This is the fifth feature profiling our Heart of Harness Racing calendar photographers.
May features a candid moment with Orianna Scheck and her then-four-month-old foal, El Capone, which was captured by Shauna McIntosh of Calgary, Alberta.
“My friend Orianna and her horses are always so much fun to photograph because her passion is tangible and it consistently shines through to the lens," McIntosh explained. "I wanted to go and meet her new little man, El Capone, and get some photos of the two of them. I think this picture really captures the moment, and her love for this colt."
McIntosh first became involved with racing in 1986 in Calgary. She was between jobs and looking for work when she met a couple of trainers, and coincidently one of them (Porter Hill) needed help.
“I had always loved horses and had no fear, but being a city girl my experience with them was very limited,” McIntosh recalled. “I was reluctant to accept the job, but Porter convinced me that he could teach me what to do.
"My first time ever stepping foot on a racetrack was the same day I started my first job as a groom. I will never forget how it felt walking from the stable gate at Stampede Park to the last shedrow in 'H' barn. The sights and sounds in the backstretch on a beautiful sunny morning are like no other. I fell in love with the horses and racing, and groomed for the next 12 years in Alberta, BC, California, and even a brief stint in Chicago. Most notably, I worked for Bruce Clarke and John Baxter (AB), Rick White (BC), and Bobby Johnson (CA). I won Groom of the Year in BC in 1993 after a very successful year in the Rick White Stable with Mooster Ed and Gracie Square. Those years are full of memories I will cherish forever.”
McIntosh has always loved to snap pictures, but became more serious about it when she bought a Canon Rebel in 2009 and discovered the freedom of digital photography.
“If you take enough shots of something you are bound to get a good one! I love to capture moments and everyday events through the lens," she said. "The greatest reward for my efforts comes from sharing the photos with the people who are in them, or with me at the time, and watching them smile.”
McIntosh is now the manager of Corporate Resources at Penn West Exploration, where she has been for the past 15 years. In her spare time, she loves to travel, hike and golf, and, of course, has at least one camera with her at all times.
McIntosh loves to travel to watch and take photos at some of North America’s biggest races. She attended the North America Cup two years ago and the Little Brown Jug this past year. The Hambletonian is next on her list. McIntosh is part owner of the five-year-old mare Fortunate Design in the Keith Clark Stable.
About El Capone
Scheck bred El Capone, and he was born on March 23, 2012. One week later he ended up in the hospital with a cut lip. Unfortunately, three weeks later he ended up with a very serious stifle infection, and Scheck almost lost him three times throughout the ordeal. His will to win helped him recover, and at the time of the photo submission (October, 2012), he was a beautiful seven-month-old weanling.
Currently, El Capone is doing well, and is always “up to something,” according to his owner. Every time Scheck visits him he presents her with some new cut or bruise. His stifle flared up occasionally when he was younger, but seems to have healed well now. He has had no shortage of mishaps, but he has grown into a big, strong, beautiful colt.
Scheck and her trainer, Kyle Howard, will pick Capone up in the first week of August to start his racing career.
“My dream for 'Capone' is that he will make the races, and I hope his stifle will not cause him grief," said Scheck. "Time will tell sooner than later, and, as we all know, this is one tough sport. But, in the end, I’m thankful that I still have El Capone, and if racing is not in his cards he will always be my pride and joy!
“No matter what happens, El Capone has already captured my 'heart' of harness racing and being chosen for the Standardbred Canada calendar will always be something special for him!”
Related Stories
• Meet April's Heart Of Harness Racing Photographer
• Meet March's Heart Of Harness Racing Photographer
• Meet February's Heart Of Harness Racing Photographer
• Meet Calendar Photographers