Reverend Hanover, who earned more than half a million dollars during his impressive racing career, is going from strength to strength since joining the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society less than a month ago.
Reverend Hanover and Joanne Colville during last week’s trail ride.
The now seven-year-old Sportswriter gelding, who last raced in 2017, has recently taken on a variety of roles and has quickly become one of OSAS’s most popular ambassadors.
Saturday night (Oct. 5) at Woodbine Mohawk Park featured the annual Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Finals, and it seemed appropriate that Reverend Hanover, one of the OSS’s top performers (winning over $400,000 in the provincial program alone) was featured as part of the OSAS regular Meet & Greet program and Drive With Us.
The Reverend was on hand at the OSAS booth to welcome fans to the track and have his photo taken with the happy race goers. He was then harnessed and put on the track as part of the popular Drive With Us program, which gives lucky patrons the opportunity to ride behind a Standardbred. The evening marked his Drive With Us debut.
“I’ve been jogging him to get him ready for this, but I was still a bit apprehensive given it would be his first time at the track, under the lights, hooked up but not racing,” noted OSAS’s Joanne Colville. “He was a gentleman through and through. He certainly remembered and was fresh, but mannerly and all class.”
Last weekend, Reverend Hanover participated in his first trail ride as Colville rode him in the Hoof Beat Challenge at the Sunrise Therapeutic Riding Centre in Puslinch, Ont. He was also extremely well behaved during what was his first time under saddle surrounded by a large group of riders.
For many years, OSAS has encouraged horse lovers to adopt a Standardbred. The organization has consistently touted the breed’s stunning versatility. Given what he’s learned and adapted to in just a few weeks, Reverend Hanover is a perfect example.
(With files from OSAS)