Balloting for the second category of the 2011 Railbird Recognition winds down this week and you only have until midnight on New Year’s Eve to cast your vote

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The fan selected award that is co-sponsored by the United States Harness Writers Association and the United States Trotting Association, is looking for all followers of harness racing to express their opinions by voting for their favourite “Horseperson of the Year” for 2011. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 4 on the USTA website and they will be presented their awards during the Dan Patch Awards banquet in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. Fans may only vote once.

There are six nominees and each has excelled in the sport this year.

George Brennan won both the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks, scored his 7,000th career win and is just a handful of victories away from leading North America in dash wins. It was just announced he was named Driver of the Year for 2011, the same title he was awarded just last year.

Casie Coleman schooled top pacing performers of both sexes in 2011 with Idyllic, who won the Jugette, and Betterthancheddar, whose late season surge saw him win the Breeders Crown, American National and Windy City Pace.

Jeff Gural took the lead role in saving Meadowlands Racetrack from being permanently shuttered and in doing so, helped usher in a new chapter in harness racing history. The result of his yearlong crusade will come to fruition next month.

Ed Hart guided the career of the standardbred with the highest earnings in North America this year as his Roll With Joe bankrolled over $1.6 million (U.S.) in purses that included wins in the Meadowlands Pace, Battle of Brandywine and the Messenger Stakes.

Rod Hughes took Ontario-circuit trotter San Pail and developed him into an International trotting celebrity. His rise to stardom was capped off with a victory in the 2011 Breeders Crown, defeating French ship-ins Rapide Lebel and Commander Crowe.

Randy Waples' stellar driving had much to do with the success of San Pail in 2011. But his talent in the race bike was equalled by his charismatic approach towards the many fans that came out to see the champion trotter race each week. The time he spent with the fans after his Breeders Crown victory was a scene many will remember.

In order to make it easier and more convenient for everyone to participate, the format has changed for 2011. Voting will be conducted at www.ustrotting.com on the homepage where the usual poll feature is located. The nominees for each award were compiled by members of USHWA for being the most impactful to the sport in 2011. Fans can make their selections by clicking one choice from the six listed and then clicking submit to cast their vote.

The 2012 Dan Patch Awards will not only honour all the leading horsemen, horsewomen, and equine stars of the 2011 season, but will also pay tribute to the peerless career of the great Stanley F. Bergstein, the only person in the harness racing industry who is a member of both the Hall of Fame and its Communicators Corner.

Anyone can attend the banquet and should note that the host hotel for the weekend festivities, which includes the annual USHWA national meetings, is the Doubletree Orlando by Hilton Hotel at SeaWorld. Rooms are now available for booking, either by phone or internet, and are at a special rate of $109.00 per night, plus tax. The hotel has extended this special rate from February 7 through February 16 for those wishing to come in early or stay later.

The Doubletree Orlando by Hilton features more than 1,000 rooms, three swimming pools, free shuttles to all major attractions and much more. To make hotel reservations, call 800-327-0363 and ask for the special USHWA rate using the code “C-DPA,” or go to the special USHWA Hotel website.

Tickets for the dinner will be $125 per person, and tables of 10 are available. Ticket reservations can be made by emailing or calling Callie Davies-Gooch at [email protected] or (732) 547-9459, or Steven Wolf at [email protected] or (954) 654-3757.

(USHWA)