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12/8/11
RTIP WINS BERGSTEIN MESSENGER AWARD
Tucson, AZ- The University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) has been named winner of the 2012 Stanley F. Bergstein Messenger Award, the highest honor bestowed by Harness Tracks of America (HTA), the association of North American harness racetracks.
The annual award is named for the English thoroughbred imported to America in 1788 and founder of the harness breed, and for the late industry titan Stan Bergstein, who spent 50 years as executive vice president of HTA. The award recognizes exceptionally meritorious contributions to the sport of harness racing. The RTIP is the 32nd recipient, and is being recognized for the many contributions it has made to the racing industry by educating young people interested in working in the pari-mutual racing industry and educating racing’s executive and management employees at its annual Symposium on Racing and Gaming, racing’s largest and most prestigious ecumenical forum.
Paul Fontaine, President of Plainridge Racecourse in Massachusetts and President of HTA, in presenting this year’s award, said, “This year’s Stanley F. Bergstein Messenger Award, presented a little more than a month after Stan’s death on November 2nd, goes to the organization about which he felt so strongly that he moved HTA’s headquarters to Tucson. Stan felt that the contributions the RTIP made to the racing industry were important, and that having HTA in Tucson would allow him to build a partnership between the two organizations, giving students the opportunity to do research they could be proud of for an industry organization that would distribute those studies to a wide audience. And that’s just what happened.”
Among the last decisions Stan made in his role with HTA was to choose the RTIP as the recipient of the 2012 Stanley F. Bergstein Messenger Award.
Doug Reed, director of the RTIP, accepted the Stanley F. Bergstein Messenger Award on December 6th, during a luncheon at the Symposium on Racing and Gaming. Reed paid tribute to Bergstein’s involvement with the RTIP, which dates to 1974, when the RTIP was founded.
4/21/11
Harness Tracks of America to Recommend Support of RCI Drug Initiative
The Executive Committee of Harness Tracks of America (HTA) has voted to recommend to its Board of Directors that it support the recently announced call by the outgoing and incoming chairmen of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) for a “five-year phase-out” of equine medication in horse racing in order to bring the United States “in line with what is going on in other parts of world.”
The Executive Committee of HTA agreed that such a proposal is worthy of further discussion within both the Standardbred and Thoroughbred industries in an effort to better serve the health and welfare of the equine athlete, maintain and improve the integrity and image of both sports, and to boost the long-term interests of the overall racing industry. These goals would benefit all industry stakeholders, from breeders and owners, to racing associations and the betting public.
HTA President Paul Fontaine of Plainridge Racecourse stated that, “Outgoing RCI Chairman Dan Hartman and incoming Chairman Willie Koester say they want their organization to lead the way into a bright new future for horse racing. HTA’s Executive Committee feels it’s an effort worthy of serious discussion, and as such, we will further refine our discussion and bring to our Board of Directors the idea of throwing our support behind it in any way we can.”
In remarks made at the March 28 RCI Annual Meeting held in New Orleans, Hartman noted that a five-year plan would give industry stakeholders time to make the necessary practical and regulatory adjustments to effect the change. New RCI Chairman Willie Koester of the Ohio State Racing Commission agreed with Hartman’s proposal.
The HTA Executive Committee acknowledges it will require a substantial effort from all facets of the industry, building on the work already in place by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) to form a consensus on policies and improve drug testing practices. “Hopefully this will act as the start of a real dialogue on tackling this issue,” Fontaine added.
3/17/11
2011-2012 SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT
The Harness Tracks of America College Scholarship Fund is offering five, $5,000 scholarships for post-secondary education to students actively involved in the sport of harness racing or to the children of harness racing professionals (living or deceased), including licensed drivers, trainers, caretakers or management officials.
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit, financial need and active harness racing involvement. Applications are available now by contacting Harness Tracks of America via phone at 520-529-2525 or e-mail at jen@harnesstracks.com. The deadline for returning all application materials is May 15, 2011.
Applications can also be downloaded from the following Web site:
www.harnesstracks.com/scholarships.htm
The scholarship program, begun in 1973, has made 191 grants to 130 worthy students involved in harness racing since its inception with the scholarships totaling $707,950.
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The ads for the 2011-2012 Harness Tracks of America Scholarship can be viewed by clicking here.
