In conjunction with the successful Bring a Friend National Promotion that took place June 6 to 8, the I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club ran two contests.

In the first of two, we asked industry participants to tell us about their first time at the races. In 500 words or less, submissions detailing those experiences came from all across the country. Harlan Smith of Lantz, Nova Scotia sent in the winning entry.

“My first time at the races was at Sackville Downs in Sackville, NS, 1972. I was 6 years old and remember it like it was yesterday. I grew up in a small, rural community of Dutch Settlement, NS. Our next door neighbor worked at Tumble Wind Farms, a standardbred breeding farm in Cooksbrook, NS. He had a horse by the name of Tumblewind Chief. He was a 2 year old champion that year. With the horse’s success, the little community began following the races.
I remember it was a very hot Saturday night in the summer and my Mom and Dad had a Ford pickup truck. The cab was full and some other people, including my older brother Eric, were in the back (oh how times have changed). Sackville was about 35-40 minutes from our town and I’m sure everyone from our community was there. I don’t remember a lot about the race but still to this day, that experience lives with me. My Mom let me pick a horse and bought me a ticket that night. The horse I bet on was a grey by the name of Circle Gratton. I won 12 dollars, big moneu for a six year old. That night may be the reason I still love the sport today. I have cerebral palsy and could not actively participate in sports, but the excitement of harness racing provided a thrill like no other.
I continued to follow the races at Sackville Downs through my life until it closed in the late ‘80s. In the early ‘90s, my brother and I purchased a horse and raced it at Truro Raceway. I still attend Truro Raceway and have made lots of friends at the track and all the good times are because of that hot summers night in Sackville, NS, in 1972.”

Honourable mentions go out to Christina Manders and Barry Pon.

Christina grew up with a passion for horses and visited the track in Leamington with a friend and her uncle. Upon graduating high school, she pursued the Adult Retraining program at Windsor Raceway through St. Clair College and Canada Manpower. After completing the groom program, Christina worked in a variety of barns in many different capacities. Her work in the industry came to an end in 2006 after being diagnosed with breast cancer, but her love for the sport has not waned. Christina hopes to pursue riding with an off-track Standardbred in the future. Frequently in attendance on race nights, she is constantly introducing new fans to the sport.

Barry first went to the track with his father back in the early 1960s at age 10. Starting out as a Thoroughbred fan, after that first exposure at Victoria Park in Calgary, he fell in love with Standardbred racing with its introduction to Edmonton. His first ownership experience came with the claim of eleven year old pacer Gradon Prince A for $3,000 who went on to win his first two starts for Pon. His involvement and interest has never waned, having association with over 70 horses since Gradon Prince A. Barry treasures memories of friends, co-workers and family coming out to see his horses race and joining him in the winner’s circle.

Smith Wins Bring A Friend Photo Contest

Tammy Smith of Norton, New Brunswick was the winner of the Bring A Friend Photo Contest. Tammy took part in the Bring A Friend activities at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, New Brunswick. She was able to help jog Peruvian High in a double seated jog card with Sam Hodgin.

She was thrilled with the experience and sent in several photos.