Horse identification has taken many twists and turns over the last half century. From lip tattoos to DNA verification, the Standardbred industry has made tremendous strides in ensuring the parentage of harness horses. Few individuals have had a bigger hand in the process than Keith Hamilton.

Hamilton logs nearly 50,000 miles per year in his New York and New England district where he is responsible for the identification of close to 2,000 horses per year. In fact, he is so well known in the Empire State that all the breeding farms in NY State have his phone number on speed dial.

Hamilton’s considerable efforts on behalf of New York breeders for the last 40 years have earned him the Monticello-Goshen Excelsior Award, which will be presented at the USHWA chapter’s 58th annual awards banquet on Dec. 4 at the Fountains at Wallkill Golf Club.

Born in Schenectady, NY, Hamilton has been around trotters and pacers all his life. His father, Richard Hamilton, was a USTA district representative for upstate NY, a job that had him checking breeding records, overseeing the county fair circuit, and administering the driver/trainer test.

After earning a degree in Engineering from Buffalo State, the young Hamilton noticed that many mechanical firms were downsizing due to the energy crisis. Concerned that he may need to switch gears, Hamilton took his father’s advice and answered the call for an opening at the USTA for an identification technician in 1974.

The affable Hamilton has never looked back, logging well over two million miles conducting business for the U. S. Trotting Association. Although, the transition to cryogenics (freeze branding) was nearly two decades ago, some farms still request lip tattoos.

“Through all the improvements and changes over the years, we are still ultimately responsible for the identification and DNA verification of each and every foal. A task we take very seriously,” Hamilton noted.

“Horsemen and women will also find us (ID techs) at all the Standardbred auctions so that membership can purchase with confidence. We are responsible for the integrity of the registry.”

This year, in addition to the year-end awards for horses and horsepeople from the local tracks, the Monticello-Goshen chapter will also honour Bob Boni (Lifetime Achievement); Kenneth Jacobs (John Gilmour Good Guy Award); Dave Little (Phil Pines Award); Roger Dowd (Amy Bull Crist Distinguished Service Award); Robert Krivelin (Amateur Driver); Justin Huckabone (Rising Star); and Denise DeSimone (Award of Appreciation).

Tickets for the gala event can be reserved by contacting Shawn Wiles at 845-794-4100 (Ext. 458) or [email protected].

(USHWA)