The stars of Victorian greyhound racing from season 2022-23 will be honoured this Friday night at the 2023 Victorian Greyhound Awards at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne.

Headlining the awards to be presented on the night will be the Sportsbet Victorian Greyhound of the Year, while two new inductees will reach immortality when welcomed into Victorian Greyhound Racing’s Hall of Fame.

Victorian Greyhound of the Year panellists – which includes representatives from the media, clubs, GOTBA and GRV – have voted on the Greyhound of the Year based on performances which took place between 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.

A number of superstar greyhounds featured in panel discussions including (in alphabetical order) Amron Boy, Baby Jaycee, Fernando Mick, First Picked, Jarick Bale, Kelsey Bale, Moraine Suzie, Wow She’s Fast and Yachi Bale.

Other special awards to be presented on the night include:

The Ken Carr Medal is Victorian greyhound racing’s most prestigious annual award recognising an individual’s special or outstanding contribution to greyhound racing in Victoria.

The Ned Bryant ‘Silver Fox’ Award for outstanding achievement in the training, breeding or promotion of greyhound racing in the previous racing year.

The GRV Board Leadership Award which aims to recognise those who, over the racing year, have made a special contribution to the sport in the promotion of racing, breeding, owning, training and adopting of greyhounds in Victoria.The GRV CEO Welfare Award aims to recognise those who have demonstrated a commitment to animal welfare and will be awarded to a person for a special or outstanding contribution to the welfare of greyhounds in Victoria.

The Victorian Greyhound Racing Hall of Fame recognises people and greyhounds that have made a most significant contribution to the Victorian Greyhound Industry since the commencement of Non-Proprietary racing in 1956. Inductees are recognised for their excellence, integrity, consistency, longevity and overall contribution to the industry.

* A greyhound is not eligible for consideration for a GOTY award and cannot be included in any voting by the GOTY voting panel if the greyhound has returned a positive swab to a prohibited substance.

• GOTY criteria

* A trainer is not eligible for consideration for a ‘Trainer’ award if the trainer has, during the racing year of the award:

1. been found guilty of a serious offence, or
2. had a greyhound return a positive swab to a prohibited substance.

• Metropolitan Trainers Premiership criteria
• Provincial Trainers Premiership criteria
• Metropolitan Trainers Strike Rate criteria
• Provincial Trainers Strike Rate criteria