The Florida chapter of the States Harness Writers Association has announced its Hall of Fame inductees and the annual award winners for the 2015 harness racing season.
They will be honoured at the association’s 25th annual Silver Anniversary Hall of Fame Awards Dinner on Friday, February 19, 2016 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort and Spa in Pompano Beach.
The chapter’s Hall of Fame recognizes special individuals who have been outstanding leaders within the industry for more than ten years and who have contributed to the betterment of the Standardbred Industry. Elected to the chapter’s hall are veteran trainer/drivers Wally Ross Jr. of Coral Springs and Tom Sells of Margate, former Pompano Park race secretary Ken Marshall of Livonia, Michigan, and the top trotting sire, Basil, who is retired at James Gluhm’s farm in Trenton.
For the first time in the history of the Florida chapter of USHWA, both the Stanley Dancer Award (which recognizes achievements of a trainer who has been continuously outstanding in the development of young trotters) and the William Popfinger Award (for developing outstanding juvenile pacers) will go to the same person, and that is Mike Deters of Coconut Creek. It is the second time that Deters has won both awards, but never in the same year.
Winner of the Delvin G. Miller Award, which recognizes someone or an organization whose life in harness racing reflects dedication and integrity furthering the growth of the sport, goes to longtime owner/breeder and popular equine author, Victoria M. Howard of Boca Raton.
The Frances Dodge Van Lennep Award, which recognizes an outstanding female who has made great contributions to the sport, goes to Ann-Mari Daley of Lake Worth, who is the farm manager of the South Florida Trotting Center and the wife of trainer/driver Dan Daley.
The winner of the Allen J. Finkelson Award recognizes an individual in the sport who has contributed to the positive promotion of the Standardbred industry, and being honoured this year is longtime owner/breeder and Harnesslink writer, Thomas H. Hicks of Pompano Beach.
Winner of the R.D. Ricketts Award, presented to an owner whose contributions to Florida racing have been outstanding, is Richard Dunmire of North Fort Myers.
The winner of the Dana Irving Award for breeding excellent juvenile performers in 2015 is Laurie Poulin of Okeechobee.
The Peter Haughton Award for the best newcomer to Pompano Park ended for the first time in a dead heat, with the award going to both John Cummings Jr. of Nichols, NY and John MacDonald of Fredericton, New Brunswick.
The Dan Gawlas Good Guy Award, presented annually to an outstanding individual who has always contributed positively to the sport, goes to amateur driver Dein Spriggs of Jupiter.
The Florida USHWA chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award goes to longtime trainer/driver Allen Saul of Pompano Beach.
The annual Caretaker of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding individual who, over his or her career, has dedicated untiring time and efforts caring for the horses in the stable(s) they worked for. This year’s winner is Tracey O’Leary of Pompano Beach, who has worked many years for the Mike Deters Stable and is now with the Dan Clements Stable.
In addition to the Florida USHWA chapter’s awards, presentations will also be made by the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association to the owners of the top two and three-year-old state-bred trotters and pacers from the 2015 season and the annual Breeder of the Year Award. The Florida Amateur Driving Club will also present its year-end awards.
Tickets are $80 per person for the full course dinner that begins at 6:00 pm with a one-hour open bar with appetizers. Tables of ten are available.
(With files from the Florida chapter of USHWA)