When the Butler Bulldogs stepped onto the court for the NCAA national championship game this past spring, Dr. Andy Hirschy had an added interest in the game
. Hirschy is a former player for Butler University. He has long since hung up his basketball shoes and now serves as one of the practicing veterinarians at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
A native of Wakarusa, Indiana, Hirschy grew up around racing and sports, having an interest in both entities. The Hirschy family could be categorized as frequent fair goers at the nearby Elkhart County Fair where they enjoyed watching the harness racing program. Hirschy’s father, Gerald, was the college roommate of Byron Hooley at Manchester College. Hooley played on the basketball team while Gerald was the team manager. Hirschy reconnected with Hooley and became a partner in Summit Pacing Acres. The duo purchased several horses for both the Ohio and Indiana racing circuits in the mid to late 1990s.
Although Hirschy enjoyed the horses, he was beginning to show extreme talent on the basketball court. An all-around athlete at Northwood High School, Hirschy set several records, including the scoring record with more than 1,500 points during his high school career. His talent attracted the attention of several colleges, including Butler University where he eventually landed with a full-ride scholarship.
“Butler was the best fit for what I wanted to do,” said Hirschy. “I was a shooting guard and started during my senior year and was the smallest guy on the team. My graduating class had the most wins in the history of Butler during the four years we were there. Since then, they have obviously done better. They were just starting to get good when I graduated.”
Hirschy excelled in his studies as well, graduating with a pharmacy degree from Butler and then moved to Purdue for his veterinary degree. Upon graduation, he began working for Dr. Keith Hollendonner at Hoosier Park, a post he held for two and one-half years.
“I just decided at that time I wanted to pursue other options,” said Hirschy. “I went back and became a pharmacist at CVS in the Indianapolis area and worked there for two years before coming back as a veterinarian.”
Hirschy and his wife, Mia, who is also a pharmacist, relocated to the Greenfield area with their three children Ben, Katie, and Sam. They opened a clinic in 2008 and recently added another 20 acres to their facility with the hopes of expanding their operation to include boarding, foaling out mares, and other veterinary care needs. However, one part of their facility will remain unchanged.
“We have a full basketball court in our barn,” said Hirschy. “When had the barn built and I thought it would be good for the kids. My oldest son, Ben [5 1/2 years], is just starting to get interested in it.”
Although Hirschy doesn’t play basketball competitively anymore, he still has a competitive nature, a trait that has drawn him into the harness racing world. He admits his career choice can be grueling, working seven days a week with 10-14 hour days. But, he is dedicated to his craft and finds his job to be very rewarding.
“Being a former athlete, I believe it pushes you to maximize your performance in anything you do,” said Hirschy. “There is competitiveness in this industry, and that keeps you going every day.”
(Hoosier Park)