3/11/11
STAN BERGSTEIN TO BE HONORED AT 2012 AWARDS BANQUET OF U.S. HARNESS WRITERS ASSOCIATION
In a release this morning from the United States Harness Writers Association, it was announced that HTA’s own Executive Emeritus Stan Bergstein will be honored at the 2012 USHWA Dan Patch Awards banquet. The release appears below in its entirety.
HARRISBURG PA—Stan Bergstein, (not-so-)arguably the greatest executive in the sport of harness racing over the last 50 years, and the only "double Hall of Fame" honoree, will be spotlighted at the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA)’s Dan Patch Awards banquet in late winter 2012.
Bergstein first came to prominence as a racecaller in Detroit and Chicago, but it soon became apparent that this was a young man who possessed an enormous array of talents, all of which served the burgeoning growth of harness racing just after midcentury. After revolutionizing the racing office world with the popularization of claiming races, Bergstein "stepped up" to simultaneously handle several positions at the U.S. Trotting Association, including executive editor of Hoof Beats magazine – and he was the one who changed over the acclaimed magazine from largely black-and-white reportage to the accoladed color feature publication it still is today.
After Don MacFarlane established Harness Tracks of America as a prime resource for racing operators during his 1954-1961 presidency, HTA hired Bergstein as executive vice-president, and this year marks his 50th in terms of service to the association – 49 as executive vice-president, and then, in deeply-begrudged admittance that time may have a toll on even Stan Bergstein at 86-years-young, this year in the newly-created Executive Emeritus position.
As its name implies, Harness Tracks of America is an invaluable resource for its member associations, offering surveys and detailed analysis (and transcripts) of the sort of questions track management need. But he also did so much more, including forming an allegiance in 1974 with the University of Arizona and its incipient Race Track Industry Program, the first opportunity of its kind to specifically prepare young women and men for careers in the equine industries, of all breeds. Bergstein realized the opportunity to synergize an annual conference with these budding executives, and, through his many connections, assured the annual Racing Symposium the very best of speakers, on overall management theory and on the "hot-button" issues of the day. (Perhaps not ironically, when his family needed to relocate to warmer climes, Bergstein chose Tucson – the home of the U of A.)
Bergstein was able to tap into so many good people because he has been an ecumenist, an explorer of good ideas regardless of crossing typical industry thinking, within and without harness racing, at a time when (still) many people think that if racing put together a firing squad, it would form in a circle, and then point inward. Nobody but Stan Bergstein could possibly be a regular columnist in the thoroughbred Daily Racing Form, the statistical "bible" of the galloping sport.
For this type of leadership, inquisitiveness, exploration, and innovation, Stan Bergstein was voted into the Communicators Hall of Fame in 1986, and a year later, elevated to the sport’s highest honor, induction into the sport’s Living Hall of Fame. He still is the only "double Hall of Famer."
"There are few people in the sport, and certainly none of the ‘younger generation,’ who do not revere Stan Bergstein for his unprecedented accomplishments in harness racing," said Jason Settlemoir, president of USHWA. "Honoring him at our 2012 dinner seems a small ‘thank you’ compared to what he has done for harness communications, racetracks, and just the entire sport in general."
In later years Bergstein has vowed that he would not travel east until the temperature reached 70, but seeing that the 2012 USHWA banquet is likely to be staged in Florida, where the writers just held a successful weekend a few weeks back, it is all but assured that Bergstein will make the trip, to be justly honored by USHWA and to receive the warm personal praise of his many friends (some of whom started on the opposite side of the table) and longtime colleagues.
2/25/11
FONTAINE ELECTED HTA PRESIDENT
Paul
Fontaine, Director of Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville,
Massachusetts, has been elected to be the 24th President of Harness
Tracks of America (HTA). Fontaine, who succeeds Western Fair CEO
Hugh Mitchell in the post, has served as an HTA Director for the
past 13 years and on its Executive Committee for the last seven.
Of his election by his peers, Fontaine stated: "I believe the changes that are being made at HTA will feature responsive and vibrant representation for our member tracks as we look forward to the challenges of our industry with optimism and resoluteness."
