The incomparable John Campbell made a special guest appearance in Summerside, PEI this past Saturday night (March 31), as the Prince County Horsemen's Club sat down to honour some of the province’s best during the organization’s 2017 awards banquet.
Although one of harness racing’s most decorated drivers was on hand for the festivities, it was another Campbell – the ‘King of Island Racing,’ horseman Marc Campbell – that was showered with accolades during the event. The successful all-around horseman took home the hardware as the association’s top trainer, its top driver, and horseman of the year for the 2017 campaign.
While speaking with the Journal Pioneer, the two-time O’Brien Award winner said that having his family on hand for the evening made things extra special.
“I was proud to get the awards last night with my family in attendance,” Marc explained. “My whole family is involved in harness racing, it’s a family affair.”
He then uttered some words that others on the island probably don’t want to hear: “Being recognized for all the hard work at the event makes me want to push even more for next year.”
It had been announced in early February that John Campbell would be attending the event, which definitely raised the evening’s profile. Campbell took in the sold-out event and sung the praises of the island’s largest racing display, the Gold Cup and Saucer.
“Attending my first gold Cup and Saucer last August was quite the experience and left a pretty big impression on me,” John said. “I had always heard what a great event it was, Wally Hennessey and Scott Bell had been telling me for many years that ‘you just have to come.’
“But hearing about it and experiencing it are two different things. It’s one of the best events in harness racing. The passion for harness racing and horses that the majority of people on the island have is something that I really took notice of…It certainly makes the island a special and unique place.”
(With files from the Journal Pioneer)