Bernard Lavigne steered home three winners en route to being named this year's Coville Cup champion on Sunday night at Rideau Carleton Raceway.

The annual drivers tournament was contested over 15 races showcasing young men and women who are trying to further their driving careers, but have yet to steer an abundance of horses.

"It's just so nice to see the people come out here and the trainers being able to put in the horses knowing that us kids are going to go out there and have fun," said the 24-year-old Gatineau, Que. horseman, who is currently working for the Richard Banca stable in Middletown, New York. "It means a lot to me."

Lavigne worked out a perfect pocket trip aboard George Way's pacing mare Michelles Romance in the sixth race to notch his first win of the night. The Patrick Shepherd trainee won by three and a half lengths in 1:58.3.

"Patrick Shepherd has been on a roll here and when I saw I was down on his horse I felt pretty good about it," said Lavigne in a post-race interview. "He's been doing really well and I was just a passenger."

The victory, along with a second-place finish and three thirds in the first leg of the tournament, helped the reinsman advance to the final round. The top nine point earners moved on to compete in three more races in pursuit of the Coville Cup.

Lavigne clinched the trophy with a pair of victories in the last two races of the night.

He steered sophomore pacing filly Keystone Rhyme to a six and a quarter length win in 1:58.3 off a two-hole trip for the Copley Stables of Kenmore, Ont. and John MacEachern of Fort Mcmurray, Alta. Lavigne then sent pacing mare Jk Cinderella down the road to win by more than five lengths in 1:55 flat owner/trainer Chelsea Knapp of Prescott, Ont.

The humble reinsman continued to attribute his success in the tournament to the horses he drove and their connections.

"That was awesome," said Lavigne during the Coville Cup trophy presentation after Jk Cinderella's romping win. "I was just a passenger. I'm speechless right now. I didn't expect that whatsoever."

Now in his third year of driving, Lavigne improved his record to 10-6-8 in 93 starts.

Maxime Audet also earned three victories throughout the tournament while defending Coville Cup champion Clarke Steacy and Jonathan Lachance each had two wins. Maxim Robinson Dejardins, Claude Larose, Jonathan Lachance, James Hay, and Kyle Forgie also made trips to the winner's circle during the competition.

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