Forty years of outstanding success in training horses has earned Harry Poulton the call to the Prince Edward Island Sports Hall of Fame as part of its 2020 class of inductees.
Poulton, an Island native who moved to western Canada when 18 years old, has the distinction of training not just one, but two world champion horses.
Teaming up with owners Gordon and Illa Rumpel, Poulton turned On The Road Again (bought for $10,000) into a horse that earned over $3 million in three years. On The Road Again was named Canada's Horse of the Year in 1984 and 1985, in addition to being named both Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year and Aged Pacing Colt of the Year. Notable race wins included both the Meadowlands Pace and the Canadian Pacing Derby.
Remarkably, Poulton trained another world champion in Matts Scooter, who won more than $3 million and was another two-time Canadian Horse of the Year. Poulton's tremendous achievements have seen him win the Canadian Trotting Horseman of the Year in 1988, and Glen Garnsey North American Trainer of the Year award in 1989. That year also saw Poulton train and drive Stargaze Hanover to victory in the Gold Cup and Saucer.
Allan Andrews (hockey, builder), Peter Gallant (curling, athlete/coach) and Louie Murphy (baseball, athlete) complete the Hall's class of 2020.
(with files from the PEI Sports Hall of Fame)