2024 Equus Awards

EQUINE CATEGORIES

The basis for awarding the equine categories for the Equus Awards from the 2023/2024 season has been slightly altered from the past year. The pattern race points system remains intact. The tables will be updated after major race meetings and are being updated by the NHRA. The final list of nominees for each award will be derived from the final points standings amongst the relevant categories. The panel of judges will then use the tables derived from the points system as a guide when making their final decision. There will no longer be a public vote.

HOW THE POINTS SYSTEM WORKS

Points are accumulated by each horse during the season in Graded races, with an exception made for the Champion Stayer category, where Listed performances are also to be included. The points system ensures that South Africa’s best races are awarded the most points in each category. Each horse nominated to the final voting list has demonstrated potential Champion status.

Grade 1 races will carry more points than Grade 2 races, Grade 2 more than Grade 3. Open races carry more points than restricted races (by age or sex), and WFA or fixed-weight races have more points than conditions or handicap races of the same grading. Additionally, certain races have been designated “Super Status” in their respective grading to acknowledge their enhanced importance in the graded race pattern throughout the season. These races will carry the most points in each category and grading.

Points will accumulate for the first four finishers in the Grade 1 and the first three in the Grade 2 and Grade 3 races. Listed races that carry points towards the Champion Stayer category will be awarded for the first three finishers except in races restricted to fillies and mares, where only the first two will be awarded points. All graded performances in the season will carry points towards the Horse-of-the-year, age-group, and male/female categories. However, the four distance-related categories (Champion Sprinter, Miler, Middle Distance, and Stayer) will EXCLUDE performances in Age-Group restricted races, and points for these categories will only accrue from races where all ages may participate.

Six races at Grade 1 and two at the Grade 2 level have been designated “Super Status” and will carry enhanced points. All these Super Grade 1 races are WFA races, while the two Super Grade 2 races are WFA plus penalties.

The points outlined above are summarised in the table below:

The Graded races designated Super-status are:

• The King’s Plate (Gr 1), the Cape Met (Gr 1) and the Green Point Stakes (Gr 2) in the Western Cape
• The Horse Chestnut Stakes (Gr 1) and the Champions Challenge (Gr 1) on the Highveld
• The Gold Challenge (Gr 1), the Champions Cup (Gr 1) and the Drill Hall Stakes (Gr 2) in KZN

EQUINE MEDIA AWARD CATEGORY

Equus Awards Criteria for Horseracing Media for the 2023/2024 Season

1. This award is open to all journalists and photographers within the print, television and electronic media industry.
2. Entry is not restricted to journalists from or within the horseracing media, all journalists are welcome and encouraged to submit work.
3. The three categories that will be judged are:
   Written material (print/electronic)
   Broadcast (includes television and internet)
   Photographic (still)
4. All entrants will be required to submit up to 2 pieces of their work that has been published (print/electronic) or broadcast (television/internet) during the South African horseracing season, that is from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024.
5. Applicants for the stills photographic category are required to submit up to 3 images of any aspect relating to the horseracing industry.
6. No late entries will be accepted and only work published or broadcast during the stipulated time period is eligible. Receipt of your entry will be confirmed by email from Alistair Cohen.
7. The judging panel is comprised of the following media experts:
   Alistair Cohen, Liesl King and Tarquin Norval (The Racing Operators will fulfil the role of non-voting Chair on the Media Awards Panel).
8. All entries received will be judged on research, accuracy, and presentation.
9. Work submitted must be well written or narrated, pertinent and of value to the sport of South African Horseracing.
10. Loyal support and positive contribution or coverage of the sport during the South African horseracing season is essential.
11. The judging panel’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

The Racing Operators reserve the right to cancel the awards if there are not sufficient entries received.

CLOSING DATE: Thursday 1 August 2024
SUBMIT TO: Alistair Cohen
alistair@caperacing.co.za