James ‘Allan’ Smith passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Sunday, January 25 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The longtime PEI horseman was 87.
Smith, a resident of Hunter River, operated a small stable from 1955 through until 2008. He was a complete horseman, did his own blacksmithing from the longtime family forge, and jogged and trained horses on the roadside in rural PEI and at numerous matinee tracks.
He had a driving career that saw him race on all the tracks in the Maritimes and many of the rivers during the ice racing days. He retired from driving in 1996. During his career he owned, trained and drove a number of Atlantic and PEI Colt Stakes winners, such Link C, Lady Stretch, Jim Andy, Bells Charm and Maritime fan favourite, the stakes winning and Invitational pacer, Bayside Katfish during the 1980s. Allan also trained back to the races, and shared the driving duties with his son, Earl, on legendary maritime stallion, Paris Dexter.
After retiring from his driving career, Allan bred a number of stakes winners as well as continuing to attend the races in Charlottetown and Summerside up until the time of his passing. He also served as a director and president of the PEI Colt Stakes. He was honoured by the PEI Standardbred Horseowners Association, in 1999, as Horseman of the year. The Smith family was inducted the Atlantic Breeders Crown Association Families of honour.
Allan is survived by his wife of 68 years, Wanda (Bernard), and children Margie, longtime Maritime horseman Earl, Gary, Janet, and former Western Canadian trainer/driver Roger.
His remains are resting at the Central Queens funeral co-op in New Glasgow, PEI, until the funeral this Thursday from the Hunter River United church.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of James Allan Smith.
(Red Shores)