Pennsylvania’s fair horsepeople came together on Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Nittany Lion Inn for the annual Pennsylvania Fair Awards Dinner, held in conjunction with meetings of the U.S. Trotting Association and the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association.

Led by USTA District Chairman Sam Beegle, the Dinner provides two sets of awards to the best horses at the fairs; honoured are the leading point-winners throughout the summer season in the eight fair categories, along with the winners of their championship events at the end of the season.

Three horses were double winners: freshman trotting filly Pa Patricia, sophomore pacing filly Milagro, and sophomore trotting male Lionheart Hanover. Milagro earned her second straight championship, while her stablemate for Tony and Linda Schadel, Lionheart Hanover, became only the second Pennsylvania fair horse ever to win the group’s point title and Championship at two and three. The other was pacing filly Bettor Strait N Up, who also raced for Tony and Linda Schadel.

The leading point-winners, who received a blanket done up in their stable colors, were:

• Two-year-old Trotting Male – Rt Wonder Colt, g, Fordham Road–Keystone Wonder, owned by Brocious Racing Stable Inc., trained by Tom Loughry Jr.
• Two-year-old Trotting Female – Pa Patricia, Father Patrick–Tymal Lux, owned by Sandy Petersen and Alexa Shaw, trained by Ashley Brown.
• Two-year-old Pacing Male – Party Rock Hanover, g, Tall Dark Stranger–Planet Rock, owned by Tony and Linda Schadel, trained by Linda Schadel.
• Two-year-old Pacing Female – Vegas Queen, Sweet Lou–Takara Rose, owned by George Prushnok, trained by Neil Balcerak.
• Three-year-old Trotting Male – Lionheart Hanover, g, Greenshoe–Lady Riviera, owned by Tony and Linda Schadel, trained by Linda Schadel.
• Three-year-old Trotting Female – Shalamar Hanover, Cantab Hall–Setntheworldonfire, owned by Todd and Christine Schadel, trained by Todd Schadel.
• Three-year-old Pacing Male – Bettor Not, c, Captain Crunch–Bettorhaveanother, owned by Todd and Christine Schadel, trained by Todd Schadel.
• Three-year-old Pacing Female – Milagro, Always B Miki–Thecrowdiswatching, owned by Tony and Linda Schadel, trained by Linda Schadel.

The championship winners, who received a snugly warm winter coat, were:

• Two-year-old Trotting Male – Green Shades, c, Greenshoe–Fifty Shades, owned by Hutt Racing Stable, trained by Steve Cook.
• Two-year-old Trotting Female – Pa Patricia, Father Patrick–Tymal Lux, owned by Sandy Petersen and Alexa Shaw, trained by Ashley Brown.
• Two-year-old Pacing Male – Papi Hour, c, Papi Rob Hanover–Candlelight Dinner, owned by George Prushnok, trained by Neil Balcerak
• Two-year-old Pacing Female – Dancin Sweet Heart, Always B Miki–J M Betting Hearts, owned by Grace Wright, trained by Gary Johnston.
• Three-year-old Trotting Male – Lionheart Hanover, g, Greenshoe-Lady Riviera, owned by Tony and Linda Schadel, trained by Linda Schadel.
• Three-year-old Trotting Female – Tally The Tab, International Moni–Cantab Cabela, owned by Todd and Christine Schadel, trained by Todd Schadel.
• Three-year-old Pacing Male – Compensate Me, g, Sweet Lou–Breakheart Pass, owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, trained by Ron Burke.
• Three-year-old Pacing Female – Milagro, Always B Miki–Thecrowdiswatching, owned by Tony and Linda Schadel, trained by Linda Schadel.

Young James Schadel, who deputized for his parents Tony and Linda while they were on a cruise, did yeoman’s work in collecting all the stable’s winnings. He also was a frequent recipient during the distribution of the door prizes, which make the Fair Dinner Ticket one of harness racing’s best values, as the average ticket cost is exceeded by the average amount of “swag” the attendees garner. The redoubtable Roger Hammer won a jog cart, while the “grand prize” of a sulky went to Abby Martin.

(Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association & Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)