The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association (MSOA) is thrilled to introduce its new executive director, Dawnelle Mock, who brings a bundle of experience and passion for the horse racing industry.
Born into a family deeply rooted in harness racing, Mock's upbringing alongside her parents Dan and Lisa Mock instilled in her a lifelong love for horses. With her parents owning and training racehorses and her sister and brother-in-law starting their own stable, Dawnelle's connection to the sport runs deep. Her first taste of ownership came when Dana and Spencer Kahrig gifted her a share in Standardbred racehorse Wingman Lauxmont.
While initially studying computer science at Youngstown State University, she never strayed far from her horse racing roots. She spent summers and breaks caring for horses with her family while helping Heather Wilder, marketing director of the MSOA at that time, with the promotional events during live Meadows racing. Her passion was further fueled to promote the sport she loved after attending the prestigious Dan Patch Awards event in Florida, which solidified her desire to pursue a career in marketing within the horse racing industry.
Transitioning her major to marketing, Mock interned at the Meadowlands before graduating from Youngstown State University and joining the MSOA as the social media director, later rising to the position of marketing director. Seeking new challenges, she expanded her horizons by working at the PA Horse Racing Association (PHRA) as the digital content director. Notably, she spearheaded initiatives to boost social media engagement and launched the successful podcast "Hot 2 Trot" to enhance awareness in the racing community.
Now, after valuable experiences in Pennsylvania racing, Mock returns to her roots at the MSOA, eager to apply her diverse expertise and innovative ideas to benefit the standardbred racing community.
“I am beyond excited to come back to The Meadows and hope to be a great representative to the amazing horsemen and horsewomen at The Meadows,” she said.
Lisa Dunn, MSOA president, stated: “The MSOA Board is very happy to have Dawnelle re-joining our organization. She brings her enthusiasm and knowledge of current industry trends back to The Meadows. I’d like to personally welcome her back and know that our members are also anxious to do so.”
(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)