New Zealand Amateur Driving Champion Danny Blakemore has accepted an invitation to compete in the upcoming Isle International Amateur Series.
The two-day extravaganza, which will be held at Pompano Park on March 12 and 13, will now feature amateur drivers from nine European countries, New Zealand and the Florida Amateur Driving Club in a multi-race series that is expected to draw world-wide attention.
Paul Daniel “Danny” Blakemore, who hails from Auckland, New Zealand, is no stranger to racetracks in the U.S.A., having competed in recent years as the “Kiwi” representative at Yonkers Raceway, Freehold, Monticello and Cal-Expo, the site of his last two victories in the States.
Always classifying the competition of this sort as “bloody serious,” Blakemore joins Austria’s Johann Preining Jr., Russia’s Ivan Serik, Norway’s Nils Holm, Hungary’s Andrea Fazekas, Italy’s Enrico Columbo, Spain’s Jaume Bassa, Finland’s Tapio Hoikka and Germany’s Michael Gutsche in the highly anticipated series with the U.S. representative to be announced on February 20.
Spain’s Jaume Bassa (Riera) is no stranger to the winner’s circle here in the United States and, particularly, Pompano Park, where he won an event here with the Dein Spriggs-owned, Allen Saul-trained Good Feeling last June when a Spanish contingent of drivers came over to the States to compete in “friendly” warfare here.
Basse also found the winner’s circle at Tioga Downs and Yonkers Raceway while visiting the U.S. while compiling a hefty .556 UDRS in eight starts.
Italy’s Colombino last competed in the United States in 2009 and comes into this competition with 345 lifetime wins, the most of his European contingent.
Dein Spriggs of the Florida Amateur Driving Club says the competition will showcase Amateur harness racing throughout the world, adding, “with the great assistance of the Isle Pompano Park, this event will show how our sport touches charities around the world and will gain countless additional viewers via TVG and the internet broadcasts.
“Selected charities will also benefit by our Florida Amateur Driving Club donating over $7,000 to charity on behalf of our visiting guest drivers.
“The United States Trotting Association is also ‘stepping up to the plate’ for this event allowing all of the proceeds to go to the right causes, since our Amateur Driving Club is providing transportation and lodging for our guest drivers.”
Also adding to the festivities is the “voice” of harness racing, Roger Huston, who will be calling the action during the two day extravaganza.”
(Pompano Park)