# Australian Harness Horse of the Year

The Australian Harness Horse of the Year is an honour that recognises the top harness racing horse in the Australia. The award is selected by industry people and media representatives.
The inaugural award was won in 1976 by Don't Retreat, a New South Wales pacer who won 14 of his 24 starts in the 1975-1976 season for a total of $122,415.
The first and only trotter to win the award was Maori's Idol in 1978, a season in which he won 22 of his 24 starts. The first three-year-old to win the award was a year later in 1979, when Run Joe Run won the award, since then a three-year-old has won the award three times. The youngest horse to win the award was Lombo Pocket Watch, who won as a two-year-old in 2006.
The horses that has won the most awards are Westburn Grant, who won the award in 1989 as a three-year-old, and again in 1991 and 1992, Our Sir Vancelot, who won the 1997, 1998 and 1999 awards and four time Interdominion winner Blacks A Fake in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Smoken Up was the original winner of the 2011 award but became ineligible due to his disqualification from the Inter Dominion.

## Past winners

Horses that have been crowned Australian Harness Horse of the Year are:
| Year | Horse | Comments |
| 2023 | Leap To Fame | Winner of the 2023 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, the Rising Sun and Sunshine Sprint |
| 2022 | King Of Swing (NZ) | Winner of the 2020 & 2022 A G Hunter Cup, 2020, 2021 & 2022 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 2021 | King Of Swing (NZ) | Winner of the 2020 A G Hunter Cup, 2020 and 2021 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 2020 | King Of Swing (NZ) | Winner of the 2020 A G Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile Pace |
| 2019 | Tiger Tara (NZ) | Winner of the 2019 A G Hunter Cup, 2018 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2018 Victoria Cup |
| 2018 | Lazarus | Winner of the 2018 A G Hunter Cup, 2017 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2017 Victoria Cup |
| 2017 | Smolda | Winner of the 2016 A G Hunter Cup, 2016 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 2016 | Lennytheshark | Winner of the 2015 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2016 Victoria Cup |
| 2015 | Beautide | Winner of the 2014 & 2015 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 2014 | Beautide | Winner of the 2014 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2013 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 2013 | Im Themightyquinn (NZ) | Winner of the 2011, 2012 & 2013 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2011 and 2013 Auckland Cup |
| 2012 | Im Themightyquinn (NZ) | Winner of the 2011 & 2012 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 2011 | Im Themightyquinn (NZ) | Winner of the 2011 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2011 Auckland Cup |
| 2010 | Blacks A Fake | Winner of the 2010 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 2009 | Mr Feelgood (USA) | Winner of the 2009 A G Hunter Cup, 2009 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 2008 | Blacks A Fake | Winner of the 2008 A G Hunter Cup, 2006, 2007 & 2008 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2008 Queensland Pacing Championship |
| 2007 | Blacks A Fake | Winner of the 2006 & 2007 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2006 Victoria Cup |
| 2006 | Lombo Pocket Watch | 2 Year Old |
| 2005 | Sokyola (NZ) | Winner of 2003 & 2004 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 2004 | Sokyola (NZ) | Winner of the 2003 Miracle Mile Pace, 2004 Victoria Cup |
| 2003 | Double Identity | Winner of the 2002 Miracle Mile Pace, 2003 Victoria Cup, 2002 & 2003 Queensland Pacing Championship |
| 2002 | Smooth Satin | Winner of the 2002 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 2001 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 2001 | Atitagain (NZ) | Winner of the 2000 Australian Pacing Championship and 2001 Ben Hur, 2nd in the 2001 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship (behind Yulestar) and 2000 Miracle Mile Pace (Holmes D G), 3rd in the 2001 Victoria Cup |
| 2000 | Shakamaker | Winner of the 2000 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship and Ben Hur. 2nd in the 2000 Victoria Cup (behind Breeny's Fella) and Chariots of Fire (Lombo Rapida) |
| 1999 | Our Sir Vancelot (NZ) | Winner of the 1997, 1998 & 1999 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1998 | Our Sir Vancelot (NZ) | Winner of the 1997 & 1998 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1997 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 1997 | Our Sir Vancelot (NZ) | Winner of the 1997 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1996 | Sunshine Band | Winner of the 1995 Queensland Pacing Championship |
| 1995 | Golden Reign | Winner of the 1995 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1995 Victoria Cup |
| 1994 | Weona Warrior | Winner of the 1994 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1993 | Jack Morris (NZ) | Winner of the 1993 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1992 | Westburn Grant | Winner of the 1992 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1991 | Westburn Grant | Winner of the 1989 & 1990 Miracle Mile Pace, 1990 Queensland Pacing Championship |
| 1990 | Thorate | Winner of the 1990 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1989 | Westburn Grant | 3 Year Old. Winner of the 1989 New Zealand Derby Globe Derby Mileand NSW Derby |
| 1988 | Village Kid | Winner of the 1986 & 1987 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 1987 | Rufus Young Blood | 3 Year Old |
| 1986 | Village Kid | Winner of the 1986 A G Hunter Cup, 1986 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1986 Miracle Mile Pace |
| 1985 | Preux Chevalier | Winner of the 1985 A G Hunter Cup, 1985 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, 1985 Miracle Mile Pace, 1985 Queensland Pacing Championship, 1984 Victoria Cup |
| 1984 | Gammalite | Winner of the 1983 & 1984 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1983 | Popular Alm | Winner of the 1983 A G Hunter Cup, 1983 Miracle Mile Pace, 1982 & 1983 Victoria Cup, 1983 Queensland Pacing Championship |
| 1982 | Gammalite | Winner of the 1982 A G Hunter Cup, 1982 Auckland Cup, 1981 Queensland Pacing Championship |
| 1981 | San Simeon | Winner of the 1981 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship |
| 1980 | Pure Steel | Winner of the 1978, 1979 & 1980 A G Hunter Cup |
| 1979 | Run Joe Run | 3 Year Old |
| 1978 | Maori's Idol | Trotter |
| 1977 | Paleface Adios | Winner of the 1976 Miracle Mile Pace, 1977 Victoria Cup, 1977 Queensland Pacing Championship |
| 1976 | Don't Retreat | Winner of the 1976 Victoria Cup, 1976 Queensland Pacing Championship |