The Official Publication of the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association
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The Buckeye Harness Horseman The Offi cial Publicati on of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Associati on February 2017 Volume 47 Number 1 The Buckeye Harness Horseman The Offi cial Publicati on of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Associati on Departments Adverti sers OHHA Staff 4 From Your Executi ve Director 3 Ohio Sires Stakes Executi ve Director Renée Mancino 6 Director's Corner 6 Claude Brault, Equine Agent 8 OSRC Meeti ng Recap 10 Hickory Lane Farm Offi ce Administrator Cheri Johnson 11 New Beginnings 14 Bonley Farm Communicati ons 11 Equine Spotlight 15 Blue Rock Stables Director 12 Ohio Track Updates 16 Abby Stables Regina Mayhugh 13 Ohio Fair Updates 18 Abby Stables Benefi ts Administrator Linda Nance 12 Get to Know Your Directors 22 Abby Stables 18 Ohio Breeding Farms 24 Abby Stables Project Coordinator Susan Schroeder 51 Fun with Standardbreds 26 Abby Stables Senior Accountant 50 PACER Abby Stables 28 Deborah Lawrence 30 Abby Stables Features Track Representati ve 7 Buckeye Stallion Series 32 Hagemeyer Farms Miami Valley, Scioto Downs & Hollywood Gaming at Dayton 15 Deborah Lawrence Joins 34 Hagemeyer Farms the OHHA Team as Senior Brett Merkle Accountant 36 Marvin Raber Farm Track Representati ve 20 OHHA Hosts Annual Meeti ng 40 ATI Northfi eld Park & Banquet 41 Crystal Springs Stables Amy Hollar 21 Mercer County Girl Scout Troops Contribute to OHHA 44 Midland Acres Banquet Back Hagemeyer Farms 23 OHHA Award Winners Upcoming Dates 27 OHHA Horse of the Year Winners OHHA Board Meeti ng Dates Thursday, April 20 46 USHWA Award Winners Friday, July 2 48 Kaltenbach Memorial Awards Wednesday, October 25 Cover photo: Spring Haven Farm. Photo courtesy of USTA/Mark Hall. The Buckeye Harness Horseman 120-850 (ISSN 0194-7842) is published four ti mes annually by the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Associati on, 850 Michigan Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215-1920. Phone 614.221-3650 or 800-353-6442. Single & back issues, if available, $2.50. Periodical postage paid at Columbus, OH. Postmaster, send address changes to the OHHA, 850 Michigan Ave.Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215-1920. 2 The Buckeye Harness Horseman | February 2017 2017 Ohio Sires Stakes Schedule 2-Year-Old Colt Trot 3-Year-Old Colt Trot 1-Northfield Park Sat, July 8 1-Miami Valley Tues, May 2 2-Scioto Downs Tues, July 18 2-Scioto Downs Mon, June 19 3-Northfield Park Mon, Aug 7 3-Northfield Park Mon, July 10 4-Scioto Downs Thurs, Aug 24 4-Northfield Park Sat, Aug 26 2-Year-Old Colt Pace 3-Year-Old Colt Pace 1-Scioto Downs Tues, July 4 1-Miami Valley Tues, May 2 2-Northfield Park Sat, July 22 2-Scioto Downs Sat, June 10 3-Northfield Park Mon, Aug 7 3-Northfield Park Sat, July 1 4-Scioto Downs Mon, Aug 21 4-Scioto Downs Fri, Aug 25 2-Year-Old Filly Trot 3-Year-Old Filly Trot 1-Northfield Park Mon, July 3 1-Miami Valley Mon, May 1 2-Scioto Downs Wed, July 19 2-Northfield Park Sat, June 17 3-Scioto Downs Thurs, Aug 10 3-Scioto Downs Fri, July 14 4-Northfield Park Wed, Aug 23 4-Scioto Downs Fri, Aug 25 2-Year-Old Filly Pace 3-Year-Old Filly Pace 1-Scioto Downs Wed, July 5 1-Miami Valley Mon, May 1 2-Northfield Park Mon, July 17 2-Scioto Downs Fri, June 9 3-Scioto Downs Fri, Aug 11 3-Northfield Park Sat, Aug 12 4-Northfield Park Tues, Aug 22 4-Northfield Park Sat, Aug 26 $250,000 Championships $50,000 Consolations Saturday, September 2 at Scioto Downs Saturday, October 14 at Northfield Park Ohio Sires Stakes Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator 77 South High Street, 18th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215 [email protected] 614-779-0269 The Buckeye Harness Horseman |February 2017 3 From Your Executive Director Reneé Mancino Baby, It’s Cold clearing up the video broadcast signal (when to my eye and ear, neither were amiss), Outside....Again. and tracking the handle with enthusiasm to maximize revenue while taking care not As I write this column it has been the to overlap anyone else’s post time and run operations. With the size of the local worst weather we have seen all winter the card off as quickly as possible. Everyone crowd and bustle of opening night they temperature-wise. In the Columbus-Dayton- was pumped up and ready to roll through were slammed busy. Obviously intent on Cincinnati, Ohio area we saw 68°F on the night. The patrons looked to be having having the horses on the track for as small a December 