Fontaine, a practicing attorney since 1963, has also been active for over 40 years as an owner, breeder, yearling buyer and racetrack representative. His horses have raced from Maine to California and include No No Yankee, winner of the Inaugural Woodrow Wilson in 1977. He was a co-founder of the former New England sire stakes program, and as President of the Standardbred Owners Association of New England, representing horsemen at three major New England racetracks, was a prime mover and signatory to the first-ever contract entered into between tracks and horsemen sharing retention on a 50/50 partnership basis, helping to usher in a new era of cooperation between tracks and horsemen.
A longtime advocate for honesty and integrity in harness racing, Fontaine was elected as a director of the United States Trotting Association (USTA) in 1980 and has over 30 years of service on the USTA board as both a horseman and a racetrack representative, including a 7-year term as its chairman. He is presently serving as Vice President on the Board of Trustees for the Harness Horse Youth Foundation (HHYF) and as a Trustee of the American Horse Council (AHC). Throughout his career he has spearheaded the creation and adoption of integrity policies that are still in effect today at the USTA, HTA, HHYF and the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
Fontaine was elected to the New England Harness Writers Association Hall of Fame in 1998 and was the 2009 recipient of the Joseph A. Vacaro memorial award for lifetime achievement in the sport of harness racing. Drawing on his political background, having served in the Rhode Island State Senate from 1966-1976 and as deputy majority leader, he has been active as a liaison to foster better relationships and communication between the racing industry and state racing commissions.
Re-elected as HTA officers were James K. Boese, COO and General Manager of Racing at Harrington Raceway, to the post of Senior Vice President; Jason Settlemoir, VP of Racing, Simulcast and Sponsorships for Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, as Vice President; Christopher McErlean, Vice President of Racing for Penn National Gaming, Inc., serving as HTA Treasurer; and Paul Estok as HTA Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary. As announced on February 7, 2011, Stanley Bergstein is now HTA’s Executive Emeritus.
1/27/11
TOMMY CUGLE 2010 GROOM OF THE YEAR
Tommy
Cugle, an energetic veteran groom who is currently employed at
Teague Stables, has been named 2010 Groom of the Year in the annual
competition sponsored by HTA and Hanover Shoe Farms.
Cugle told his nominator, Delaware-based publicist and TV racing show producer and host Heather Moffett, "I can’t imagine my life any other way...I would say that I love it, but I enjoy it even so much more than that. I still get such a great feeling when I walk into the barn in the mornings and see my horses." Those horses include Delmarvalous, winner of the Oliver Wendell division and The Adios in 2010; Mr. Wiggles, home-town winner of the Governor’s Cup at the Delaware State Fair; and I’m Gorgeous, who won a leg of the Battle of The Brandywine as well as elims of the Cane Pace and the Little Brown Jug.
George Teague, Jr., described his long-time acquaintance and current employee’s dedication and skill thusly, "When I send Tommy on the road, I don’t have to worry about a thing. In fact, there have been a couple stakes races where I decided to stay at home with the family and just watch on simulcast. Tommy will ask, ‘Why aren’t you going to come up?’ and I tell him, ‘Why should I? YOU’RE here!’ I never have to worry about equipment, warm-up time, not a thing. It’s nice to have a groom you can have so much trust in."
Moffett notes that in addition to his talents as a groom for Teague’s racehorses, Tommy Cugle is an "amazing singer" who performed the national anthem at a past Hambletonian and Breeders Crown and that he "dumps grain morning and night for 15 equines and manages the turn-out schedule" at another of Teague’s farms. Her glowing nomination concludes, "No matter what he’s doing -- working, singing or being the go-to guy to put a smile on your face -- he does everything with enthusiasm." The judges, representing HTA and Hanover Shoe Farms, appreciate such devotion among all of this year’s nominees and note that the award is symbolic of the work ethic of grooms everywhere.
1/10/11
TETRICK 2010 HTA DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Tim Tetrick is Harness Tracks of America’s Driver of the Year for 2010, and that honor remains the most difficult in the sport to win.
Hard evidence is the fact that of 3,853 drivers who competed for purses in North America last year, only 7 were able to finish in the top 10 in money won, races won and Universal Driver Rating in-the-money percentages. It was Tetrick’s third year as Driver of the Year. He won in 2007, when he set an all-time race-winning record by piloting 1,189 winners, then returned in 2008 to tie Dave Palone for the title. He finished fourth last year for his performances in 2009, and then edged Palone by half a point in 2010, 85.5 points to 85.
