The pride of Queensland thoroughbred racing, Buffering, won his fifth consecutive Queensland Horse of the Year title as former champion jockey Chris Munce was inducted into the Queensland Hall Of Fame at tonight’s 2015/16 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards.
At a gala function held at Doomben Racecourse tonight, the achievements of nine-year-old marvel Buffering were celebrated following his international success in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai in March and an additional two Group 1 victories in Melbourne and Perth.
Buffering was voted Queensland Horse of the Year ahead of fellow Group 1 winners Miss Cover Girl and Eagle Way, and also received the honour of being voted 4YO and Older Horse of the Year.
While Buffering again stole the show, Munce was one of four new inductees into the Queensland Hall of Fame, with the champion jockey-turned-trainer rewarded for his achievements during an illustrious career in the saddle.
One of only seven jockeys to claim Australian Racing’s Grand Slam – the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate, Golden Slipper and Caulfield Cup – Munce chalked up more than 300 wins as an apprentice. He went on to win the Melbourne Cup on Jezabeel, two Golden Slippers, two Stradbrokes, a Cox Plate and a Caulfield Cup, among more than 40 Group 1 wins. In 2011-12 he became the first jockey to ride 100 winners in a Brisbane Metropolitan season.
Whilst Munce’s achievements of yesteryear were celebrated, a young gun on the rise was rewarded for his breakthrough season, with James Orman scooping the pool with a total of six awards.
Orman was honoured as the Ken Russell Apprentice of the Year, the Stewards Award, The Racezone Medal for most wins in a single month in addition to his three Premiership victories – Queensland Metropolitan Apprentice, QLD Provincial Jockey and Apprentice.
Fellow apprentice Brooke Ainsworth was voted the Rookie of the Year ahead of nominees Stephanie Lacy and Hannah English. The award takes into consideration overall performance, strike-rate, academics, attitude and attendance to Apprentice School.
At the other end of the spectrum, 54-year-old senior jockey Jeff Lloyd was voted the Queensland Jockey of the Year after becoming the oldest jockey in history to win the Queensland Metropolitan Jockeys premiership.
In the training ranks, Tony Gollan claimed the Trainer of the Year award in addition to winning the Queensland Metropolitan Trainers Premiership and also preparing the Metropolitan Horse of the Year, Didn’tcostalot
Sunshine Coast trainer based Stuart Kendrick picked up the Provincial Trainers Premiership and Mackay’s John Manzelman won the Country Trainers Premiership.
Group 1 Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way (Bryan Guy) won the 3YO Horse of the Year award, while the John Zielke trained Royal Tithe was crowned 2YO Horse of the Year as well as QTIS Horse of the Year.
In the breeding ranks, Written Tycoon was crowned Queensland Stallion of the Year as well as Champion 2yo Stallion, while Love Conquers All won Champion First Season Stallion and Kitalpha was Queensland Broodmare of the Year.
The full list of award winners is included below.
2015/16 Queensland Thoroughbred Award Winners
| Awards | Nominees | Winner |
| Major Awards | ||
| Ken Russell Queensland Apprentice of the Year | James Orman | James Orman |
| Luke Dittman | ||
| Sarah Eilbeck | ||
| Josh Oliver | ||
| Queensland Jockey of the Year | Damian Browne | Jeff Lloyd |
| Jim Byrne | ||
| James Orman | ||
| Jeff Lloyd | ||
| Queensland Trainer of the Year | Rob Heathcote | Tony Gollan |
| Tony Gollan | ||
| Kelly Schweida | ||
| Bryan Guy | ||
| Queensland Horse of the Year | Buffering | Buffering |
| Miss Cover Girl | ||
| Eagle Way | ||
| Hall of Fame | ||
| HALL of FAME – Horse | Molly’s Robe | Mode |
| Basha Felika | ||
| Mode | ||
| Earlwood | ||
| HALL of FAME – Jockey | Fred Shean | Chris Munce |
| Ken Russell | ||
| Chris Munce | ||
| Noel Best | ||
| HALL of FAME – Trainer | George Anderson | George Anderson |
| Eric Kirwan | ||
| Con Doyle | ||
| HALL of FAME – Associate | PJ O’Shea | JC Anderson |
| JC Anderson | ||
| Albert Sakzewski | ||
| Horses of the Year | ||
| QTIS Horse of the Year
(2015/16 QTIS Bonus Prizemoney Earned) |
Royal Tithe | |
| Queensland 2YO Horse of the Year | Nikitas | Royal Tithe |
| Dream’s Aplenty | ||
| Charnley River | ||
| Royal Tithe | ||
| Zelady’s Night Out | ||
| Queensland 3YO Horse of the Year | Eagle Way | Eagle Way |
| Kebede | ||
| I’m Belucci | ||
| Sold For Song | ||
| Queensland 4YO & Older Horse of the Year | Buffering | Buffering |
| Miss Cover Girl | ||
| Worthy Cause | ||
| Tinto | ||
| Hopfgarten | ||
| Apprentice Awards | ||
| Country Apprentice of the Year | Stephanie Lacy | |
| Provincial Apprentice of the Year | James Orman | |
| Metropolitan Apprentice of the Year | James Orman | |
| Racezone medal (Most wins in a single month) | James Orman | |
| Rookie of the Year | Hannah English | Brooke Ainsworth |
| Stephanie Lacy | ||
| Brooke Ainsworth | ||
| Breeding | ||
| Queensland Broodmare of the Year | Kitalpha | |
| Queensland Stallion of the Year | Written Tycoon | |
| Champion First Season Stallion | Love Conquers All | |
| & Champion 2Y0 Stallion | Written Tycoon | |
| Premierships | ||
| Country Premiership Jockey | Dan Ballard | |
| Country Premiership Trainer | John Manzelmann | |
| Country Premiership Horse of the Year | Four Iron | |
| Provincial Premiership Jockey | James Orman | |
| Provincial Premiership Trainer | Stuart Kendrick | |
| Provincial Premiership Horse of the Year | Craiglea Wandoo | |
| Metropolitan Premiership Jockey | Jeff Llloyd | |
| Metropolitan Premiership Trainer | Tony Gollan | |
| Metropolitan Premiership Horse of the Year | Didntcostalot | |
| Stewards Award | James Orman | |
