This weekend, the Canadian harness racing community will be recognizing the hard work and dedication of some of the hardest working men and women in the harness racing industry – the caretakers.

National Caretaker Appreciation Day events take place from July 19-21 and there’s no shortage of enthusiasm from those coordinating events and offering recognition, including trainers and owners at farms and training centres, along with the racetrack events.

Trainer Andrew McCabe, who works for Glenview Livestock and is stabled at First Line Training Centre, is providing his team at McCabe Racing a long weekend as a thank you. Andrew wanted to let his caretakers know early enough so they could make plans and know it is with appreciation, to go and have a great time off.

This past Tuesday, Landmark Stable 10, 11 and 12 and the Steacy Stable hosted a luncheon at Swiss Chalet for caretakers working at First Line Training Centre, and will do the same tomorrow for the group that works at the Lansdowne location.

TheStable.ca’s Caretaker GiveBack provides clients with the opportunity to contribute a donation to a gratuity pool. TheStable.ca Caretaker GiveBack is open for donations and will close on July 19 at 11:59 p.m. Donations in the gratuity pool will be divided evenly among caretakers and riders during a Staff Lunch on July 20.

Associations, suppliers, and other industry partners across the country are also doing their part to recognize caretakers.

The Truro Harness Horse Owners Association has produced a special video commemorating Nova Scotia caretakers and this will be shown during the live racing broadcast from Truro Raceway on Friday.

Ontario Racing (OR) is awarding a Visa Gift Card to one lucky caretaker at each Ontario track participating during the weekend based on a random draw from all caretakers racing.

The Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA) is awarding Horseplayer (HPI) gift cards to 10 caretakers at each Ontario racetrack event over the weekend. One caretaker’s name will be drawn for each race and awarded the gift card.

The Alberta Standardbred Horse Association (ASHA) is providing a gift bag to each winning caretaker at Century Downs on Sunday, July 20 that includes items from ASHA and Century Downs.

And no doubt there will be many more efforts of recognition from industry participants over the course of the weekend!

Racetrack events take place as follows:

Friday, July 19 - Grand River Raceway & Truro Raceway

Saturday, July 20 - Georgian Downs, Hanover Raceway, Hiawatha Horse Park, Kawartha Downs, Northside Downs, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at CDP, Woodbine Mohawk Park

Sunday, July 21 - Century Downs, Clinton Raceway, Dresden Raceway, Hippodrome 3R, Inverness Raceway, Red Shores Summerside Raceway

Some of the features at this year’s racetrack events include:

• Complimentary refreshments

• Having caretakers’ names announced in the post parades and winner’s circle.

• Awards for caretakers of winning horses

• Complimentary win photos for winning caretakers

• Gifts for all caretakers racing on the card

• Draw prizes and more

Take a look at some of the country’s caretakers hard at work in this video produced by Standardbred Canada’s Rachel Oenema, with contributions from Orianna Scheck and Amy Henry.