Annual Equus Awards Ceremony Set for August
The stage is set for South Africa’s horse racing elite to be honoured at the prestigious 2026 Equus Awards, with organisers confirming that this year’s ceremony will take place on 18 August in Sandton.
Hosted by 4racing.com, the annual awards celebrate excellence within the country’s horse racing industry by recognising outstanding achievements from both equine and human participants. The glamorous event will be held at The Galleria in Sandton, bringing together leading figures from across the racing fraternity.
According to the organisers, the Equine Achievement categories will once again be decided through a points-based system combined with a judging panel. The first official standings table is expected to be released on 8 June, followed by a second update in early July and a final log in early August.
This year’s judging panel for the equine categories includes respected racing personalities Graeme Hawkins, who will serve as chairman, alongside Robert Bloomberg, Karel Miedema, Aveen Sewpersad and Darryl Maree.
Several highly sought-after awards will be contested, including Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter, Champion Miler and Champion Stayer, among others. The awards will also recognise the country’s top two-year-old and three-year-old horses, as well as leading sires and broodmares.
The Human Achievement categories will honour the top performers of the 2025/26 season based on the national standings. Awards will be presented to the Champion Apprentice, Champion Jockey, Champion Trainer, Champion Owner and Champion Breeder. The Groom of the Year award will also be presented to the groom of the horse crowned Horse of the Year.
Media practitioners covering horse racing will also have an opportunity to be recognised through the Equus Media Awards.
Entries for the media section are expected to open in early August, with categories including Print Media, Still Photography and Broadcast.
Organisers said additional announcements and updates regarding the awards ceremony will be shared on the official Equus Awards platforms in the coming months.