It was a 2,132 km trip to the winner’s circle but it was worth it
. That’s the distance, as the crow flies, from Elora to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the hometown of Tegan McDonald.
The adventurous 22-year-old travelled all the way to Grand River Raceway to participate in the second Adult Harness Racing Camp, Oct 1-3. Always on the hunt for new experiences, she stumbled across the opportunity while surfing the internet.
“I was just browsing Google one day and came across it. It just sounded fun being able to go into a race and learn how to jog them, so I came down!”
She and seven other horse enthusiasts spent the weekend getting a hands-on introduction to the sport. McDonald says seeking out new opportunities and exploring different parts of Canada and is what she’s all about. She even camped at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area after spending all day at the racetrack, despite the unseasonably chilly weather.
“I’ve gone to almost every province in Canada camping and travelling,” said McDonald. “I went whitewater rafting in Whitehorse and I spent a week in Vancouver scuba diving. I do migrate back to horses, but usually closer to home.”
McDonald’s family owns a farm on 160 acres of land just outside Prince Albert. They have 30 bison and five Quarter horses. McDonald enjoys Western reining, cattle roping and team penning with her favourite horse, a five-year-old gelding named Zans Wind. Riding on the ranch is a far cry from the world of harness racing, but McDonald says she was up for the challenge of driving a racehorse.
“I’ve driven a single miniature horse once and a team of Percherons once, so driving a Standardbred is sort of like the middle ground,” she explained.
When the campers were matched with racehorses for the weekend, McDonald was paired with a three-year-old filly named Janets Katy. While the other three horses have all retired from their racing careers, Katy is just getting started. She’s on lease to the camp until her owners feel she’s ready to begin training. If the outcome of the Adult Camp race on Oct. 3 is any indication, Katy’s chomping at the bit.
“I didn’t expect little Katy to win but she was awesome!” exclaimed McDonald, moments after winning the first of two special exhibition races. “She sort of boxed in one of the faster horses so he couldn’t get ahead, so it was cool.”
McDonald shared a double-seated jog cart with driver Billy Davis Jr., who took over the reins while she looked on in amazement during the half-mile dash.
“It’s actually almost quiet,” she described. “It doesn’t really feel fast but then the horses are right beside you and they’re working really hard. You can almost just reach out and pet them.”
McDonald says she’s thrilled to have scored her first victory on the racetrack, but now she has to go home to prepare for her next adventure.
“I’ll be heading back to Prince Albert on the train on Tuesday,” she said. “I’m taking a German class three days a week. I have relatives in Germany and I’d like to work there for a few months so I’m trying to learn the language.”
(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Hilary Eastmure)