Weaver Celebrates Special Win

After receiving exactly what she wanted for Christmas, Sydney Weaver's gift racehorse gave her another special holiday celebration.

On Saturday at Flamboro Downs, Bob McClure guided Sydney Seelster to her first seasonal win with a solid 1:59.4 score. Jody Howard trains the five-year-old Camluck mare for Kowalski and Weaver.

Weaver, one of harness racing’s biggest fans, only wanted for Christmas was a racehorse. The 12-year-old resident of Acton, Ont. has immersed herself in harness racing the past few years, attending the races at tracks throughout the province and making friends with many of the sport’s participants. Kowalski, a friend of the Weavers and a longtime horse owner, made Sydney’s wish come true.

Kowalski claimed Sydney Seelster on Sunday, December 23 at Flamboro Downs then arranged for the Weaver family --- Sydney, Don and his wife, Lisa --- to meet him on Christmas morning at the Campbellville Training Centre with a wrapped gift for Sydney: a plaqued photo of Sydney Seelster that had an engraving which named Sydney as co-owner.

“She was in awe,” said Kowalski, noting that Sydney spent most of her Christmas morning brushing and grooming her new mare. “She was a good investment for me and she’ll be great for Sydney.”

Despite being in a wheelchair, Sydney knows no boundaries. Along with her parents, she can be found at racetracks throughout the province on major events days and any given day. At the 2012 O'Brien Awards, Sydney Weaver was named as the I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club Ambassador for her can-do attitude, caring nature and unflinching enthusiasm for the sport that have endeared her to legions of Ontario harness racing participants over the past couple of years.