recognize a Rising Star in the industry.

O’Brien voters include 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.