Tetrick was the nation’s leading money-winning driver last year, his mounts accounting for $16,485,409 in purses. He finished second in North America, behind George Napolitano Jr., in wins, with 720 driving victories. And despite driving in 3,462 races – more than any of the top 25 top drivers in the rankings, he maintained a .336 Universal Driver Rating System in-the-money “slugging average,” good for a 14th place tie in those standings. That total, based on the HTA formula of 25 points for finishing first down to 1 for finishing 25th in each category, plus a 25-point bonus for being in the top 25 in all three, earned him 85.5 points.
He needed every one, since the all-time leader, Dave Palone, six-time HTA driver of the year, was in hot pursuit. He fell only half a point short at 85. In 2008 the two rivals tied with 93, and the year before that Tetrick won with 95, third highest total in 42 years of the HTA championship rankings behind Herve Filion’s 97 in 1970 and Mike Lachance’s 96 in 1987. Filion is the all-time leader, having been HTA Driver of the Year 10 times, including winning six championships between 1969 and 1974.
Tetrick’s latest trophy will be presented at an HTA track next spring or summer.
Here are the final complete standings for 2010 of the seven drivers in North America able to finish in the top 25 in all three categories last year.
9/24/10
HTA LAUNCHES E-BAY AUCTION TO BENEFIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Harness Tracks of America is auctioning off one flag signed by Breeders Crown drivers from the 2006 Meadowlands races, along with one flag and two programs signed by drivers in the 2006 Meadowlands Pace. The e-Bay auctions began today and will end on Monday, October 4 around 3:00pm eastern. The auction offers the perfect opportunity for fans or collectors to own a piece of harness racing history. All proceeds from the auctions benefit the HTA Scholarship Fund, which provides five scholarships annually to college students with harness racing backgrounds. Donations are fully tax-deductible through the e-Bay & Mission Fish Giving Works Program.
The Breeders Crown flag (Item # 190448626721) is approximately 6 feet long by 4 feet high, and has been signed by 2006 Meadowlands Breeders Crown drivers Steve Elliott, Ervin Miller, Ron Pierce, Chris Ryder, Brian Sears and Trond Smedshammer.
The Meadowlands Pace flag (Item # 190448624230) is approximately 6 feet long by 4 feet high, and has been signed by the great harness racing drivers from the July 15, 2006, race: George Brennan, John Campbell, Yannick Gingras, Mark MacDonald, Cat Manzi, Andy Miller, David Miller, Dave Palone, Ron Pierce and Brian Sears.
Two 2006 Meadowlands Pace programs (Item #s 190448629594 & 190448629767), both signed by the drivers of the $1,000,000 Final also will be up for auction. The programs were signed by George Brennan, John Campbell, Yannick Gingras, Mark MacDonald, Cat Manzi, Andy Miller, David Miller, Dave Palone, Ron Pierce and Brian Sears.
Just search for these item numbers on www.ebay.com and bid by Monday, October 4 at 3:00pm eastern in order to take advantage of these unique opportunities.
5/4/10
ESTOK TAKES OVER NEW DUTIES
Paul Estok, general counsel and corporate secretary of Harness Tracks of America for the last 15 years, has assumed his new HTA duties as Executive Director. Estok served in his previous role, and as an executive assistant and researcher, during his honors career at the University of Arizona in the College of Agriculture and since his graduation from the Race Track Industry Program and from the University of Arizona College of Law. In his new role Estok will be responsible for the overall management of the day-to-day operations and budget of HTA, providing oversight and administration of all membership services. He will work alongside Executive Vice President Stan Bergstein, who will continue producing and editing the association’s daily, weekly and monthly newsletters and editorial content and public relations image.
