The Fredericton Horsemen’s Association will hold their annual awards
dinner and Wall of Fame inductions on Saturday evening, March 23, 2013 at the
Fredericton Inn on Regent Street. A
social gathering will begin at 6:30 pm with the dinner being served at 7:00
pm. Ticket prices are $35 and are
available at the Fredericton Exhibition office, the Harness Racing New
Brunswick office or from members of the Fredericton Horsemen’s Association.
Mitch Murphy, a winner in 2003 of the Cam Fella Award that is given for extreme recent meritorious
service to the Canadian harness racing industry, will be the guest speaker. Murphy is also a former P.E.I. M.L.A., a
Minister Responsible for the PEI Harness Racing Commission and past member of
the Standardbred Canada Board of Directors.
Chris Connor will act as Master of Ceremonies.
* * * * *
When I established the Fredericton
Raceway Wall of Fame in 2004 it was looked upon as an opportunity to recognize
and pay tribute to the many people and their horses and their contribution to
the legacy of one of Canada’s most historic tracks.
Fredericton Raceway turned 125 years old
last year and has witnessed many Canadian and World championship moments during
that time.
We even have a horse, Bill Sharon, in
the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
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| BILL SHARON photo courtesy of Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame |
The chestnut stallion was foaled at Samuel J. Boyle’s Fredericton farm on September 1, 1915. He was undefeated in Fredericton as a four and five-year-old and then sold to Tommy Murphy of Poughkeepsie, NY for $25,000, a record price for a Canadian standardbred horse.
On August 17, 1922 he
became the first Canadian-bred horse to trot better than 2:05 at Narberth, Pennsylvania
when he won consecutive heats in 2:05 ¼ -2:04 ¼ - 2:06 ¼ against world class
trotters. He also became the first
Maritime-bred to trot or pace a mile better than 2:05 on
any North American track.
He was inducted to the
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2000.
On July 1, 2017, Canada will celebrate
its 150th birthday and on the same day horse racing in this great
country will commemorate 250 years. It
is expected that many horse people from across the country will converge on the
Plains of Abraham in Quebec City to remember the first horse racing meet that was
held there on July 1, 1767.
As July 1, 2017 draws nearer, you can
expect to hear more about events that will be planned to observe this
significant moment in Canadian history.
Given the trying times that the industry
is now under, we can only hope that it can survive and remain relevant and
vital for many years to come.
* * * * *
Of course, anyone can make nominations
to the Wall of Fame selection committee and I have already submitted my choices
for consideration. My list was somewhat
extensive and probably not all of them will be considered for induction this
year.
These are my personal nominees for the
Wall of Fame:
Lifetime contribution:
Bill Thorton – Outstanding owner,
trainer, driver, racing official and FREX Board of Director member with over 50
years devoted to harness racing in Fredericton
Trainer-Driver:
Mike Campbell - Outstanding owner,
trainer and driver at Fredericton Raceway for over 40 years
Mike Downey - Outstanding owner, trainer
and driver at Fredericton Raceway for over 40 years
Sheldon Watts - Outstanding owner,
trainer and driver at Fredericton Raceway for over 40 years
Equine:
Chesley H Searcey – World champion horse
owned by Fredericton Driving and Sporting Club
All Star Dragon – Fastest horse ever
developed in Fredericton
Northern Raucous – Richest horse ever
developed in Fredericton
Princetown Cody – Richest trotter ever
developed in Fredericton
Tidy Point – Winningest horse ever
developed in Fredericton
* * * * *
2004 Inductees
Gerald
Bishop
|
Fredericton Raceway track announcer
for 40 years (1963-2003)
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||
Daily
Special
|
25th Anniversary of
breaking 42-year-old Fredericton Raceway track record (June 14, 1979)
|
Owner:
David Kileel
|
Trainer-Driver:
Mike Downey
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Jaguar
Knight
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10th Anniversary of
becoming the fastest Maritime-bred and second fastest Canadian-bred of all
time - 1:51.2 at The Meadowlands (May 14, 1994)
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Owner:
Wayne Hill
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Trainer:
Sheldon Watts
Robert Stevenson
|
2005 Inductees
Ned
Lindon
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Outstanding owner, driver, trainer and
blacksmith at Fredericton Raceway for over 45 years
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George
Woodside
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Outstanding owner, driver, trainer and
racing official at Fredericton Raceway for over 50 years
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||
All
Finesse
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Atlantic Sires Stakes champion in
1990, multiple stake winner and track record holder in Fredericton
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Owner:
E M S Stable
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Trainer-Driver:
Mike Downey
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Bill
Sharon
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Only Fredericton-bred horse to be
inducted to Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (2000), Canadian champion
|
Owner:
Samuel Boyle
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Driver:
Peter Carroll
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Clipper
Seelster
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First sub-2:00 mile in Maritime
harness racing history – 1:59.3 (July 19, 1982)
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Owner:
Paul Daeres
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Trainer-Driver:
Willard Carr
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Slicker
