Top-class jockey Barend Vorster has capped off a brilliant season by claiming his first John Letts Medal at the Racing SA Industry Awards held on Saturday night (August 27) at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
The South African collected the prestigious award with 66 votes, to just beat out Kayla Crowther (62 votes) and Paul Gatt (41 votes).
"An achievement like this is very special," Vorster said.
"It really means a lot. I've been fortunate enough to have consistency, health and good horses on my side. I'm very grateful for that."
The winner of the John Letts Medal is decided by a scaled voting system that allocates points to jockeys who produce the best performances at each metropolitan, provincial and country meeting in South Australia.
Vorster, who arrived in Australia in 2019 after a successful 15-year stint in Singapore, rode 96 winners across the 2021-22 season, with 51 of those coming in town.
Vorster also claimed the South Australian Metropolitan Jockey of the Year award for his first premiership since 2004 – his first full-time season in the Lion City.
Crowther was recognised for her outstanding season when she was named the South Australian Jockey of the Year and South Australian Provincial and Country Jockey of the Year after enjoying a career-best 110.5 winners across the campaign.
David Jolly’s superstar Behemoth was the other big winner on the night, going back-to-back as South Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year.
The popular galloper won the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield last year, as well as the Group 3 Spring Stakes, while finishing second in the Listed Durbridge Stakes.
Richard and Chantelle Jolly made Australian racing history when they were officially presented with the metropolitan premiership as well as the CS Hayes Award for the 2021-22 South Australian Trainer of the Year. The Morphettville based partnership became the first father-daughter duo to win a metropolitan trainers premiership in Australia.
Murray Bridge trainer Garret Lynch was recognised as South Australian Provincial and Country Trainer of the Year with 40 winners in those categories.
Rising star Ben Price was one of the other major winners on the night with a clean sweep of the three apprentice awards, the Leon Macdonald Award for Apprentice of the Year, the South Australian Metropolitan Apprentice Jockey of the Year and the Caitlin Forrest Award as the South Australian Provincial and Country Apprentice Jockey of the Year.
There were also two new awards introduced this year to recognise the hard work and dedication of stable staff with Samantha Cahill, from the Jon O’Connor yard, winning the inaugural South Australian Strapper/Stablehand of the Year, while Murray Bridge based Hazel Fertier was named South Australian Trackwork Rider of the Year.
Smart sprinter Manhatten Times won the prize as the 2021-22 South Australian Best Performed Horse.
In recognition of the hard work of its volunteers, Port Augusta Racing Club collected the gong for Most Outstanding Achievement Award by a club, and Kerry Brinkley from Kangaroo Island was honoured with the Most Outstanding Achievement Award by an individual.
2021-22 SA Thoroughbred Racing Industry Award Winners
2021-22 South Australian Strapper/Stablehand of the Year
Samantha Cahill
2021-22 South Australian Trackwork Rider of the Year
Hazel Fertier
Caitlin Forrest Award 2021-22 South Australian Provincial and Country Apprentice Jockey of the Year
Ben Price
Leon Macdonald Award 2021/22 South Australian Apprentice of the Year
Ben Price
TAB 2021-22 South Australian Metropolitan Apprentice Jockey of the Year
Ben Price
2021-22 Most Outstanding Achievement Award by a Club
Port Augusta Racing Club
2021-22 Most Outstanding Achievement Award by an Individual
Kerry Brinkley
Evright.com 2021-22 South Australian Best Performed Horse
Manhatten Times
TAB 2021-22 South Australian Provincial and Country Trainer of the Year
Garret Lynch
CS Hayes Award for 2021-22 South Australian Trainer of the Year
Richard & Chantelle Jolly
2021-22 South Australian Metropolitan Trainer of the Year
Richard & Chantelle Jolly
TAB 2021-22 South Australian Provincial and Country Jockey of the Year
Kayla Crowther
2021/22 South Australian Jockey of the Year
Kayla Crowther
Glennon–Johnson Award 2021-22 South Australian Metropolitan Jockey of the Year
Barend Vorster
Festival Hire 2021-22 South Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year
Behemoth
John Letts Medal
Barend Vorster
IMAGE | Atkins Photography
