Lilley trained the winners of 51 races of the year with 25 different horses to lead the points scoring competition with 440 points. Chris Svanosio (297 points) finished second and Jess Tubbs (270) third.
The decorated former NZ rider also won the Bob Conroy Award for Outstanding Achievement.
James Herbertson won the Trotting Driver of the Year Award for the first time with 116 winners and 145 placegetters for a total stake of $779,690. Herbertson scored 795 points, followed by Chris Alford (684) and Greg Sugars (322).
Vicbred champion Commodus and The Redwood winner Vytis tied for the 2YO Male Trotter Award, while Tatlow winner Gatesys Gem took the 2YO Female trophy.
Derek The Jet and Keayang Zahara were rewarded for their brilliant undefeated seasons by winning the 3YO Male and Female Awards respectively.
The Country Trotter of the Year Award was shared by Astro and Jansu with 58 points, closely followed by Boutika (56). Jansu also collected the Trotting Racemare of the Year trophy.
Superstar trotter Just Believe was awarded the Aged Trotter of the Year after winning multiple Group 1 tournaments on both sides of the Tasman and collecting just under $1 million in stakes.
Aldebaran Park stallion Skyvalley scooped his second Trotting Sire of the Year Award, while Cashel Dagha, owned by Geoff and Lorraine Barnes’ Balmain Lodge, was named Trotting Broodmare of the Year.
The Trotting Breeder of the Year was won by Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms, who bred a record 59 individual winners for the season.
The prize winners with the sponsors in brackets:
2YO Male Trotter of the Year (VSTA & Maryborough Harness Racing Club) – Commodus and Vytis
2YO Female Trotter of the Year (Stawell Harness Racing Club) – Gatesys gem
3YO Male Trotter of the Year (Cranbourne Harness Racing Club) – Derek the jet
3YO female trotter of the year (Tony Xiriha Racing Stables) – Mrs. Zahara
Chris E. Howe Country Trotter of the Year (Loddon Valley Stud & VSTA) – Astro and Jansu
Old Trotter of the Year (Ballarat & District Trotting Club) – Just believe
Harness racing mare of the year (Happy Horse Produce) – Jansu
Trotting sire of the year (Alabar Bloodstock) – Skyvalley
Trotting broodmare of the year (Mildura Harness Racing Club) – Cashel Lots
Trotting Breeder of the Year (Aldebaran Park) – Yabby Dam Farms Pty Ltd
Coach of the Year (PJ & BJ Rothacker Stockfeeds) – Brent Lilley
Driver of the Year (Evolution Lodge) –James Herbertson
Dick Lee incentive prize -Tristan Larsen
Bob Conroy Award for Outstanding Achievement – Brent Lilley
Colin Redwood Award for consistent perseverance – Ginger Gleeson
Points were awarded on a 5-2-1 basis. The VSTA would like to thank Steve Warren for his meticulous work in compiling the point score lists for all awards.
Through Peter Wharton for HRV
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