Hall of Famer William B. Weaver III, who bred influential trotting sire Valley Victory as well as several division champions, passed away on Wednesday, February 10 at the age of 79.

Weaver owned horses since the late 1960s, and finished second with The Prophet in the 1969 Hambletonian. He made his mark as a breeder in 1988 when his Valley Victory won the Breeders Crown and the Dan Patch Award as the Two-Year-Old Colt Trotter of the Year. Valley Victory won 11 of 14 lifetime races before being retired at age three because of illness. His offspring include Hambletonian winning colts Victory Dream and Muscles Yankee as well as filly Continentalvictory. Victory Dream and Muscles Yankee also produced Hambletonian winners, with Muscles Yankee sons Deweycheatumnhowe, Muscle Hill and Muscle Massive and winning the sport's top trotting race in consecutive years (2008-10).

In 2012, the Weaver-bred colt trotter Wheeling N Dealin and filly trotter To Dream On were Breeders Crown winners and divisional two-year-old champions, a feat last accomplished 22 years prior.

Other notable horses bred by Weaver and his Valley High Stable include U.S. and/or Canadian division champions Chocolatier, Laddie, Was It A Dream, plus millionaire trotting mare Elusive Desire. Others include Fun And Strokes, Sugar Trader, Juliets Fate, Quick Credit, Count The Goal, China Princess and Pampered Princess.

Weaver was inducted into harness racing's Hall of Fame in Goshen, NY, in 2014. Introduced by fellow Hall of Famer Bill O'Donnell at the induction ceremony, Weaver remarked, "I am humbled, happy and surprised to be here today." He then added, "I know the reason I'm here is because of Valley Victory."

Weaver reminded his audience that Valley Victory was the first horse he bred, and he recalled the serendipity of his decision. He had only one broodmare and for a reason unbeknownst to him, he was on a mailed solicitation to buy a share in the new stallion Baltic Speed. He and his close friend and trainer Vernon Dancer purchased the share in the stallion 50-50 and Weaver began breeding horses under the banner of Valley High Stable.

As for his accomplishments as a breeder, Weaver candidly said, "It's a crapshoot. I don't want to tell anybody to get in the breeding business. I take pride in it, but no responsibility."

Funeral arrangements for Weaver will be posted when available.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of William Weaver.

(Harnessracing.com)