The New Jersey chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA) honoured John Quinn, sports editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, with its Media Appreciation Award on Saturday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

A native of Brooklyn, Quinn’s passion for harness racing began at the age of 14 when he began watching “Racing from Roosevelt” and “Racing from Yonkers” on local television and he says he spent his time in college watching racing “day and night.” He still fondly remembers his favourite horse, the pacer Nickawampus Leroy.

In addition to providing regular coverage of harness racing in the Inquirer and on its website, philly.com, Quinn has been a volunteer speaker for more than a decade at USHWA’s annual Clyde Hirt Sports Workshop, which gives college students the opportunity to cover the Hambletonian for various media outlets. Quinn, at both the Inquirer and previously at the Asbury Park Press, has printed student-written Hambletonian stories since the inception of the program in 2003.

Quinn credits his love of harness racing and the workshop to Clyde Hirt himself. Hirt, a member of harness racing’s Communicators Hall of Fame, passed away in 2000.

“I knew Clyde from back in the day,” Quinn said. “He would always make it a point to say hello. He made it a point to make me feel important and involved. He was the heart and soul of the print industry for harness racing.”

Quinn, who now resides in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, also has been a frequent judge for the John Hervey Awards, which annually recognize the best harness racing journalism of the year.

Moira Fanning, the president of the New Jersey chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association, presented the Media Appreciation Award to Quinn following the fourth race.