Congratulations to Trish Dooling, of Portugal Cove, Newfoundland, who has been named the I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club’s Ambassador of the Year for 2015.
“I try to help promote our racing any way I can,” she explains, “We may only have a ten-race season here, but we make the most of it. Through writing my columns and submitting photos, I try to show the rest of Canada that we have quite the picturesque track along with some great horsemen and women.”
In addition to her writing and photography, Trish is “a walking, talking spokesperson for bringing new people to visit the track and introducing them to racing and behind the scenes.” According to her father, James, “I have seen her skip work functions, and even family weddings because she refused to miss a single race. We may have a small operation here but she works so hard to show the rest of Canada what beautiful horses and good horse people we have.”
Trish has also been a regular contributor to the Fan Club’s Heart of Harness Racing Calendar since its inception, as well as the Fan Club’s Zoom contests, a contributor to TROT Magazine and TROT 4 Kids.
Photography is one of her passions and one of the ways she promotes racing in Newfoundland. On race days, she can be found getting her horse ready to race, taking win photos, and then running around tryinig to find good positions to take other photos from. She has also been the photographer for the Newfoundland Harness & Labrador Harness Horse Owners Association Awards in the past, capturing the presentations and assembling beautiful tributes to the province’s top contenders, and also helps fellow horsepeople in PEI gather photos to honour the annual family selected as an honouree for the Atlantic Breeders Crown weekend.
Born into harness racing with both of her parents’ families heavily involved, her horses stand out thanks to their custom pink harnesses and halters.
“I spent many school nights cheering on my dad while other kids were tucked away doing math homework. It never occurred to me at the time how lucky I was to be born into this industry I have grown to love. I never actually owned my first race horse until 2007.”
The horse that started Trish’s serious involvement in racing was a little mare named Yuste. “My father and I raced her for a few years. While we didn't break any records or make any headlines we had the best of times with her. Even if I go on to own hundreds of horses she always has that spot in my heart as #1.” Yuste has been featured in the Heart of Harness Racing Calendar and TROT 4 Kids.
Dooling’s passion for photography started thanks to her father, who wanted to see how the horses looked when training – now she can be found taking over 1,200 photos on any given race day. A full-time hairstylist when she’s not promoting racing or photographing horses, Trish also finds time to write for Atlantic Post Calls where she’s been a contributor for the PEI-based harness racing news publication for a few years.
When we asked Trish why she loves Canadian Harness Racing, here’s what she had to say:
I love Canadian Harness Racing because.....I was born with harness racing in my blood. I have met some of the greatest people through harness racing. This sport has taught me so much on a personal level. I love doing what ever I can to show what beautiful animals and passionate people that make up our indusrty. With the uncertainaty in Newfoundland surrounding our future in this sport, sometimes I feel like I may have been born in the wrong province to be involved in harness racing. There is a big part of me trying to remain optimistic that Newfoundland will have a future in racing. I love the excitement, the rush, the hard work and the good times that only Canadian harness racing can give me. I am very thankful that blood runs through me because I just can't imagine not being a part of it all.
As Ambassador of the Year, Trish will receive:
-
100 gift card to the racetrack of her choice
-
Fan Club swag bag worth over $50
In addition, a special presentation will be made to Trish at an upcoming racing event in Atlantic Canada later this year.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in submissions!