SOUTH AFRICA: Variety Club Crowned Horse of the Year

Sunday, 12 August 2012: Variety Club has been named South Africa's Horse of the Year at the 2012 Equus Awards.

Variety Club Photo by Liesl King

The three-year-old's owner Markus Jooste and trainer Joey Ramsden were presented with the most coveted trophy in South African horse racing.

Variety Club registered six wins and two seconds in eight starts during the 2011/12 season, taking his career record to nine wins from 14 starts.

His victories included the G1 Cape Guineas at Kenilworth and G1 Gold Challenge at Clairwood along with two G2 and two G3 wins.

He was also second in the G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the G1 Investec Cape Derby.

Variety Club also took out the Equus awards for Champion Three Year Old Colt and Champion Middle Distance Horse.

All horses nominated in the various categories, including Igugu, Princess Victoria, What A Winter, Val De Ra and Pomodoro, were eligible for Horse of the Year.

Last year’s Horse of the Year Igugu took the 2012 Champion Older Filly/Mare title on the strength of her brilliant victory in the 2012 J&B Met.

Princess Victoria was named Champion Three Year Old Filly following wins in the Cape Fillies Guineas and the Garden Province Stakes.

In the tough Champion Sprinter category, What A Winter clinched it with his return to form in the Mercury Sprint – edging out Shea Shea, Val De Ra and Delago Deluxe.

Ladbroke’s Gold Cup winner In Writing won the Champion Stayer award.

A highlight of the Equus Awards was a Special Achievement Award presented to Diane de Kock, wife of champion trainer Mike de Kock for her HIV-Aids care and awareness work among racing industry grooms.

The championships for jockey, trainer, owner, breeder and stallion were all known in advance of the
ceremony and went to Anton Marcus, Mike de Kock, Ingrid and Markus Jooste, Summerhill Stud and Jet Master respectively.

The media prizes were won by David Thiselton of Gold Circle in the print category and Andrew Bon for television work.

The Breeder Award for Exceptional International Achievement went to Maine Chance Farms for the stud’s product Ato winning the G1 Krisflyer Sprint in Singapore.

Champion Two Year Old Filly ALL IS SECRET

Champion Two Year Old Colt/Gelding SOFT FALLING RAIN

Champion Three Year Old Filly PRINCESS VICTORIA

Champion Three Year Old Colt/Gelding VARIETY CLUB

Champion Older Fill/Mare (4YO and older, distance immaterial) IGUGU

Champion Older Male WHAT A WINTER

Champion Sprinter WHAT A WINTER

Champion Middle Distance Horse VARIETY CLUB

Champion Stayer IN WRITING

Special Achievement Award DIANE DE KOCK

Champion Stallion JET MASTER

Champion Broodmare GOLDEN APPLE

Champion Breeder SUMMERHILL

Breeder Award – Exceptional International Achievement MAINE CHANCE

Breeder of the Year Award MAINE CHANCE

Work Rider of the Year ABRAM MAKHUBO

Media – Print DAVID THISELTON

Media – Television ANDREW BON

Apprentice of the Year NOORESH JUGLALL

Champion Jockey ANTON MARCUS

Champion Trainer MIKE DE KOCK

Owner of the Year INGRID & MARKUS JOOSTE

Horse of the Year VARIETY CLUB