Estok, who graduated magna cum laude and was named the outstanding graduating senior in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Arizona in 1994, previously studied at the University of California San Diego, the Baruch College of the City University of New York, and the New School for Social Research in New York City. Before his Arizona days, he worked as an editor at Lucent Books and Greenhaven Press in Rancho Bernardo, California and as a legal proofreader at Cleary, Gottlieb, Stein and Hamilton in New York City. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Estok said he is "looking forward to working with Bergstein to keep HTA the vibrant and vocal organization it has been for the last 50 years." Along with HTA president Hugh Mitchell’s announcement of Estok’s promotion, Estok and Bergstein announced the advancement of Jennifer Foley from manager of web development and information services, a position she will continue to serve, to a new role as executive assistant of HTA.
3/22/10
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2010-2011 HTA SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT AND ADS
2/18/10
RENDELL WINS MESSENGER
Edward G. Rendell, governor of Pennsylvania, has been named winner of the 2010 Stanley F. Bergstein Messenger Award, highest honor bestowed by Harness Tracks of America, the association of North American harness racetracks.
The annual award, named for the English thoroughbred imported to America in 1788 and founder of the harness breed, and for Stan Bergstein, now in his 49th year as executive vice president of HTA, recognizes exceptionally meritorious contributions to the sport of harness racing. Governor Rendell is the 30th recipient, and is being recognized for his determined and decisive efforts in revitalizing harness racing in Pennsylvania.
Hugh Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of Western Fair Raceway in Ontario and President of HTA, announcing this year’s winner, said, "Ed Rendell’s contributions to Pennsylvania harness racing have been immense, and have transformed the sport in his state to major international prominence and stature."
Gov. Rendell will receive the Messenger at the 2010 annual joint convention of HTA and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations on Wednesday, March 10 at the Hyatt Grand Champions in Indian Wells, California.
2/10/10
MO DOLAN 2009 GROOM OF THE YEAR
Maureen (Mo) Dolan, a veteran groom in the Jeff Smith stable based at Showplace Farms in New Jersey, has been named Groom of the Year in the annual competition sponsored by Harness Tracks of America and Hanover Shoe Farms.
Ms. Dolan, currently caring for the $208,814 older trotting gelding The Mighty Mr. K, from Jeff Gural’s Little E Stable, has cared for some major stars in the past, working for trainer Joe Holloway. Past horses in her care included Tooter Scooter, Megamind, Island Glow and She’s A Great Lady, as well as that great filly’s foal Lady McBeach. She also cared for Jenna’s Beach Boy for a short time.
Ms. Dolan worked for 20 years alongside Pam Baillie, Groom of the Year in 1996, when Pam was caring for world record holder Jenna’s Beach Boy. It was Ms. Baillie who nominated Ms. Dolan, and in her nomination letter she wrote that good horses make for good grooms, but said Maureen Dolan went far beyond that. "What makes Mo a great groom is her dedication, commitment and sacrifice, no matter how good the horses are. I’ve worked with Mo long enough to know that she is the hardest-working, most conscientious person I know. Anyone who knows her can attest to that. She is never in a hurry to get done and never takes short cuts. She puts 100% into taking care of horses no matter their price or class. She’s always willing to take that extra time to make sure a horse is properly cared for. She takes great pride in her work. Over the years she has managed her money well enough to own a home and truck and trailer, which she manages to make extra money with. You don’t see that a lot any more. She sets a great example for all of us." HTA’s and Hanover’s judges, agreeing, noted that the award is symbolic of the work ethic of grooms everywhere.
1/4/10
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2009 DRIVER OF THE YEAR AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT
9/29/09
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 2009 GROOM OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCEMENT AND ADS
2/13/09
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 2009-2010 HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT AND ADS
1/8/09
3rd DEAD HEAT IN 41 YEARS AS PALONE, TETRICK TIE FOR HTA DRIVER OF THE YEAR
Western Pennsylvania’s perennial driving champion Dave Palone and record-setting driver Tim Tetrick have finished in a tie for harness racing’s highest honor for drivers, the Harness Tracks of America Driver of the Year Award.
The award, the most difficult in harness racing to win, requires a driver to finish in the top 25 in North America in money won, races won, and driver percentage (UDRS) standings. Points are awarded from 25 points down to 1 point for 25th, with a 25-point bonus for finishing in the top 25 in all three categories. Only 5 drivers, out of 4,321 who drove in at least one purse race last year, were able to accomplish that feat. Based on Palone’s and Tetrick’s performances, the North American title wound up a tie for only the third time in the 41 years the award has been presented by HTA, an association of 38 major harness racing organizations in the U.S. and Canada.
