After enduring the lows of harness racing back in March, young reinswoman Elly Chapple has finished the 2019/2020 racing season on a real high.
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Fresh from finishing her Year 12 exams, Chapple was in attendance at the Tamworth Harness Racing Club awards night last week, picking up two awards.
"I was really surprised that I was getting an award at all but it was really nice," Chapple, whose first award was the Achievement Award sponsored by the Tamworth HRC, said.
After being involved in a race fall at the start of the Inverell Cup, Chapple sustained injuries, including a broken elbow, which saw her flown to Lismore Hospital before being transferred back to Tamworth for surgery.
Chapple made her way back to the paceway after overcoming her injuries and finished third in her first race before driving a winner.
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"I thought it was special to receive the award," Chapple said. "Considering everything that has happened to me this year."
The next award for Chapple was one that many reinsmen and women would love to take home. Chapple took out The Pub Group sponsored Drive of the Year for her win on Right On With It in December last year.
"It was exciting to win. That has to be one of the most looked forward to awards of the night - it was really great," she said.
Meanwhile, Narrabri HRC president Peter Shepherdson went home with the Contribution to Harness Racing in the North West Award. Shepherdson has had a long association with the industry not only as Narrabri president but acting as a steward and mobile driver for many years.
There was a great acknowledgement from the club to retiring volunteer Mal Trudgett who had given 15 years' service to the Tamworth club.
The Hygain Trainers Award was presented to Cessnock trainer Clayton Harmey who trained 40 winners at Tamworth for the season.
The Sauers Glass Owners Premiership was presented to Marion Weidemann for the third year in succession and retiring board director Graham Moon was presented with the Club Person of the Year.
Believe In Heaven picked up a dual award - Peter & Dianne McNamara sponsored Local Horse of the Year as well as the KTR Standardbred's Horse of the Year. The gelding is owned and raced by Joy Missen along with her late mother Betty Pollard.
It was a three-way tie in the Peter Jackson Bookmaker Mare of the Year - all finishing on 18 points.
- Fantasy Money both trained and owned by Brendan James along with Emily Wilkin and Glenn Simpson.
- Night Lights, trained at Narrabri by Jarred Hetherington for owners C & N Buckman, P & K Tongue, A Boyd.
- Canberra owned and raced I'm So Better is in the Tamworth stables of trainer Tony Missen.
The Multiquip Drivers Premiership was won by Blake Hughes with 43 winners at Tamworth for the season.
