Lansing, MI – The Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association is excited to announce the 2022-3 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners Gene Miller, Richard Niccum and Judy Roegner.

Gene Miller is considered one of Michigan’s best gentleman horsemen. He will help anyone at any time and is always on the road, traveling all over the country from California, to the Meadowlands, Florida, Minnesota and seemingly everywhere in-between. He has traveled millions of miles and made friends in a lifetime of racing. He has had some great horses over the years. Even though he travels often, his roots are forever in Michigan as he has a farm/home base there. Gene boasts trainer stats of 4,276 starts, 774 wins and earnings of $2,860,969 and he turns 79 on Jan. 23.

Richard Niccum is best known as Michigan’s tattoo man as he held that position for several years working for the U.S. Trotting Association. He has worked for several trainers, including Allen Tomlinson, Jeff Cotton, and Linda Main. He has trained and drove a few of his own horses. His entire life he has been in the racing industry. Everyone knows Richie and Richie knows everyone and he has dedicated his life to the harness racing industry, so for that we recognize Richie with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Judy Roegner, like Gene Miller, has a birthday on Jan. 23. Adopted by Albert and Lillian Schlaufman, Judy still resides in Croswell, MI. She’s a deeply-rooted, family-oriented person, raising her family of three children, Nathan, Meredith, Jessica and granddaughter Anna on the farm in Croswell while working and racing her horses and taking care of her farm. She got her first horse from industry great Bea Farber named Quick Clipper and was hooked to harness racing since. She’s worked for Maurice “Bucky” Goldschmidt and then Joe Konen before going out on her own. She’s raced in Michigan and all over Canada, among other locales. She’s a hard worker, amazing mother and friend. It would be hard to find someone that’s met her that doesn’t love her. She is a true ‘Jill of all trades’ who can do it all including training, shoeing, and has even driven. She now has a small breeding farm and will train down a few horses every year before sending them to race. Her success led to some great horses like “Johnny G That Me” who was a favorite, Promise Me Romance and Welding Spark D, who made his way to race in Open competition. Judy presently has a few broodmares in foal and loves to raise the babies. She boasts trainer stats of 4,248 starts, 678 wins and earnings of $2,921,267 in her career.

The Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association will celebrate the achievements of Standardbred horsemen, women and horses during the 2022 racing season and honor the Michigan Harness Racing Hall of Fame inductees during Saturday’s (Jan. 21) 2023 annual banquet and awards ceremony at Crystal Gardens in Howell, MI starting with the MHHA board meeting at 5 p.m. and awards ceremonies to begin at 7 p.m.