Jody Jamieson will represent Canada in the 2027 World Driving Championship after winning the 2026 National Driving Championship (NDC), presented by Standardbred Canada, on Sunday, July 26 at Clinton Raceway in Clinton, Ont.

Advancing from a top-two finish in the Ontario Regional Driving Championship this past spring, Jamieson clinched his third NDC title by earning 60 points over the course of the afternoon's eight-race competition, finishing just ahead of Quebec / Eastern Ontario Regional representative Stéphane Brosseau, who ended with 56 points, and Atlantic Regional champion Marc Campbell, with 54 points. The top three drivers each won two races. Jamieson also hit the board in three other legs. 

Jamieson jumped out to an early lead in the NDC standings with a victory in the opener courtesy of the popular Pat Bissett trainee Mels Legacy, and only gave it up briefly to Brosseau by a narrow one-point margin in leg three before re-taking the top spot. He led the rest of the day, although the competition was fierce with Brosseau and Ontario Regional champion Tyler Borth still in contention heading into the final race. His other victory was in leg five with favoured No Plan Intended from the Terry Gallant stable.

"It came right down to the last race. That's how competitive it was today," said Jamieson, a three-time O'Brien Award-winning reinsman who has driven winners of more than 9,000 races and nearly $160 million in purses. "You know, we had a great group of guys from across the country, and it was just fun. I think we all had a great time this weekend.

"I couldn't be happier," added Jamieson, with family and supporters on hand in Clinton cheering him on. "I'm on cloud nine here right now." 

Jody Jamieson and Mels Legacy winning the opening leg of the 2026 National Driving Championship.

Jamieson will be joined by fellow Canadian driver James MacDonald, the reigning two-time World Driving Champion, in the next international event, which will be hosted by Standardbred Canada at five racetracks across the country next summer.

"I didn't really ever think that I'd ever get another chance to represent Canada," said Jamieson, a two-time World Driving Champion himself with past victories on the international stage in 2001 and 2011. "I mean, look at the competition we had here today, and then you got to go up against a guy like James MacDonald, who's not only great, he's also lucky. He's the triple threat. But listen, I couldn't be happier. I'll be 50 in November, and I can't even believe I'm going to be 50. I feel like I'm 25 years old, and I'm as hungry as ever. So it just gets the competitive juices going again, and I'm looking so forward to this time next year for the worlds." 

Standardbred Canada officially unveiled the schedule for the 2027 World Driving Championship (WDC) during the sold-out NDC Driver Showcase on Saturday evening at Cowbell Brewing Co. in Blyth, Ont. The first leg will be held on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2027 at Century Downs in Calgary, Alta., followed by the second leg on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2027 at The Track On 2 in Lacombe, Alta. The action will shift to Ontario at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville on Monday, Aug. 16, 2027. The next leg will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2027 at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Que., before the competition culminates on Friday, Aug. 20, 2027 at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Borth and Western Regional representative Kelly Hoerdt each also made a winner's circle appearance during the NDC. Borth finished fourth with 50 points followed by Atlantic Regional rep Keith Legge (47), Hoerdt (39), Western Regional champion Phil Giesbrecht (36) and Quebec / Eastern Ontario Regional champ Nick Boyd (34).

The NDC was held during Clinton Raceway's Legends Day, the track's signature event with festivities including the Legends Day Invitational Trot featuring a Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame lineup of drivers: Doug Brown, Blair Burgess, Chris Christoforou, Steve Condren, Carl Jamieson (Jody's father), Paul MacDonell and Mike Saftic.

The $20,000 Legends Day Invitational Trot was won by Condren, driving 7-5 favourite My Buddy Sam for trainer Jennifer Pinkerton and co-owner/breeder Patricia Bailey. P C Peterbilt, driven by Saftic, finished 1-1/4 lengths behind in second and Tymal Riggs, with Christoforou, was third after challenging the popular pacesetter throughout the 1:57.2 track record mile for older trotters.

Steve Condren and My Buddy Sam winning the 2026 Legends Day Trot

Additional Hall of Fame ambassadors John Campbell, Wally Hennessey, Bill O'Donnell, Trevor Ritchie, Dave Wall and Ron Waples were in attendance to meet fans and celebrate the Hall's 50th Anniversary.  

The day's events included an online auction and 50/50 draw, raising funds for the Clinton Public Hospital Foundation.

NDC weekend in Clinton, Ont. also included the inaugural Junior National Driving Championship on Saturday morning, as the next generation of Canadian harness racing talent from the Maritime Minis Racing Association and the Ontario Young Guns Racing Association took to the track competing in elimination heats and finals. Adrianna Mongrain, driving her mini Hidden Delilah, won the junior championship title.

Recaps of all eight races in the 2026 National Driving Championship follows.

NDC Leg 1 (Race 2)

Jody Jamieson struck first in the NDC with the 2-5 favourite Mels Legacy ($2.90) scoring by six lengths in 1:56.4 for trainer Pat Bissett. Leaving between a pair of rivals into the first turn, Jamieson kept rolling after a three-wide Tuukka Rasp (Nick Boyd) made front, putting pacer Mels Legacy on the point down the backstretch the first time. Hollys Treasure (Tyler Borth) looped into a gaping pocket spot during the second lap as Mels Legacy started to get away on them and chased in second while longshot Well Said Celeb (Keith Legge) took third.

