Tom Cunningham, best known for his knowledge of the sport and lively attire, has been a fixture at the Standardbred auctions for over 50 years. In fact, his position within the industry has put him on the front lines of the very foundation of the breed.

“There was a deal in place to sell Valley Victory to Swedish interests in the early part of his career,” recalled Cunningham. “I was tasked with convincing then-owner Arlene Traub not to sell him overseas and to garner enough local support to keep the horse here.”

“We got a deal done, and the horse ultimately changed the breed,” concluded Cunningham.

‘T.C.’ along with his daughter Sara have been operating Cunningham and Cunningham Livestock from their Orange County, New York offices for the last quarter of a century. In that time they have insured many champion racehorses, as well as a wide range of exotic animals.

Cunningham got his start in the business back in 1962 working for Howard Parker Sr. as a groom in his home town of Saratoga. After that, he worked as an assistant trainer for John Simpson Sr. at Ben White Raceway, surrounded by some of the best young racehorses of the sport’s heyday.

With his growing knowledge of horses and his connections within the industry, Peter Rhulen, the largest equine insurer of the 1970s, was keen to hire him. Not sure if he should take the job, he called an old friend for advice.

“Phil Tully reminded me that the two biggest buildings in any town are the bank and the insurance company,” recounted Cunningham. “So I took the job.”

Over his 50 years of insuring horses, Cunningham has helped countless owners protect some 35 Hambletonian champions, as well as several Olympic Gold Medal winning riding horses, top Thoroughbreds, and more.

“When Sea World still had Orcas or Killer Whales, we insured them for mortality,” noted Cunningham. “Now we help cover Pandas, Alaskan Pipeline Guard Dogs, even research spiders!”

It’s all in a day’s work for the octogenarian, who is quick to credit his daughter and staff for much of his current success.

“I didn’t get there alone,” he quipped.

A lifelong participant in the harness racing industry, and an all-around honourable fellow, Cunningham will be the recipient of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) Monticello-Goshen chapter’s John Gilmour Good Guy Award at the annual awards banquet in Middletown, New York on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023.

This year, in addition to the year-end awards for horses and horsepeople from the local tracks, the Monticello-Goshen chapter will also honour Larry DeVan (Lifetime Achievement Award); Ron Ochrym (Excelsior Award); Gary Messenger & Ken Weckstein (Cradle of the Trotter Breeders Award); Edison Hatter (Phil Pines Award); Jill Omen (Amy Bull Crist Distinguished Service Award); Adam Moeykens (Rising Star); Matt Zuccarello (Amateur Driver); and Mike Druss (Mighty M Awards of Appreciation).

Funds raised through the banquet and souvenir journal have allowed the Monticello-Goshen chapter to give well over $125,000 to Goshen Historic Track and the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame over the last two decades. The Track and the Museum are two separate and distinct entities that share the same hallowed ground and a mutual purpose of preserving and promoting harness racing.

The practice of raising money and donating funds to Historic Track and the Hall of Fame began in the mid-1970s with Monticello Raceway publicity icon John Manzi, and has continued ever since.

Tickets for the gala event at the Wallkill Golf Club, Middletown, New York can be reserved by contacting Shawn Wiles at 845-798-4074 or by email at [email protected].

To place a congratulatory ad in the souvenir journal, contact Chris Tully at 845-807-7538 or by email at [email protected].

(Monticello-Goshen Chapter of USHWA)