by Robin Clements, for the CHHA

Sacramento, CA — The California Harness Horsemen’s Association held their annual meeting Sunday (April 3) at Cal Expo where divisional sires stakes champions were crowned and the husband and wife team of Tim and Denise Maier were inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

CHHA photo

Tim and Denise Maier were inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

Jim Perez, executive director for CHHA, emceed the event and announced that current board directors Bob Johnson, Robin Clements and Steve Wiseman would retain their seats on the board.

CHHA president David Neumeister also spoke about the current changes to the workman’s compensation, increased purses of 20 percent for the current meet, increase in handle and the positive outlook for racing in our state.

Tim and Denise Maier were inducted into the Hall of Fame for their contribution to the sport spanning more than 35 years. Tim is a native of Michigan who moved to California in the early 1980s while Denise comes from a family spanning five generations of harness horsemen. Team Maier has collected several driver and trainer honors while training, breeding and conditioning many sires stakes champions over the years. Partnered with the late Alan Kirschenbaum, Team Maier conditioned horses like Little Steven p,5,1:49.4 ($579,833), British Sterling 1:56.2 ($232,714) and Show Runner p,4,1:50.3f ($319,705).

Sires stakes divisional champions were also announced with personalized halters awarded to:

• Cadet: 3-year-old trotting colt, owned by Desomer Stables
• Sandy’s Song: 3-year-old trotting filly, owned by Henry Weisneck and Bob Johnson
• Speak English: 3-year-old pacing filly, owned by Frank Neverez
• Uringoodhands: 3-year-old pacing colt, owned by Mark Anderson

The CHHA Horse of the Year was awarded to Sandy’s Song, out of the stakes champion mare Ahh Saundra by Claudius Augustus, owned by Robert Johnson and Henry Weisneck.

California stallion awards were given to the stallions whose progeny achieved the best in the sires stakes.

• Pacing Stallion: Little Steven, owned by Shari Burns
• Trotting Stallion: Claudius Augustus, owned by Debra Budahn

Leading stakes trainer went to Bob Johnson while Mooney Svendsen received the leading stakes driver award.