Maher earned his victory for his outstanding training feats at Oakbank during the Easter Racing Carnival in April.

 

Maher claimed two of the three feature races including the Scott Group of Companies Von Doussa Steeplechase (3250m) with veteran ‘chaser Al Garhood and the Yalumba Classic Hurdle (3600m) with Art Success.

 

Al Garhood’s astonishing 20-length victory over the John Wheeler-trained Mali Juraj in the Grand National Steeplechase on the final day of the Tabcorp Warrnambool May Racing Carnival saw him deservedly take home the Warrnambool Racing Club Provincial Jumping Achievement of the Year Award.

 

Unsurprisingly, Maher capped off the night by being presented with the J.J. Houlahan Jumps Championship Trainer trophy for the second consecutive year, scoring 80 points for the season.

 

The $1.6 million JJ Houlahan Jumps Championship, named in honour of the late Hall of Fame jumps trainer Jim Houlahan, recognises and honours the most outstanding horse, trainer and jockey throughout the 14-race series with points awarded to those horses and their respective trainers and jockeys that finish in the top five in each race of the Championship.

 

Three-time Tommy Corrigan Medallist Steven Pateman was awarded the trophy for Champion Jockey, finishing the Series on 72 points, 22 points ahead of joint second-placegetters Adam Trinder and Tommy Logan.

 

Pateman enjoyed a stellar season with victories in the Yalumba Classic Hurdle and Scott Group of Companies Great Eastern Steeplechase (4950m) at Oakbank and the Australian Hurdle (3400m) and J.J Houlahan Hurdle at Betfair Park (Sandown).

 

Australian Steeplechase (3900m) winner Tarawera was awarded Champion Horse, accruing 36 points for the season, eight points ahead of Al Garhood.

 

In other awards, Some Are Bent was crowned with the Victoria Racing Club Jumping Achievement of the Year Award over his half brother Black and Bent.

 

The two-time Australian Jumping Horse of the Year became the first jumper in Australia to surpass the magic million dollar mark in earnings following his victory in the $100,000 Tommy Corrigan Hurdle (3550m) at Warrnambool on Sunday, 11 July.

 

Sir Reginald Ansett was bestowed with the Country Racing Victoria Lifetime Contribution to Jumping Award while former Irish jockey Martin Kelly was presented with the Racing Victoria Jumping Jockey Encouragement Award.

 

The full list of winners on the night were:

J.J. Houlahan Jumps Championship Award (Horse)	Tarawera
J.J. Houlahan Jumps Championship Award (Jockey)	Steven Pateman
J.J. Houlahan Jumps Championship Award (Trainer)	Ciaron Maher
Victoria Racing Club Jumping Achievement of the Year Award	Some Are Bent
Country Racing Victoria Lifetime Contribution to Jumping Award	Sir Reginald Ansett
TRSA Les Short SA Jumping Achievement of the Year Award	Ciaron Maher
Racing Victoria Limited Jumping Jockey Encouragement Award	Martin Kelly
Warrnambool Racing Club Provincial Jumping Achievement of the Year Award	Al Garhood
Melbourne Racing Club Jumping Media Story of the Year Award	Brendan Cormick
Moe Racing Club Jumping Photo of the Year Award	Ross Holburt
TVN Race of the Year Award	Brierly Steeplechase