Palone, who has won the HTA award four times before (in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004) finished first in UDRS with a .447 "slugging average," third in wins with 887, and sixth in money won with $10,104,572. With the 25-point bonus, Palone finished with 93 points.
Tetrick, who won the 2007 award in a year in which he won more races and purse money in a single season than anyone in history, finished first in money earnings with $19,752,066, eclipsing last year’s record total of $18,342,367, second in wins with 903, and seventh in UDRS. The addition of the 25-point bonus gives Tetrick 93 total points.
12/19/08
WORLD IN HARNESS TO BE HEARD WEEKLY, YEAR-ROUND
The World in Harness, the World Wide Web online presentation of Harness Tracks of America, will be heard as an Internet feature 52 weeks a year in 2009.
The show, which can be accessed at www.harnesstracks.com on HTA’s home page, features interviews by HTA executive vice president Stan Bergstein with major harness racing newsmakers. All shows are archived permanently, and can be heard at any time, day or night, indefinitely, on the Web.
The first of the new series, which appeared online Christmas week, is an interview with Greg Peck, the dual career professional who trains Fortune 500 company personnel in media relations and also trains the early 2009 Hambletonian favorite, the champion 2-year-old trotter Muscle Hill, winner of $817,301 this year in his first season of racing.
12/4/08
MARC SMITH AT CONGRESS
Marc A. Smith, Chief Social Scientist for Telligent Systems and former Senior Research Sociologist and founder of Microsoft Research Community Technologies, will be a featured speaker at the fifth Racing Congress, scheduled for Bellagio in Las Vegas Feb. 2-6, 2009.
Smith, 43, an internationally recognized authority in his field, will discuss coming phone technology and the implications of social networking for horse racing. Holder of three degrees, a Bachelor’s from Drexel University in Philadelphia, a Masters from Cambridge University in England and a Ph.D. from UCLA, he has authored or co-authored more than 100 papers on social interaction and is co-editor of "Communities in Cyberspace," a collection of essays on interaction in online groups.
Following Smith’s presentation a panel moderated by William Shanklin, a professor in the business school at the University of Akron and a longtime observer and analyst of racing, will discuss Web 2.0 computer technology and its applications to racing. The panel will consist of Jack Schibrowsky, professor of marketing at the University of Nevada Las Vegas; Tim Capps, a longtime racing editor and lecturer at the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program; Steve May, a graduate student and blogger in his final year of studies at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program; and Andrew MacDonald, Woodbine Entertainment’s vice president of marketing and communications. There also will be audience participation.
The Racing Congress includes members of Harness Tracks of America, the United States Trotting Association, Thoroughbred Racing Associations, Harness Horsemen International, the U.S. Harness Writers Association, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium and other affiliated groups and interested individuals. Registration and room reservations can be made through Jennifer Foley at HTA.
10/28/08
NOMINATION SOUGHT FOR 2008 "GROOM OF THE YEAR" AWARD
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 "Groom of the Year" Award. The award, sponsored annually by Harness Tracks of America and Hanover Shoe Farms, recognizes the unsung heroes of the sport, the grooms who maintain the health and welfare of the sport’s horses.
All that is needed to nominate a groom for the 27th annual "Groom of the Year" award is a letter from an individual or group to Harness Tracks of America detailing the skills and special qualities of the groom. The winning groom receives an oil painting of himself or herself with the horse of their choice. All individuals nominated for the award receive a certificate of excellence and the first 50 grooms nominated also receive an embroidered jacket as a groom of the year nominee.
The "Groom of the Year" Award was founded in 1982 after Delvin Miller, addressing attendees at the annual HTA meeting as its Messenger award winner for that year, noted the sport gave no recognition to its grooms, its unsung stars. The 2007 "Groom of the Year" was Fia Svensson.
The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2008. All entries detailing why candidates are deserving of the honor as groom of the year should be mailed to Harness Tracks of America, 4640 East Sunrise, Suite 200, Tucson, AZ, 85718. Nominations also may be submitted by fax (520-529-3235) or by e-mail (jen@harnesstracks.com). Letters must contain the name, address, telephone number and jacket size for the nominated groom, along with the name, address and telephone number of the nominator.