The I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club’s Heart of Harness Racing Calendar photographer for November is Bjorn Kirby of Calgary, Alberta.
Bjorn’s photo captured Chelsea Chase of DeWinton, Alberta, and her horse Cinnamon Cracker. This shot was the September Zoom winner and the overall Zoom winner for 2014.
Chelsea, who helps her parents (who work for Keith Clark) out every weekend at the track in Balzac, has owned Cinnamon Cracker for three years, and last season she was breaking him to the saddle. Bjorn used to come into the stable and to the races once in awhile with Chelsea and her parents. While she was busy paddocking, Bjorn would take her camera and snap some pics.
Bjorn recalled capturing the unique candid moment of Chelsea and Cracker, “I was just playing around taking photos outside and I yelled at Chelsea and that’s when she stuck her head out just under Cracker’s and I snapped a shot.”
Bjorn grew up in Ontario and was introduced to Standardbreds at a young age as his father, Dr. David Kirby, a small animal veterinaraian, was an owner for many years. Bjorn relocated to Calgary where he worked as a chef and just recently made the transition from the culinary world to become an electrician.
Cinnamon Cracker retired from racing in October 2014 and then made the transition to under saddle. Chase and Cracker have attended a few gymkhanas this year and picked up a couple of ribbons. They could also be found at Century Downs, leading post parades on some of the race days and the pair were also participants in the first exhibition pace under saddle race.