dinner’s master of ceremonies Frank Mirahmadi kicked off festivities with the awards for last year’s leading local sires of foals conceived in the Golden State. Representing The Unusual Heat Syndicate, Madeline Auerbach and Harris Auerbach accepted the trophies for overall earnings and turf earnings, while collecting the awards to Tribal Rule for two-year-old earnings and number of winners was the Farm Manager of Ballena Vista Farm, Jesus Manuel “Manny” Ochoa. Accepting the trophy for Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie, California’s top freshman sire by 2013 earnings, was Kash Vessels, the co-owner of Vessels Stallion Farm where the stallion stands, while he was followed to the podium by Jerry Hollendorfer for his training honor. Following an In Memoriam tribute to those people and horses who passed away this past year, the proceedings continued with the championship awards. Dan Kiser and Lisa Jean Newbill then represented the Williamses for grade I winner Tamarando’s Champion TwoYear-Old Male title and they returned to the podium with Dan’s wife Betty to receive the trophy for dual stakes winner Swiss Lake Yodeler, the Champion Two-Year-Old Female. Accepting the Champion Three-Year-Old Male accolade for grade II winner Gervinho were co-breeder Madeline Auerbach, Unusual Heat’s syndicate manager Harris Auerbach, trainer Carla Gaines and owner Keith Brackpool, while the Champion Three-Year-Old Female trophy was presented to Tom and Debi Stull for their homebred grade II victor Doinghardtimeagain. After Pamela Ziebarth and trainer Marty Jones collected the Champion Older Female and Champion Turf Horse awards for grade I winner Tiz Flirtatious, whom the former bred and owns, the trophies for Champion Older Male and Champion Sprinter were presented to dual grade I victor Points Offthebench’s co-owner Charles “Chip” Martin and conditioner Tim Yakteen. That duo then returned to the podium moments later when Points Offthebench, who was bred by Gary Rocks but unfortunately had to be euthanized after being injured while working out at Santa Anita Park in preparation for last November’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, was accorded the highest honor of the night, the 2013 California Horse of the Year award.
Chip Martin, Tim Yakteen and CTBA President Sue Greene (left to right).
C O V E R S T O R Y
Tim Yakteen, CTBA Past President Don Valpredo and Chip Martin (left to right).
CTBA Past President John Harris, Pamela Ziebarth and Marty Jones (left to right).
CTBA Director Terry Lovingier, Carla Gaines, Madeline Auerbach, Keith Brackpool and CTBA Director Harris Auerbach (left to right).
CTBA Director Tim Cohen and Tom and Debi Stull (left to right).
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CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED • MARCH 2014 37