The 2020 Ebbett VW National Breeding Awards has been cancelled due to the constraints and complications of holding a large event during the current COVID-19 situation.
After persevering for some time and developing contingency plans dependent on Alert Level responses, the organising committee has made the decision to cancel the physical event.
“We are all disappointed the event could not go ahead but we were left with little choice for obvious reasons,” NZTBA council member Shannon Taylor said. “The organising committee had been trying to work around the different alert level scenarios. We’d already had a change of date and venue, but for the event to go ahead at the standard it deserved, we just couldn’t operate within the time frames and uncertainty.”
In association with the Waikato Branch, this year’s event was set to break new ground with Ebbett VW on board as the naming rights sponsor and SOHO wines also partnering with the NZTBA.
“The support from our sponsors has been amazing, Waikato Branch President Dave Duley said. "As has the support from members and all those who purchased tickets to attend, but to hold an event with over 400 people in attendance is just not possible at the moment."
"I’d like to thank the raft of sponsors who generously donated to our Silent Auction, their generosity in such uncertain times is truly appreciated and we look forward to next year when we can and will, celebrate the successes of our Group One breeders in style.”
The NZTBA has already announced two of the major award winners, Waikato Stud as the winner of the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year and Meleka Belle as the winner of the Arion Pedigrees Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year.
Over the coming week the National Awards organising committee will work on a solution to present this year’s awards to the individual Group One winners.
Tickets will be fully refunded and a member of the organising committee will be in touch with ticket holders by the end of this week to organise refunds.
The NZTBA and the Waikato branch thank everyone for their patience with this process.
