Jacob Baird of Northfield, Ohio has been named the recipient of the 2022 Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association Terry Holton Youth Award.
Baird was born into the harness racing industry as a third-generation horseman. He started helping his father jog and train horses when he was 13.
A graduate of Vanlue high school, Baird was a three sport multi-letter winner. He said training his horses is like high school sports.
“There are days when it is cold out and you don’t really want to get up, but you must do it. You can’t go out there without the practice. You must work for it.”
Baird said the best part of working with the horses is enjoying their life as much as possible.
“I like to care for the animals. I like to see my horses happy,” he said.
The Terry Holton Youth Award is awarded to a youth between the ages of 13 and 19 who has actively participated in harness racing during 2022 as a driver, trainer, groom, breeder, race office/publicity assistant, track maintenance crew, or has provided outstanding service to harness racing.
The award, in its 20th year, is named for Terry Holton, a 2005 inductee into the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame. Holton of Newark, Ohio, was the winner of more than 1,700 races in his career. He overcame many obstacles in his life, the biggest may have been overcoming pancreatic cancer.
Baird will be honoured at the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association Annual Awards Banquet on Jan. 14 at the Hilton Columbus-Polaris in Columbus, Ohio.
(Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association)