Drew To Represent Canada

Dave Drew, a longtime participant in the harness racing industry, has been selected to represent Canada in the 2020 World Cup Amateur Driving Championship at Pompano Park, Florida on February 24 and 25, hosted by the United States and organized by the Florida Amateur Driving Club.

Dan Gall, President & CEO Standardbred Canada, along with outgoing Chair, Mark Horner, Bill O’Donnell, President of COSA and 2017 World Driving Champion James MacDonald made a presentation of driving colours to Drew on Thursday (Jan. 16) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Canadian colours on Drew are the same design that MacDonald wore in 2017.

Left to right - Dan Gall, President and CEO of Standardbred Canada, James MacDonald, 2017 World Driving Champion, Dave Drew, Mark Horner, Outgoing Chair of Standardbred Canada, Bill O’Donnell, President of COSA

"To my knowledge this is the first time we've had a Canadian representative in it," Drew told Trot Insider. "I was notified by the organizers, the Florida Amateur Driving Club that I was selected to be the Canadian representative this year.

"There are not a large number of amateur drivers participating on a regular basis in Canada," continued Drew. "I've helped organize the amateur races here in Ontario and I've done that for a few years. So I think part of it is that I've been active and had sufficient drives and sufficient wins to be eligible for it. I'm really pleased and proud to represent Canada, and I'm really looking forward to the competition."

Drew resides in Grimsby, Ont., and has driven at some 60 North American racetracks in the Delvin Miller Harness Drivers Association, competing in the C. K. G. Billings Driving Series and winning the 2007 Delvin Miller Silver Cup. Dave has owned and trained a small stable of horses, which included Grand Circuit racehorse Modern Legend who won the 2014 Canadian Pacing Derby and an O’Brien Award for Pacing Horse of the Year.

Drew isn't training any of his own horses right now but he's still active as an owner.

"I haven't trained a horse of my own since [Modern Legend]. I do have a number of fractional ownership horses with Mark & Shawn Steacy, so I have about 13 horses I'm connected with in their stable. I go up there on a volunteer basis and help them out about once a week, jog some horses and go some training miles."

Drew maintains his connection with harness racing as well with the Central Ontario Standardbred Association, serving roles on their Finance and Marketing Committees.

Amateur drivers from 12 countries including Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Argentina, New Zealand and the United States will take part in the two-day driving event. Drew is looking forward to adding a track like Pompano with its rich history to his list of racetracks.

"Just to drive in locations like that, that's been part of the real delight in being an amateur driver. I've driven at places like the Delaware County Fair, The Red Mile...in total I've been at around 60 different racetracks in North America and I'll add another one this time going down to Pompano. I've not raced at Pompano previously but I sure look forward to it."

Drew noted that he presently doesn't have any plans to prepare for the competition, but he'll be "ready to participate" come post time.