SC Rewind: Quebec Scrapbook

This week's Rewind takes a look back at some old photos and other mementos from the great past of Quebec's once large racing circuit

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Quebec, affectionately referred to as "La Belle Province", has a rich heritage of harness racing memories. The landscape of the province at one time was dotted with racetracks in virtually every hamlet and "whistle stop" throughout its entire geographical area. With such quaint names as St. Pie de Bagot and Trois Pistoles, it rivals any place that ever staged harness racing in folk lore, characters and racing history.

Here is a partial listing of some of the Cities, Towns and Villages that have had racetracks over the years. Like other parts of the country, most have now vanished and their memory is preserved only in pictures and tales told by those who remember those now distant days. This list is not intended to be all encompassing but only to show that there was once a lot of "twice arounds" in old Quebec.

Adamsville, Ayers Cliff, Aylmer, Bedford, Berthierville, Brome, Buckingham, Cap A'Lagile, Chapeau, Cheneville, Cookshire, Dalhousie Mills, Dalhousie Station, Danville, Donnacona, Drummondville, Gaspe, Gatineau Pointe, Granby, Hull, Huntington, Joliette, Jonquiere, Lachute, LaPrairie, La Sarre, Malartic, Maniwaki, Marbelton, Matane, Marieville, Montmagny, Montreal, Oka, Ormstown, Quebec City, Quyon, Richmond, Rimouski, Rigaud, Riviere-du-Loup, Saint Andre Avellin, St. Alexandre, Saint Bruno, St. Anne de Pocatiere, St. George Beauce, St. Guillaume, St. Hyacinthe, St. Jean, St. Jerome, St. Johns, St. Julienne, St. Justine, St. Leonard d'Aston, St. Liboire, St. Pie de Bagot, St. Raphael, St. Rose, St. Scholastique, St. Tite, St. Victoire, Shawinigan Falls, Shawville, Sherbrooke, Sorel, Stanbridge Station, Terrebonne, Thetford Mines, Three Rivers, Trois Pistoles, Val'D'Or, Valleyfield, Ville Marie, Waterloo.

Au Revoir!

Roddy Belisle Presiding judge (left), and Dr. Albert Beland starting judge at Montreal's Richelieu Park. Unlike most of the rest of the country, harness racing was a popular attraction on Sundays and drew unusually large crowds as evidenced by this old photo.

St. Jerome located just north of Montreal was a very popular racing location of years ago. In this photo, The LaPointe Hotel trophy is being presented following a victory by Guy H in 1948. From left: Maurice Huot, organizer; Elzear Cournoyer, winning owner; Alfred LaPointe of The LaPointe Hotel; Honorat Larochelle winning driver and Elzear Lavigne.

In the background, an advertising board for Sweet Caporal cigarettes displays the current track records at St. Jerome or "Records De La Piste". For trotters it was Po Ka Bout 2:05 set in 1945, and for Pacers set by Miss Vera Bars 2:07 in 1944 .The latter was the 1941 winner of the Canadian Pacing Derby prior to being sold to Quebec interests.

Gilles Gendron and his bargain claimer Loup Garou, from 1973.