from the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame

Goshen, NY — The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame is inviting Immortal nominations for the Class of 2015. All Museum members, in good standing, have the privilege of nominating persons and horses who they feel have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness racing.

The nominees must be deceased three years or more to be eligible for consideration. Nominations must include a complete biography of the subject and detailed harness racing career statistics, when applicable. Nominations must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2015. They may be e-mailed on or before that date to director@harnessmuseum.com or mailed to the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, 240 Main St., Goshen, NY 10924.

Last year in July, the Immortals Nominating Committee announced that the trustees of the Museum had endorsed the election of stallion Garland Lobell and driver Jimmy Jordan. On Sunday (July 5), “Hall of Fame Day,” these significant contributors to the sport of harness racing will be inducted into the Hall of Immortals during ceremonies held under the tent on the Museum lawn.

Born and raised in Illinois, driver Jimmy Jordan (1905-1977) made the state of Maine his home until being recruited by newly-established Roosevelt Raceway. Jordan was one of the first drivers to relocate and stable at Roosevelt at the beginning of nightly harness racing in New York. In the late 1940s and 1950s, Jordan was one of the sport’s most popular drivers and enjoyed national ranking in just about every driving category at one time or another during his career. In 1965 he became only the 14th driver in history to win more than $3 million in purses.

Garland Lobell (1981-2011) currently ranks as the 12th-leading money winning trotting sire of all time, with total foal earnings of nearly $51 million. Three of his offspring rank in the top 11 all-time money winning trotting sires, with total foal earnings among them of more than $206 million. As a broodmare sire, Garland Lobell has 214 $100,000 winners and earnings of more than $76 million. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2005.

If you would like further information on the 2014 inductees, or the induction ceremony and the events leading up to it, please contact the Museum at 845.294.6330 or visit our website, www.harnessmuseum.com.

The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame is located at 240 Main Street in Goshen, N.Y. and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last tour 4 p.m.). Thanks to U.S. Trotting Association support the Museum is currently offering free admission for walk-in visitors and group docent-guided tours at a minimal charge per person. For additional information about the Museum, its membership program, special events and educational programs, please call 845.294.6330 or visit www.harnessmuseum.com.