According to standardbred owner Clay Horner, the professionalism of drivers is a great thing, but the charismatic attitude of some pilots doesn't hurt the sport, either.

In an article by The Guelph Mercury, Horner states that a prime example of a driver that appeals to the public is 2007 O'Brien Award winner Jody Jamieson. Through Jamieson's success on track and charisma on camera, Horner believes the 32-year-old is a personality that has the ability to attract a crowd outside of the industry hardcore.

"The humility that a lot of people in the industry go on with is wonderfully admirable for people within the industry . . . but the mainstream is not looking for people from unknown sports whose appeal is their humility," Horner told The Guelph Mercury.

Horner cites Jamieson's run with a well-known horse that Horner co-owned, Doonbeg. Horner provided The Guelph Mercury with a prime example of Jamieson's knack for the camera and interviews. Horner said that a racetrack broadcaster asked the driver what he was thinking about in terms of strategy. "(Jamieson) said, 'Look, I'm being brutally honest with you, all I was thinking about was what I was going to say in my interview in the winner's circle,'" Horner said.

"I love that. Jody has the attitude. That's what a winner's attitude is. That's what a star's attitude is and, in particular, to be successful and be appealing to new audiences, you have to have some arrogance about you."

(With files from The Guelph Mercury)