26, 2016 and 54°F on January 3, just as much fun. A happy crowd that may th period-of-time as possible they ran the four 2017, but by January 6 we were at a high not have been wagering a huge amount on- minutes on-track before the start almost temperature of 10°F and low of 1°F with track, there was nary a table or seat empty to the minute. Absent about two races wind chill recorded at -3°F. With a nor’easter and it was most certainly a happy-party where the other racetracks flipped their crawling up the east coast in the next two Friday night atmosphere. days adding snow to that area’s season lows, post times catching them off guard, with our temperatures are predicted to remain By contrast when I got to the paddock, most the horses already having post-paraded, where they were January 7th for at least of the horsemen were bristling with an odd resulting in a six-minute post parade. They another week, without the snow. pent-up anger and anxiety. Which in the did the best they could visually trying hard first big prolonged brush with 0°F weather to accommodate the horsemen and horses. Last night was the 2017 opening night at is to be expected. Particularly after most When I returned to the paddock I was Miami Valley Gaming, the kick-off night horsemen have already spent the afternoon immediately confronted by a driver that leading up to a three-day celebration of our outside in high temperatures that had only was upset about the two longer than four- nation’s top drivers. A promotion Miami reached 10°F it is difficult to pack-up, ship in minute post parades. I understood their Valley and OHHA have spent a lot of money four hours in advance and race while those pain, it was cold, they were losing feeling in on and put into place to generate buzz and temperatures plummet to zero. highlight the Drivers. An almost capacity their hands during the race when out there crowd was on hand for the weekend kick-off, As is typical when I go into the paddock or a long time, they were tired, and it had been single race handle was reaching $80,000 a a backside I was met by a host of different a long, cold night punctuated by zero degree race, and the previous year’s opening night horsemen who had complaints. From race cold and warming up inside the paddock handle had been eclipsed by the seventh office issues, to issues with the draw and between those stints. race on the fourteen-race card. Having condition sheet, to the temperature and As in most winter racing jurisdictions attended the opening night’s races, I talked length of time they were left on the track. horsemen are a hearty breed. Racing is with management as they excitedly and At one point a driver grabbed me and said, very physically taxing and can wear thin informally talked about all the small and “they can’t continue to have us on the track in optimal conditions with even the most detailed things they have done to improve post-parading for eight minutes, which they optimistic of those participating, especially the racing product for the offsite wagering just did, I can’t feel my hands by the half in year-round jurisdictions. However, it is crowd, patrons, and horsemen alike. Things mile point in the race”. Unaware of the issue in-fact winter racing so it is unpredictable people do not see or may not even realize until pointed out because we had been busy and can change quickly and give rise to are there, but make the experience much with other things, we immediately asked hazardous conditions. The most difficult easier, more enjoyable, provide more fun, management to reduce the on-track post thing with these factors is the lack of information and improve the racing product. parade time because of the cold weather. decorum, self-interest, and in the end pure They immediately and happily obliged with disdain for everyone and everything that In between discussions, observations, post parades at two minutes and holding a seems to bubble to the surface. At the and popping back and forth between the race no more than two minutes after that, end of the day if someone feels slighted paddock and grandstand, the atmosphere asking whether the drivers could let us know they lash out, throw up their hands, are was very different. The Miami Valley if they could tolerate that long on the track, disrespectful and demeaning, demanding management team, employees, security if not we would adjust accordingly. Heading that someone immediately fix their issue. were all bristling, happy to be back racing, back over to the grandstand I sat in the Absent instant gratification they threaten. and having a great time while they worked.