NDC Leg 2 (Race 3)

Stéphane Brosseau celebrated victory in the second leg after sending trotting mare Ring The Alarm ($11.20) first-over against the front-striding Jooner (Phil Giesbrecht) to defeat that rival in 2:02.1 by 2-1/4 lengths. Brosseau tipped the Dennis Morrissey trainee outside from third after the opening quarter and forged ahead of Jooner in the final turn while a three-wide Just Show Up (Jody Jamieson) was able to secure third place after appearing to be bothered by a late breaker. Brosseau moved into second place in the NDC point standings, three points behind leader Jamieson.

NDC Leg 3 (Race 4)

Marc Campbell made his presence known with a big backstretch move in rein to Teen Tattler ($11.60) to take the third leg of the competition. Campbell sent the George McClure trainee three-wide outside of first-over challenger Zippennrippen (Stéphane Brosseau) and 4-5 popular pacesetter Lord Anthony (Nick Boyd) with a quarter-mile to go and made front in the final turn en route to the 1:57.3 victory. Lord Anthony held on for second 2-3/4 lengths behind, with Sir Lucknow (Kelly Hoerdt) closing widest of all to nab third in a show photo over Zippennrippen. Brosseau took a one-point lead over Jamieson atop the NDC standings.

NDC Leg 4 (Race 5)

With a slick steer in rein to trailing tier starter Little Moments ($36.50), Kelly Hoerdt prevailed in the fourth leg. As Playatyourownrisk (Keith Legge) won an early front-end tussle and completed the first lap on the lead, Hoerdt moved into the outer flow third-over but found an inside path in the final turn to sneak through at the pylons and prevail in a thrilling finish. Trained by Natalie Elliott, pacing mare Little Moments won in 1:57.3 by one length over Playatyourownrisk, with The Lies We Tell (Jody Jamieson) rallying off the cover of Wicked Smile (Tyler Borth) to defeat that foe for third prize. Jamieson held a narrow lead in the NDC standings.

NDC Leg 5 (Race 6)

Jody Jamieson padded his lead atop the NDC point standings as he doubled up in the competition with 1-5 favourite No Plan Intended ($2.40). After getting the first call, the Terry Gallant trainee got the shuffled but re-emerged with the lead in the stretch for his fourth straight Clinton win in 1:57.2. Chief Of Staff (Tyler Borth) had rallied three-wide off cover approaching three-quarters to take the lead heading for home with Jamieson maneuvering out and around that rival to defeat him by 1-1/2 lengths. Acefortyfour Jack (Phil Giesbrecht) closed from the back to show.

NDC Leg 6 (Race 8)

Stéphane Brosseau earned his second victory in a sixth-leg thriller as he roused trainer Bruce Gilkinson's three-year-old pacing gelding Rose Run Bingo ($30.60) from worst to first for the upset in 1:58. After lagging behind the field from a trailing tier start, Brosseau got the 14-1 shot into contention heading into the final turn and closed widest of all to prevail by a head in a three-way photo finish. The 4-5 favourite, Pink Skies Tonite (Keith Legge), had looped Wicked Ending (Jody Jamieson) during the first quarter for the role of pacesetter but was just caught by that pocket-popping rival for the runner-up honours. Brosseau moved into second in the NDC point standings, chasing leader Jamieson (55-44).

NDC Leg 7 (Race 9)

Tyler Borth made a winner's circle appearance in the seventh leg with pacing mare Missy Rocks ($3.90) delivering as the 4-5 favourite. Parked from the start, Borth rolled the popular Pam Forgie trainee three-wide as the pocket-popping Lilly Clare (Marc Campbell) battled with pacesetter Little T (Nick Boyd) on top and took a clear lead into the final turn, drawing off by 4-1/4 lengths for the 1:57.1 triumph. Little T chased in second while Beethreepo (Stéphane Brosseau) came on for third. Jamieson leads the point standings heading into the final leg, with Brosseau second (58-51) and Borth in contention third with 47 points.

NDC Leg 8 (Race 10)

Marc Campbell picked up his second victory as he won the final leg of the competition, with trainer Heather Pickett's four-year-old pacer Grin And Win ($13.60) chasing down pacesetter This Girl Rules (Keith Legge) in 1:56.1 in a head decision. Speakdollarsncents (Phil Giesbrecht), the 9-5 favourite, finished third in the race. Despite a seventh-place finish in the last race, Jody Jamieson clinched the NDC title, maintaining his lead in the point standings over Stéphane Brosseau while Campbell rounded out the top three. 

National Driving Championship Leaderboard (Final)

Jody Jamieson - 60 points
Stéphane Brosseau - 56
Marc Campbell - 54
Tyler Borth - 50
Keith Legge - 47
Kelly Hoerdt - 39
Phil Giesbrecht - 36
Nick Boyd - 34

A replay of the live broadcasts from Clinton Raceway and PrimeTime Racing are available below.

For the first time in the event's history, the NDC was broadcast on national television as PrimeTime Racing presented a three-hour live broadcast on Game+ Network, reaching two million subscribers across the country. 

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Clinton Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)