Meet August's Photographer

Frances (Frankie) Lund of Charlottetown, PEI, is the photographer behind the August shot for the Fan Club’s Heart of Harness Racing Calendar.

Lund captured this image, titled “Downpour” of Danny Romo and The Rev in the Gold Cup & Saucer Post Parade, on August 22, 2015 at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park just minutes before the race was rescheduled to the next day because of the torrential downpour and hazardous track conditions. The photograph was originally published in Atlantic Post Calls on September 11, 2015. This was the second consecutive year that Lund has captured a unique Gold Cup image which was featured as the Heart of Harness Racing calendar’s August shot.

The past year has been an “amazing” one for Lund. She was urged by some close friends to enter this shot for Standardbred Canada’s Media Awards of Excellence. "The minute the O’Brien announcement came out, and even still today I am humbled by the support and kind words my Atlantic harness racing family has shown from the texts, emails, facebook messages, phone calls and stopping to personally say a sweet compliment to the help with expenses," explained Lund.

"The trip to the O’Brien’s was only improved by the fact the Martimers were right there with me, in body and the rest in spirit, and in true fashion there were a lot of laughs when we all ended up together," Lund recalls.

Lund ended up winning the 2015 Media Excellence Award which was presented at the O’Brien Awards in February, and she completed her daily double of awards by taking a George Smallsreed Award in the US in the feature photography category with the same shot. That honour was presented at the Dan Patch Awards Banquet hosted in March.

"Winning both major awards in the same year was only done once before. It just adds to the pride I have," stated Lund, "Downpour is an image the people think of when they think Gold Cup and the great show it is. Would I wish it to happen again – no, but that night is so typical Gold Cup you never know what happens. But it’s all taken in stride and people continue to party on with family and friends and others who just wanted to get out of the rain. Downpour is a unique shot like the race, the people on PEI and the Old Home Week experience which I am very excited to share with the world when the World Trotting Conference is hosted in PEI next summer."

More comfortable behind the camera, than in front of it, Lund received several accolades for 2015 and the Prince Edward Island Horse Owners Association named her Horsewoman of the Year. "It was amazing and totally unexpected, and I’m honoured to have my name on it."