In July 2022, the Immortals Nominating Committee of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame announced that the trustees of the Museum had unanimously endorsed the election of Charlie Coleman, Gordon Gilbertson, Ira Malott, Margot Taylor, Edward Willis, Adios Scarlet and Exciting Speed as harness racing Immortals. On Sunday, July 2, 2023, these individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Immortals during ceremonies held under the tent on the Museum lawn.

Charlie Coleman (1921-2003), one of harness racing’s best-known caretakers, handled such brilliant performers as 1964 Hambletonian and Trotting Triple Crown winner Ayres, 1970 Hambletonian winner Timothy T, Sugarcane Hanover and 1960 Little Brown Jug winner Bullet Hanover.

By using his extensive experience both treating horses as a veterinarian and training harness horses, Dr. Gordon Gilbertson (1920-2016) revolutionized the Standardbred racing industry when he invented the Quick Hitch harness. Gilbertson’s idea changed the sport and has become so much a part of modern day harness rigging it seems as though it has been here forever.

Ira Malott (1898-1975) was the inventor and developer of the Visumatic Timer. In 1951, the United States Trotting Association approved the device and Malott secured a contract with Roosevelt Raceway the following year. The Roosevelt contract would prove that manual time with a stopwatch allowed variations of as much as four-fifths of a second for a mile distance. Malott’s Visumatic Timer eliminated the human error.

As trustee and later president of Harness Horse Youth Foundation, Margot Taylor (1934-1994) shared her love of harness racing with future generations by creating programs, fundraising, writing manuals and curriculum, expanding the reach of camps, inspiring committee workers and traveling coast to coast to spread the foundation’s mission both within harness racing circles and with other equine youth organizations.

As a trainer, driver, farm superintendent  and  manager, Edward Willis (1870-1930) made a mark with historical ramifications reverberating to this day. Willis was said by famed harness racing historian John Hervey to be “one of the greatest of all early speed makers,” and is credited with breeding, breaking and training the majority of Peter the Great’s offspring at W.E.D. Stokes’ Patchen Wilkes Farm. 

Foaled in 1959, broodmare Adios Scarlet’s production was nothing short of sensational in both quality and quantity, producing multiple winners at the highest level of competition including six individual $100,000 winners in the 1970s: Isle of Wight ($493,514), Little Brown Jug winner Nansemond ($448,436), Woodrow Wilson winner Scarlet Skipper ($423,658), Richmond ($317,301), Nancy Isle ($148,903) and Southampton V ($119,748).

A foal of 1965, broodmare Exciting Speed produced 1981 World Trotting Derby winner and Trotter of the Year Panty Raid ($473,932), 1975 Hambletonian winner and Hall of Fame Immortal Bonefish ($309,375) and world champion Imagery ($218,246), all by Nevele Pride.

The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame is located at 240 Main Street in Goshen, NY and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 4-12. Current Museum and USTA members are free. If you would like further information on the Immortals nomination process, the 2023 induction ceremony, the Museum, its membership program, special events and educational programs, please call 845-294-6330 or visit the Harness Museum website.

(Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame)