Goshen, NY — A few seats still remain for the Monticello–Goshen Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association’s 61st annual awards banquet, featuring Mickey Burke as the apex honoree, on Sunday (Dec. 15).

Banquet chairman Shawn Wiles noted, “We have enjoyed one our greatest responses in recent memory, bolstered largely in part to this year’s deserving and popular slate of honorees.”

With 150 tickets sold so far, we have been fortunate enough to add another table to the banquet hall set up.

The schedule for this year’s festivities is as follows:

Doors open with a cocktail hour and open bar starting at 6 p.m. Banquet seating begins at 7 p.m. with the horse awards being presented. Dinner served at 8 p.m., followed by the primary honorees being presented their individual awards.

The activities of the Monticello-Goshen chapter, largely through advertising sales and banquet participation, have allowed the organization to make generous annual donations to both the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, as well as Goshen Historic Track.

In addition to the year-end awards for horses and horse people from the local tracks, the Monticello-Goshen chapter will also honor Mickey Burke (Lifetime Achievement Award); Noelle Duspiva (Excelsior Award); Barbara Martinez (Amy Bull Crist Distinguished Service Award); Larry Lederman (John Gilmour Good Guy Award); Purple Haze Stable (Breeders Award); Dave Brower (Phil Pines Award); Tony Verruso (Amateur Driver); and Joe Chindano Jr. (Rising Star).

Tickets for the gala event are still available and can be reserved by contacting Shawn Wiles at 845.794.4100, ext. 458 or email swiles@empireresorts.com, or contact Chris Tully at 845.807.7538 or email tullytrot@yahoo.com.