Clouthier To Be Inducted Into Petawawa Sports Hall Of Fame

The Petawawa Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame (PSEHOF) has announced that Hector Clouthier Jr. will be inducted as part of its Class of 2026 into the sports wing for his achievements in horse racing and marathon running.

The PSEHOF recognizes entertainers, athletes and teams who have made significant achievements, achieved outstanding and extraordinary success in Canada or abroad, or who have made an outstanding and extraordinary contribution to sports or entertainment in Petawawa, Ont. as a builder. 

Clouthier acquired his harness driver's licence in 1969 and he won numerous Ontario Sires Stakes and Free-For-All races during his driving career competing at Greenwood Raceway in Toronto, Ont., and Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal, Que. Furthermore, he won multiple races at The Meadowlands in New Jersey. Clouthier also served as the Executive Director of the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) for a number of years. In 1998, when he was a federal Member of Parliament, Clouthier was asked by the committee that was struck to amalgamate the Canadian Standardbred Horse Society and the Canadian Trotting Association to intercede on their behalf with the Minister of Agriculture for Canada, whose permission was needed for the amalgamation. Clouthier willingly did so and worked with industry leaders including Dr. Maurice 'Mo' Stewart and Ted Smith, among others, resulting in the formation of Standardbred Canada. Currently, Clouthier serves on the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame nominating committee and the Cam Fella voting committee.

Clouthier ran his first marathon at the age of 51 and has since completed 50 full marathons and 40 half marathons. At the age of 75, he ran the New York Marathon and Canadian Running Magazine reported that he was the fastest Canadian in his age category. Clouthier has run the famous Boston Marathon eight times, the last time in 2022 at age 72.

Hector Clouthier pictured driving Bradleys Senora in a 1982 Ontario Sires Stakes event in Dresden and approaching the finish line of the Boston Marathon in 2022 at the age of 72.

The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, June 12, 2026 at the Petawawa Civic Centre. Clouthier will be joined by decorated swimmer Alyson Ackman and the late Grey Cup-winning Montreal Alouettes player Glenn Douglas as inductees into the sports wing while actor, comedian and talk show host Tom Green will be inducted into the entertainment wing, comprising the Class of 2026. 

(With files from Petawawa Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame)