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Cranbourne Turf Club has won the Country Racing Victoria Club of the Year Award for 2018-19.
Cranbourne Turf Club was rewarded for its capital works, connection with the local community and its charity focused race days such as Pinker Pinker Day, Do It For Dolly Day and their Multicultural Night Festival.
Donald & District Racing Club won the Community Club of the Year Award for their community involvement and engagement.
Popular galloper Barry The Baptist, trained at Stawell by Paul Jones, was named Victrorian Country Horse of the Year for 2018/19.
During the last season he had 10 starts in country Victoria for three wins and five placings.
His highlights included winning the Warracknabeal Sheep Hills Cup, Stawell Cup and Apsley Cup. He also finished second in the Hamilton Cup, Geelong St Pats Cup and Casterton Cup.
The Neville Wilson Medal for Country Racing Victoria Jockey of the Year was presented to Linda Meech.
Linda Meech had 577 rides in country Victoria during the 2018/19 racing season, winning the premiership 114 races with 161 placings. Her rides earned $2.45 million prizemoney.
Her premiership win was made all the more remarkable by the fact that she suffered a broken collarbone in April which kept her on the sidelines for two months.
She also became the first female rider to win the overall Victorian riding premiership.
Teodore Nugent was named Country Racing Victoria Apprentice of the Year Award George and the Lindsay Park team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig collected the George Hanlon Trophy training award.
Nugent, apprenticed to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, won 70 country races with 122 placings during the 2018/19 racing season.
The Lindsay Park stable had 989 starters in country Victoria during the 2018/19 racing season for 158 wins 264 placings. Their horses earned $3.95 million prizemoney.
Carl Berry received the Tony Shanahan Award for services to Country Racing Victoria.
Carl Barry has been a member of the Great Western Racing Club committee for 37 years, including the past 18 years as president.
His voluntary roles for the club have included track manager, organising building maintenance works, performing general maintenance and working as the bar manager.
In 2009 he was also elected to the Board of the Wimmera Racing Club and still holds that position along with his positions at Great Western.
The 2018 Geelong Cup was named Country Racing Victoria Event of the Year, attracting a crowd of more than 11,000.
The Country Racing Victoria Media Award when to Adam Bourke, a journalist for the Bendigo Advertiser.
A special presentation was made to Bill Gibbins, founder of the Jericho Cup at Warrnambool.
