by Kyle Galley

There was a big local flavour to the Victorian Harness Racing Industry Awards Night held at Melton Raceway last Monday night.
Brilliant Trafalgar trotting filly Gatesys Gem was crowned Victorian Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year for 2024, for her initial season of racing which netted her six wins and two minor placings from only nine starts.
Gatesys Gem, prepared by Glenn Hunter, has already won two Group One races in her three-year-old campaign so must surely be among the early contenders for that age division of the award this year.
Champion trotter Just Believe was crowned overall Victorian Horse of the Year - the horse was syndicated and trained locally early in its career and numerous locals shared in ownership of this horse right through to its retirement last year.
Just Believe became the eighth horse to be crowned Victorian Horse of the Year on two occasions - but only the first trotter to achieve this esteemed honour.
It was also revealed on Monday night that Just Believe will become the next resident of the Living Legends retirement property now that connections have called time on his race career, which returned 38 wins and 23 placings from 83 starts.
Two Warragul-born trots stalwarts were also among the winners on the night - champion horseman Chris Lang Snr was recognised for a stellar lifetime in trotting with the Caduceus Club of Victoria Living Legend Award, while noted journalist and pedigree researcher Peter Wharton received a Distinguished Service Award for over 50 years of service to the promotion of Victorian trotting.
And, finally, this humble harness correspondent was a delighted recipient of one of three Volunteer Service Awards organised by Trots Clubs Victoria, which represents the country race clubs, recognising more than 25 years of articles just like this one - carrying on a tradition of valuable publicity on these pages over many decades for a great Warragul institution.