SC Rewind: Happy Father's Day

This week's edition of Rewind is all about the theme of Father's Day, celebrated each year on the third Sunday of June — which happens to be today. Robert Smith has assembled a few thoughts on the subject of fatherhood for your reading pleasure. It's a slight divergence from the normal weekly offering but still contains some horse-related references.

I would like to offer my best wishes to all Fathers on this special day set aside for those of us who have been blessed to be a father or a grandfather (or even more). Along with being a husband and part of a loving family, it has been indeed my greatest lifetime joy. Thanks to my family for making it such an easy job. As I wrote this piece I realized once again just how quickly time passes us by; little wonder that time is our most precious commodity. As I did the math, I realized that I have been a father almost twice as long as I had a living father myself. The grandfather job has been icing on the cake.

A Proud Papa

It is not clear exactly just when and how Father's Day started as a special occasion but a few theories are offered. One such story states that the first Father's Day was observed in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910. A lady named Mrs. John Bruce Dodd wanted a special day to honour her father William Smart. Mr. Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife died in childbirth with their sixth child. He was then left to raise their children on his own. As Mrs. Dodd reached adulthood she realized what a special person her father was and wanted to honour him in some way for his selflessness and strength in raising his children as a single parent. Whether this is the actual beginning of this now time honoured day or not it seems to be a heart-warming tale.

Fathers Day has become a day to not only honour your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers and adult male friends who serve as role models all play a part in fathering, and thus they deserve to be honoured as well. The word "father" occurs many times in our everyday language, undoubtedly much more than we realize. Father Time, Forefather, Grandfather, Our Father, Godfather, House father, Father-in-law, the father of all ____, fatherhood, father of the bride and the list goes on.

As a youngster I often thought how lucky I was that I could go to work with my father whenever the opportunity presented itself. Not every child I knew could do that. Being self-employed as a farmer and lumberman it was almost like he never went to work, nor did he ever have a day off. When I was growing up most of the things kids busy themselves doing nowadays hadn't arrived yet. Organized sports, endless television watching, video games, etc., etc., not to mention the multiple gadgets all youngsters now have. To all of that I say "Not a problem!" I found plenty to do that filled my days and I loved it all.

I loved to travel about the countryside with my father, often seeing how business was done and how even a small portion of the rest of the world lived. What I learned was more by what I saw and heard than what I was told. It was a childhood I wouldn't trade for anything.

I would be remiss in not remembering my own father and his lasting influence on my interest in our grand old sport. While neither of us ever depended on harness racing as a means of making a living, we have spent (or in some cases wasted) a lot of time and energy on it. My father was interested and involved with horses of some type his entire life. He owned, bred, raised, showed, traded, farmed and logged with and in later years raced many horses although he was never an active trainer. He loved to go to the races, take in all of the action and excitement and thoroughly enjoyed conversing with the many friends he made over the years. He also wrote the odd piece that appeared in the Canadian Sportsman and even penned a tribute to a close friend about a horse the man owned. I can recall getting it typed for him, and I wish I still had a copy.

At a very young age I became interested in harness racing and loved to travel with my Dad not only to the races but also to visit farms, fairgrounds where people trained in those days, and in general anything at all that involved the sport. We talked "horse" all the way there and all the way back, non-stop. My earliest and most vivid memories were centered around our many trips to Batavia Downs, always his favourite spot. He left us an even 50 years ago (Nov. 1970), but his memory is always close at hand. He may not have ticked off all of the boxes of the perfect father but he was special to me. His never knowing what grade I was in nor just exactly when my birthday was didn't bother me in the least. Fathers back then were a little different.

I can recall being with my Dad one time at the races when he ran into an old friend and fellow horse owner by the name of John Langford, who hailed from around Chatham or Kent Bridge. They began discussing horses and what current hopefuls they had at the time and undoubtedly how they were progressing. On the subject of breeding your own horses Mr. Langford said "I'm about through with raising my own, you have to take what you get, you don't get to choose." My father replied, "Isn't that what your parents did?" And so it is with life.

My father had a pretty good sense of humor, remembered a lot of interesting things and didn't mind telling the odd old story. Maybe the apple didn't fall too far from the tree!

All You Fathers, Enjoy Your Day!

Quote For The Week: "No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child." - Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

Who Is It?

The number of horse people who followed in the father's footsteps into the business would make an endless list. In fact the roll call for those who didn't would likely be much shorter. In keeping with that theme I have chosen a few father and child photographs for today's photo quiz. Without going on a huge hunt my resources are somewhat limited but I hope the ones I do show will spark some interest.

1 - Who are these two jolly fellows?

2 - This young man and his father go back a very long way. Can you figure them out? (Courtesy of Hambletonian Society)

3 - Father and son on the left receiving a trophy at the Markham Fair. Can you name them?

4 - Father and son on the left are being interviewed for an upcoming story. Can you identify them both? Tell us who the writer is if you know.