Through the generous support and sponsorship of the Vincent Delaney Memorial Committee in Ireland and SSG Gloves in Canada, Sydney Weaver and her parents, Lisa and Don, will be going to Ireland in early August for the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial weekend.

“We have invited Sydney to be our special guest speaker at our gala kickoff dinner Friday, August 12,” said Derek Delaney, head of the VDM Committee. “I have been friends with her on Facebook and she is just wonderful. Her writing on harness racing and what she has achieved and done for our industry for a young woman is fantastic and she and her parents will be our honoured guests at the races that weekend.”

The VDM weekend is the biggest harness racing weekend in all of Ireland and the UK. The VDM is named after Derek and James Delaney’s younger brother Vincent, who worked with the horses at their Oakwood Stud training and breeding center. Vincent tragically died of a massive heart attack in 2011 at the age of 26 and the brothers came up with the VDM weekend as a tribute to their lost brother.

The race weekend now features elimination races Saturday, August 13 for the VDM, which is for two-year-old pacers. A record number have entered and with the sponsorship support of Diamond Creek Farm and Adam Bowden, for the first time there will also be a separate filly division.

The finals take place Sunday, August 14. Other top stakes that weekend include the Oakwood Stud Derby for three-year-olds, the Paul Murtagh, Sr. Memorial for four-year-olds, the RocknRoll Heaven/Pet Rock Irish-American FFA that is sponsored by Joe Bellino and the Bellino Racing Stable, LeTrot races plus other stakes events.

“The VDM committee agreed to sponsor Sydney and her family for their hotel stay, dinner tickets and racetrack VIP access,” Delaney added, “And they will be part of our tours to Oakwood Stud and carriage ride through downtown Dublin and have lunch in Temple Bar. They are going to have a super time in Ireland.”

Then steps in Ed James, owner of SSG Gloves. Ed is a big Sydney Weaver fan and when he heard about her being invited to come to Ireland, he set up SSG Gloves to sponsor the airfare for Sydney and her parents to go to Ireland.

“I called up and talked to Sydney and told her the news.” Ed James said. “And she was so excited. I also have sent her a few pairs of gloves to use when she goes jogging and to bring with her to Ireland. I know she will have a fantastic time.”

And what did Sydney have to say about all of this?

“Unbelievable news, so fantastic and I can’t believe this is all happening.” Sydney said. “This is a dream trip come true. What great stories I am going to write about the people I meet, the places I see, the big dinner and the bigger race weekend. I have a lot of Facebook friends from Ireland and the UK and I hope to get to meet them in person now.

“When I phoned and thanked Mr. James for the sponsorship,” Sydney added, “I said I would proudly display an SSG Gloves patch on my racing colours that I will bring over, and Derek Delaney is getting me a Vincent Delaney Memorial patch, too, that will go on my colours once I get there.

“I also got a very nice cheque from Hall of Famer and dear friend Bill Galvin," Sydney said. "I still have to pinch myself that this is all for real.”

Sydney Weaver and her mom and dad are not the only ones who will be travelling to Ireland for the VDM weekend. Joining the Weavers will be Heather Vitale and her mom (JoAnn Looney-King) and sister (Susan Looney), the 2015 North American win leader Aaron Merriman, New Zealand’s top driver Dexter Dunn is returning along with Hall of Fame announcer, Roger Huston, who will be calling the races at Portmarnock Raceway for his third straight year.

Michael Gallenti and Bill Hutchison of Harness Racing Travel is bringing a group of 40 from New Zealand and Australia, making the total nearly 70 that are coming to Ireland from down under.

Dublin, Ireland will be the place to be August 12 to 14 for the VDM and more announcements of top Standardbred visitors from the USA will be made soon.

(with files from the Vincent Delaney Memorial Committee)