This Sunday (November 12) will mark the end of the 'live' harness races at Hippodrome 3R for the 2017 season. The season started on April 23, but does not really end this Sunday as there is still the wonderful year-end gala Championship Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 18.
The awards dinner will honor the top horsemen, women and horses that competed throughout the season at 3R. The dinner begins at 5:00 p.m. and runs throughout the night. The emcee for the affair is none other than track announcer, Guy Lafontaine. Tickets are $35 per person.
According to the chairman of the dinner, 3R’s Francois Carignan, there are only a few tickets left to the affair and people interested in attending must contact him at the racetrack ASAP. The gala dinner will be held on the second floor of the casino, adjoined to the racetrack.
This kind of event is essential to all segments of harness racing in Quebec. It allows horse people to fraternize after a long season, it highlights the merits of each other, it often allows leaders to make some important announcements for the coming season.
It is fashionable to honour first the winners of the finals of the three-major series presented at the racetrack during the season, namely in order, the Quebec-Bred Series with their four finals for four- and five-year-olds, the Breeders Cup Series for three-year-olds and the Future Stars Series for the two-year-olds.
This will be the first time since the introduction of the gala that we will honour the winners of the Quebec Spring Series Finals, an important addition. This part of the gala, held before the big dinner, will end with the recognition of the only track record established this year.
It will then be trophies awarded to the most deserving: some are known, because of their statistics for 2017, others are not. The selection committee was composed of 3R's leading administrators, Murielle Thomassin, François Carignan, Guy Lafontaine, Johanne Letourneau and Daniel Delisle.
The awards include the groom of the year, the owner of the year (new category), the 4th star, an Excellence Media awards (new), the trotter of the year (the most victories at 3R in out of the series), the pacer of the year (same conditions), the trainer of the year, (statistics on November 12), the driver of the year (same conditions), and the personality of the year.
Anyone wishing to get some of the last tickets to the gala dinner Saturday, November 18, must contact François Carignan at 3R at 1-819-374-6734.
(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)