It wasn't the major award, but not one person in the room would dispute it was the highlight of the evening.
When Andrew Brett climbed onto the stage to collect his Greyhound Racing NSW Volunteer of the Year trophy there was the polite applause.
It was the kind offered for an unknown, amidst the clink of cutlery and muffled conversations.
When Andrew walked from the stage after accepting his trophy, having captivated the audience and provided them with smiles, laughs, and even the odd tear, he did so to a rapturous ovation.
As was explained on the night, Andrew is a vital cog in the team at the Casino Greyhound Club and loved by fellow workers and participants. It is a love he returns in bucket loads to the sport, and to the greyhounds.
Andrew, 19, was born with a rare genetic condition leading to growth issues, hearing and vision problems, and variable intellectual disability.
His parents Rick and Anne-Marie were even told at one point that his complex problems meant he would be lucky to walk.
Andrew doesn't walk now, he proudly strides out when he works at the Casino racetrack each week.
The fascination began after his parents had moved from Penrith to acreage in Casino just over nine years ago.
"An NDIS worker who was friends with a local trainer, took Andrew for a day out at the Lismore track," Rick said.
"He loved it and Scott Higgins who was the curator there, took Andrew under his wing.
"When Lismore closed, Andrew got to go Casino and do work there."
He works four days a week at Casino and has a variety of jobs.
Some of these include covering the lure between races on race day, publishing race results, cleaning, and helping to lock up after race meetings.
"It's amazing what the sport has done for Andrew," Rick said.
"Our whole family and our friends recognise that immensely.
"To see the joy and happiness on his face while he is at the track is amazing.
"And everyone loves him, the officials, the staff, and particularly all the trainers who interact and give fist pumps when they walk past.
"It's a small thing but it means a lot to Andrew.
"Special thanks must go to Butch [Casino trackman Dave McLeod] who has become a good mate and taken on Andrew as his helper.
"But this is a two-way street. Andrew really puts in there at the greyhound track, and he loves it.
"And it's brought acceptance and inclusivity too. It's great for the people of Casino, the town and all those involved the community.
"It's incredible, and that reflects back to us when we walk down the street, and we'll see somebody from the greyhound track and they will come up and ask 'how you doing Andrew?', and he's always excited to see people.
"It's uplifting for us as a family as well. And there's other benefits and gains from what he does as well, and the recognition he receives and the care that they provide to him at the greyhound track, it's wonderful."
But back to the award ceremony and Andrew held aloft his trophy as a premiership winning footballer would after a grand final victory.
"It was just unbelievable," Rick said.
"I had a big speech written out, and I just went to water.
"My eyes got tears in them and that was it."
Andrew looked the part in his tuxedo complete with bow tie, but he had done so under some protest.
He had originally told his dad that he needed to wear his red Ladbrokes shirt as he was not only going there because of work, but he needed to be ready to work the next day as Casino was holding a race meeting.
"We came home from Sydney and Andrew took the trophy to the racetrack to show everyone.
"He put it on the desk in the office so everyone could see it, and everyone who came along congratulated him.
"Then Andrew got to take it out on the track. Pat Lavis won a race and got Andrew out for the winning photo along with Andrew's trophy.
"It just things like that that touches your heart.
"He loves greyhounds and greyhound racing.
"Wherever we go we have stop in towns that have tracks so Andrew can get his photo taken there.
"We were at Bundaberg last year and had to go and get a photo in front of the track. We recently went on a trip and had to stop at Goulburn and Nowra for photos, and he's been to Wentworth Park a few times too and has photos from there.
"People are often very critical of the sport, but I cannot agree with that criticism.
"You only take it as it is for you and you only have to see the development in Andrew to see how good greyhound racing and its people have been for him."
This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.
