Terry Todd Millhoun, a harness horse owner, trainer and champion amateur driver, has been named the 2010 Lady Pace honouree at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair. The widow of the late William Millhoun will be honoured in a winner’s circle ceremony following a three-year-old pacing filly division of the Ohio Breeders Championship which will be contested on Little Brown Jug Day, Thursday, September 23.
Terry, the daughter of noted veterinarian and trainer Dr. Frank Todd, began working with standardbreds in the early 1970s, first as a groom and then as assistant trainer for her father.
“I graduated from Ohio Dominican University with a degree in English, but I really wanted to work for my dad. He said, ‘No, you have a college education and you are going to use it.’ I worked for the Columbus Dispatch for a year and a half proofreading ads. I wasn’t happy, so my dad got me a job at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. I did public relations and research for farm manager Carter Duer.”
While at Castleton, Terry also helped editor Tom White with the research on the history of the Red Mile. The book, 'A Century Of Speed,' was published in 1975.
After three years, Terry returned as an assistant trainer for her father. “I was with my dad in 1979 when I met my future husband, Bill Millhoun.” Millhoun served as president of the Delaware County Fair Board and was a member of the Little Brown Jug Society.
After her marriage, Terry opened her own public stable and has been based at the Delaware County Fairgrounds ever since.
“My first win as a driver came with Weed Rorty in 1978. She was a trotting-bred filly, but we switched her to the pace. She was owned by my Uncle Hawley Todd and Hank Thomson, one of the founders of the Little Brown Jug. “
Another favourite was PKs Lizziebeth. “She was really, really good. She won the Ohio Colt Association Championship and my only Ohio Sires Stakes trophy. I won the OCRA Driver trophy with her at Delaware, but Mike Wilder drove her when she won the Sires Stakes at Lebanon."
Terry captured the 2005 Lady’s Driving Championship at Georgian Downs in Canada against both Canadian and American competition. Terry also has won several Billings Amateur races during her career.
Terry, who lives in Delaware, is a mother and grandmother. “My kids grew up at the track. When they were little. I made a tack room a play area. I put hogwire out around it so the kids could play in the tack room and outside.”
She continues to train her stable of three to five horses in Barn 36 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
(Little Brown Jug)