Joe Palmer Award

The Joe Palmer Award is presented annually by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters for long and meritorious service to horse racing. The award is dedicated to Joe Palmer, who served as racing editor of the New [York Herald Tribune].

History

The award, presented since 1964, honors the legacy of the New York Herald Tribune's Joe H. Palmer.
The Joe Palmer Award recognizes an individual for meritorious service to thoroughbred racing. Each year, it is presented during the National Turf Writers Association's annual dinner.
Wathen Knebelkamp, former president of Churchill Downs, was the first to receive the honor.

Past recipients

Source:

1964 – Wathen Knebelkamp
1965 – John D. Schapiro
1966 – Marshall Cassidy
1967 – John Longden
1968 – Marion Van Berg
1969 – Raymond R. Guest
1970 – Warner L. Jones Jr.
1971 – Bill Shoemaker
1972 – Paul Mellon
1973 – John Galbreath
1974 – Secretariat
1975 – I. J. Collins
1976 – Fred W. Hooper
1977 – Nelson Bunker Hunt
1978 – Steve Cauthen
1979 – Laz Barrera
1980 – Chick Lang; Leo O’Donnell
1981 – Keene Daingerfield; Marion duPont Scott
1982 – Frank E. "Jimmy" Kilroe
1983 – Sonny Werblin
1984 – E. P. Taylor
1985 – John Gaines
1986 – James E. "Ted" Bassett III
1987 – Alfred Vanderbilt
1988 – Charlie Whittingham
1989 – Shug McGaughey
1990 – James P. Ryan
1991 – Joe Burnham
1992 – Barry Weisbord
1993 – Henryk de Kwiatkowski
1994 – Joe Hirsch
1995 – Mark Kaufman
1996 – Allen E. Paulson and Cigar
1997 – Jim Bolus
1998 – Sandy Hawley
1999 – Kent Hollingsworth
2000 – Jim McKay
2001 – Shirley Day Smith
2002 – Richard L. Duchossois; Eugene Melnyk
2003 – Laffit Pincay Jr.
2004 – Noble Threewitt
2005 – Pete Pedersen
2006 – Dr. Dean Richardson and New Bolton Center
2007 – Dr. Larry Bramlage
2008 – Chris McCarron
2009 – Dr. Jack Robbins
2010 – Old Friends Equine
2011 – Nancy LaSala
2012 – Raymond "Butch" Lear
2013 – Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson
2014 – Cot Campbell
2015 – Cathy Schenck
2016 – American Association of Equine Practitioners
2017 – Winners Foundation
2018 – Jim Gluckson
2019 – Rick Violette
2020 – None
2021 – Dan Smith
2022 – Barbara Livingston
2023 – Edwin J. Gregson Foundation
2024 – Backside Learning Center
2025 – Joe Harper