Barnes (19) was the inaugural recipient of the Ashlee Mundy Memorial jockey's choice award which was presented at Reefton last Wednesday.
The award continues a fine run for Barnes this season, who has already saluted 17 times and is averaging a win every 8.94 rides.
The award, which includes up to two weeks working with Waikato trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie, was voted on by senior South Island jockeys. Mundy's family established the award to remember their daughter, Ashlee, who died after a race fall at Kurow in December 2012.
Barnes came out on top of the award criteria which rated jockeys on their overall performance on and off the track, the ability and potential to make it as a senior rider, their manner on the track and in the jockey's room and their dedication and enthusiasm. She was pleased to earn the respect of the riders in what was her first appearance at the Reefton track.
''I rode at Greymouth last year, but it was my first time at Reefton and Kumara [this year],'' she said.
''I'm pretty happy with the way the season has gone so far.''
Barnes will team up with the impressive Include in Saturday's Gore Guineas - one of eight fillies in the listed 1335m race.
''She's pretty well,'' Barnes said.
