Tommy Shelby crowned back-to-back WA Greyhound of the Year
Top chaser Tommy Shelby has taken out the State’s prestigious title of Greyhound of the Year for the second consecutive year.
The Steve Withers-trained greyhound had another stellar season, racing 14 times for eight wins and four placings and total of $616,830 in stakes.
Dominating the national circuit early, Tommy made history as the first WA greyhound to win the prestigious Group 1 Australian Cup, and deservedly earnt the title of Australian Greyhound of the Year for the 2020/21 season.
After developing a cult following of ‘the people’s dog’, Tommy Shelby has now set his sights on a career as a stud dog. His extraordinary career will be etched into WA greyhound racing history.
This year’s leading trainer was David Hobby who shone in another outstanding season, earning the honour for the second year running.
David had 344 wins from 1,809 starts at a strike rate of 19.02%.
The revered Gerry O’Keefe Achievement Award was presented to Mark Bottcher, for his tireless dedication to the greyhound racing industry.
Commencing his career as a Doubles Bookmaker in 1994, Mark moved into greyhound administration in 1997.
He worked tirelessly over the years developing numerous policies, becoming an oracle for all things greyhound racing. One of his biggest achievements was his integral contribution in leading the roll out of the OzChase computer system.
The Kerry Vernon Award for Excellence in Greyhound Welfare was awarded to Kelly Roads.
A true greyhound advocate, Kelly works closely with the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) program as a foster carer, until the greyhounds are ready to move into their forever homes.
Kelly takes the time to understand the rehoming process for retired greyhounds and provides them with the space they need to flourish in their next chapters.
Kelly started her foster journey in 2019 and has successfully supported 20 greyhounds through to their retirement.
The Young Achiever Award was awarded to Lewis Clay. Lewis trained 80 winners for the year from 390 starters, which was a fantastic effort by this 24 year old up and coming trainer.
The Greyhound Media Award was won by the newly launched Big 3 Podcast, hosted by David Shortte, Harry Buchanan and Shayne Williams.
With an impressive list of contributors, the show aims to provide free tips and support for the greyhound racing community and go above and beyond to promote the sport, with up to 4,000 unique listens per week.
RWWA Head of Racing Operations David Hunter said he was proud to see this year’s winners recognised for their achievements.
“The awards recognise another fantastic year of greyhound racing here in Western Australia, ” David said.
“They provide the opportunity to come together to showcase the successes and contribution to the promotion of the sport.
“I congratulate all this evening’s nominees and award winners, and I applaud them for their contribution.”
Around 160 people attended the 2021 Greyhound of the Year Awards at Crown Perth on Sunday, 30 January.
2021 WA Greyhound of the Year Awards:
- 2021 WA Greyhound of the Year – Tommy Shelby
- Leading Trainer Award – David Hobby
- Gerry O’Keefe Achievement Award – Mark Bottcher
- Kerry Vernon Award for Excellence in Greyhound Welfare Award – Kelly Roads
- Media Award – The Big 3 Podcast with Harry Buchanan, Shayne Williams and David Shortte