English

Noun

placegetter ‎(plural placegetters)

1. (Australia, New Zealand) A race competitor or competition entrant who or that places among the top three (or other number chosen to receive recognition and/or a prize), or in a specified position (place).
   • 1981, New Zealand Department of Agriculture, New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, page 65,

     Second placegetter will receive a Honda ATC200 Farm Trike and third and fourth placegetters a Sachs Dolmar Chain Saw each.

   • 2004, Rodney Tiffen, Ross Gittins, How Australia Compares, page 15,

     As Table 1.18 also shows, it has by far the highest proportion living in cities larger than 750 000 people: 69% compared with second placegetter, the United States, having 55%, and an 18-country mean of 37%.

   • 2005, Bryce Courtenay, Whitethorn, unnumbered page,

     Finally, he managed to stop giggling long enough to say, ‘When this medal is announced the chief judge says, “I award my medal to the third placegetter in the Best Rooster Under Two Years Category. […] To my mind the courage this particular man has shown in naming the third placegetter after Sir Winston Churchill shows great character and loyalty to His Majesty the King and deserves the highest commendation. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I award Meneer Pietrus Prinsloo the Chief Judge′s medallion!”’

   • 2007, New Zealand Fruitgrowers′ Federation, The Orchardist, Volume 80, page 56,

     The second placegetter will receive an Outward Bound course, Swazi® Apparel, a Fruitfed Supplies gift voucher and a NZ horticultural magazine subscription of their choice.

2. (horse racing, Australia, New Zealand) A horse that finishes among the first three of a race, or in a specified place.
   • 2008, Mike Keenan, The Shadows of Horses, 2009 Large 24pt Edition, Read How You Want, page 96,

     I was utterly unprepared for the reception I received when I trotted up towards the stall reserved for the second placegetter, in the Saddling Enclosure.

   • 2009 February 13, Tim Habel, “Time to put best foot forward”, in Herald Sun:

     Last year's Caulfield Cup placegetter is rated a $6 chance and will be ridden by champion Irish jockey Michael Kinane.

   • 2011, Nichola Garvey, Beating the Odds, unnumbered page,

     Essentially, punters who played the placecards — usually in a local pub — had to pick a placegetter in each of the four feature races on a Saturday. So, if it was races five, seven and eight, you had to correctly select just one of the three placegetters in each race to win.

Usage notes

When unspecified, a placegetter is an entrant who/that receives a prize. In the absence of knowledge about the number of prizes awarded, that number may be assumed to be three.

See also

• also-ran