The Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen-trained pacer, who had sustained a season-ending injury as a 3yr-old, made a brilliant rise to the top of the grand-circuit ranks. He was named pacer of the year and 4yr-old male pacer of the year, and then won the top prize.
Otago and Southland trainers and drivers went home from the awards empty handed.
Former Oamaru trotter Kenny's Dream provided the closest thing to a southern win. She won the 4yr-old trotting mare of the year award for her owner and former trainer Phil Williamson.
Kenny's Dream enjoyed a breakout winter, winning one race from Williamson's stable then another three after transferring to Tony Herlihy's Papakura barn.
Herlihy won two more categories, with Tickle Me Pink (3yr-old filly) and Bolt For Brilliance (2yr-old male trotter)
Spankem's season and the incredible talent within last term's 4yr-old male pacing ranks meant Auckland Cup, Easter Cup and Harness Jewels winner Turn It Up could not make the trophy list.
Despite him missing out, Purdon and Rasmussen's All Stars stable predictably took home a boot-load of prizes back to Rolleston.
Leading category contenders Tailored Elegance (2yr-old trotting filly), Sweet On Me (2yr-old pacing filly), One Change (2yr-old male pacer), Ultimate Sniper (3yr-old male pacer) and Elle Mac were all recognised for their standout seasons.
New Zealand Cup winner Thefixer was judged the 5yr-old and older male pacer of the year and Dream About Me won the 5yr-old and older pacing mare of the year title.
Purdon and Rasmussen were crowned trainers of the year and stable client Jean Fiess the owner of the year.
Clevedon trainer Barry Purdon, brother of Mark, was the only other trainer of pacers to win, with Belle Of Montana. She beat her arch rival, Princess Tiffany, to the 3yr-old filly of the year award.
Sundees Son's rise from the middle grades to the top of the trotting ranks resulted in him being crowned trotter of the year.
The Dominion favourite scored a hat-trick of group-1 wins in the Anzac Cup, Rowe Cup and Harness Jewels during autumn. The Robert Dunn-trained squaregaiter also won 4yr-old male trotter of the year.
New Zealand Trotting Derby winner Lotamuscle edged out Great Northern Trotting Derby winner Enhance Your Calm to win the 3yr-old male trotting category.
Other trotting winners included Destiny Jones (5yr-old and older trotting mare) and Speeding Spur (5yr-old and older male trotters).
Canterbury couple Colin and Julie deFilippi's 40-year participation in the industry was recognised when they won the award for outstanding contribution to harness racing.
Julie deFilippi was also honoured or her work with retired racehorses when she was presented with the award for outstanding contribution to life after racing.
One of the most popular moments of the awards evening came when Overzealous won the award for the best moment of the season.
The trotter came back to win two races and run second in the New Zealand Trotting Oaks after being injured in an horrific road accident that left her Canterbury trainers, Margo Nyhan and Peter Davis, with serious injuries.
Blair Orange won the award for driver of the year and John Morrison was junior driver of the year.
