Manalapan, NJ — On Sunday (Jan. 26), the New Jersey Department of Agriculture held its 63rd annual New Jersey Breeders Awards Luncheon at Hilton Gardens Inn in Hamilton.

SBOANJ directors in attendance were Mark Mullen, Anthony Romano, Mike Klau and Executive Administrator Al Ochsner. Taylor Palmer also attended the function.

Evident Beauty was awarded the New Jersey Sire Stakes Horse of the Year and the Standardbred of the Year honors by a joint presentation from the SBOANJ and the NJSS committee for owners Melvin Hartman, Little E and R A W Equine. Richard “Nifty” Norman accepted the award as trainer of the Trixton filly. Evident Beauty was bred by White Birch Farm of Allentown, N.J.

A winner of $557,109 in 2019, the 3-year-old filly trotter won 10 of her 18 starts, with a record of 1:52.2 which she took in winning the SBOA final at The Meadowlands. She was also victorious in open company with wins in a $124,000 Del Miller division at The Meadowlands, the $282,000 Elegantimage at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and the $135,000 Moni Maker at Hoosier Park.

Mike Klau from the Breeders Committee of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey awarded Stefan Balazsi’s Order By Stable as the 2019 New Jersey Standardbred Breeder of the Year.

Stefan Balazsi started his breeding career in Sweden with just a handful of broodmares; he has since expanded his operation to Concord Stud Farm in Cream Ridge, N.J. He currently has 30 broodmares at Concord Stud Farm. Order By Stable bred three of the top four sellers on the opening day of the Standardbred Horse Sale this year. The sale topper was his Muscle Hill trotting filly Gangsta Rat out of Order By Wish, who sold for $550,000. Julie Meirs of Concord Stud Farm accepted the award on behalf of Stefan Balazsi.

The Secretary of Agriculture, Douglas H. Fisher, and Dr. Karyn Malinowski, with Rutgers, both presented Jacqueline Ingrassia with the Governor’s Trophy as Horseperson of the Year, for all of her wonderful accomplishments as a horsewoman both on and off the racetrack. Ingrassia is a well-known driver, trainer, and owner in the New Jersey Standardbred industry, but she also rides and shows for pleasure.

The SBOANJ congratulates all of the award winners for their accomplishments in 2019.