Several local horsemen who passed over the past year, including farrier Dennis Payne, will be remembered during a memorial service prior to the first race at Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y. on Sunday (June 24).
Born in Binghamton, N.Y. on Feb. 27, 1944, Dennis Leo Payne was raised in the Southern Tier region of New York and in central Florida. He got into the horse business with his grandparents on his mother’s side, and he learned shoeing and blacksmithing from his stepfather Robert.
Over the course of his 50-plus years of shoeing horses, he was responsible for the foot care of three Hambletonian winners, including Continentalvictory, Self Possessed and Victory Dream.
He quietly shod dozens of world champions and superstars of the sport of harness racing. In fact, when Niatross visited Monticello Raceway in 1980, it was Dennis Payne who reset the iconic pacers footwear.
Payne passed away on Feb. 1, and is survived by his loving wife Joann Murns-Payne, sons Danny (Carol Ann) and John (Dawn), daughter, stepdaughter Casey Huckabone (Claude), stepson Dustin Miller (Margaret), brother Richard Wride, fifteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents Robert and LaRita Wride and his brother Russell Payne.
The Southern Tier Harness Horsemen’s Association is coordinating a memorial service, with horsemen and women walking from the Tioga Downs paddock to the winner’s circle at 12:50 p.m. on Sunday for a brief memorial service, honuoring members who have passed in the last year. Food and refreshments will be served, along with the sharing of fond memories, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the tent on the Tioga Downs apron.
(submitted by Chris Tully)