Tom Charters has been honoured with the Dominic Frinzi Person of the Year award by Harness Horseman International. Charters is best known for his decades-long service to the Standardbred industry as the chief of the Hambletonian Society-Breeders Crown since 1984. The Springfield, Ohio native began his distinguished career first as a groom for Dick Hackett and later for Hall of Famer Delvin Miller, rubbing the immortal Delmonica Hanover, among others. After earning an Animal Science degree from the University of Kentucky in 1973, in 1976 he served as assistant racing secretary at The Meadows, and in 1983 was Director of Racing and Racing Secretary at the Macau Trotting Club before being named Executive Director of the Hambletonian Society in 1984.

During his outstanding career, Charters has been honoured in the Standardbred industry with the 1993 Bill Haughton "Good Guy" Award from the United States Harness Writers Association and the 1998 Meritorious Award, which is presented annually by the Ohio Chapter of USHWA to a native Ohioan. He also was recognized by the Hambletonian Society in 1994 with the F. L. Van Lennep Memorial Award and in 1999 by Sports Eye with their William Haughton Award. In 2001 he received Harness Tracks of America's first Distinguished Service Medallion and in 2004 he was the recipient of the Proximity Achievement Award.

Charters is also a trustee of the Harness Racing Museum, a steward of the Grand Circuit and former president of the American Harness Racing Secretaries, and trustee of the Harness Horse Youth Foundation. He is a member of the U.S. Harness Writers Association (N.J. chapter), the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, the Cranbury Lions Club, and a parishioner of the Queenship of Mary Roman Catholic Church in Plainsboro, N.J.

John Campbell is honoured with the HHI Appreciation Award. This Hall of Fame driver and harness racing’s leading money-winning driver of all time retired in 2017 to take over the reins of the Hambletonian Society-Breeders Crown when the aforementioned Charters retired. As one of the most respected people in harness racing, Campbell has assumed the role as President and CEO of harness racing’s most prestigious organization with the same grace and professionalism he displayed on the racetrack, and will serve as an international ambassador for the sport in his new position as well as oversee the day-to-day operations of the Society and the stakes it manages.

Campbell’s presence within the sport in unmatched: he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990 at age 35, the youngest person so honoured and Canadian Hall of Fame in 1987; 2012 Bergstein-Proximity Achievement Award Winner; 2006 USHWA Driver of the Year; 2002 W. R. Haughton Good Guy; 2003 Harness Horse Youth Foundation Service To Youth honoree; awarded a 2000 Meritorious Service Medal for his commitment to harness racing by the Governor General of Canada; and is the Grand Circuit president and a Little Brown Jug Society director.

Tim Bojarski is HHI’s Clyde Hirt Media Award winner for this year. Bojarski has three decades of harness racing involvement, actively participating in all aspects of the sport during that time. His most vital role in the sport has come as the National President of the United States Harness Writers Association. He currently serves as Batavia Downs and Plainridge racetrack’s publicist and track handicapper and also pens a monthly column and periodic feature articles for Hoof Beats magazine. As well, Bojarski is a content contributor for the USTA website, a Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts publicist, and has reported as a live blogger covering every major stake, including the Hambletonian, Little Brown Jug, and Breeders Crown.

These three gentlemen will be feted with their HHI Awards during the annual HHI meetings luncheon on February 28, 2018 at the Embassy Suites Resort and Spa, Deerfield Beach, Florida.

(HHI)