Tass
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Outstanding performer at Fredericton
Raceway in the 1950’s
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Owner:
Bruce MacDonald
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Trainer:
Bruce MacDonald
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Walter
Dale
|
Fredericton Raceway track record and
Canadian win race record for half-mile track
|
Owners:
Sullivan-Mawhinney Stables
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Trainer-Driver:
Henry Clukey
|
2006 Inductees
Carroll
Cail
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In recognition of over 40 years of
service to Fredericton Raceway
|
||
Thomas
Etter
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Outstanding trainer-driver at
Fredericton Raceway for over 20 years
|
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Jim
Fearneley
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Outstanding owner, breeder and FREX
Board of Director member with over 25 years as a volunteer devoted to the growth
of Maritime harness racing
|
||
Igoddago
|
Fastest Maritime-bred horse in the
Maritimes
|
Owners:
Brian Lean, Ron Roy & Mike
Campbell
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Trainer-Driver:
Mike Campbell
|
Single
G
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Canadian half-mile and two-heat record
– 2:04.3-2:05 (September 20, 1923)
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Owner:
William Barefoot
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Driver:
Ed Allen
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2007 Inductees
Albert
Goodine
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Outstanding owner and FREX Board of
Director member with over 40 years devoted to harness racing in Fredericton
|
||
Bert
Lint
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Outstanding owner, trainer and driver
at Fredericton Raceway for over 30 years
|
||
James
Smith
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Outstanding owner, trainer and driver
at Fredericton Raceway for over 60 years
|
||
Spudland
Sierra
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Fastest New Brunswick-bred mare of all
time
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Owner:
Brent Briggs
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Trainer:
Brent Briggs
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Warbucks
Pick
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Maritime Free-for-All star in late
1960s and early 1970s
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Owner:
Russell Embleton
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Trainer:
Mike Campbell
James Smith
Brian Embleton
|
2008 Inductees
William
(Wiff) Miles
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Lifetime contributution to Fredericton
Raceway
|
||
Bill
Quigg
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Lifetime contributution to Fredericton
Raceway
|
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Robert
Stevenson
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Outstanding owner, driver and trainer
from Fredericton
|
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Elmwood
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Multiple Stake, Free-For-All, Open
Class winner 1960s
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Owners:
Ross Millett &
Bill Quigg
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Trainer:
Phil Sowers
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Woodmere
Topcat
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Multiple Stake, Free-For-All, Open
Class winner
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Owners:
Lloyd & Amy Denton
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Trainer:
Lloyd Denton
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2009 Inductees
Williamson
Stables
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Lifetime contribution to Fredericton
Raceway
|
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Shannon
Commander
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Track record 1:55 – June 26, 1993
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Owner:
Ashley & Joan Sloat
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Driver:
Garry MacDonald
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2010 Inductees
Jack
Bernard
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Outstanding owner, driver and trainer
at Fredericton Raceway for over 20 years
|
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Fred
Gay
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Lifetime contribution to Fredericton
Raceway
|
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Wilmot
Downs Ltd.
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Devoted to the growth of harness
racing at Fredericton 1960s-1970s
|
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Big
Bucks Bomber
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Maritime Free-for-All star in 1990s
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Owner:
Sandra Foley
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Trainer:
Sandra Foley
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Pipe
Major
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Multiple Stake and Open Class winner
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Owner:
Painting The Town
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Trainer-Driver:
Mike Campbell
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2011 Inductees
David
Kileel
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Outstanding owner at Fredericton
Raceway for over 20 years
|
2012 Inductees
Tony
Decourcey
|
Outstanding owner, driver, trainer and
FREX Board of Director member with over 25 years as a volunteer devoted to
the growth of Maritime harness racing
|
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Vulga
Wil
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Maritime Open Mare winner
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