by Tom White, publicity director, the Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH — Renee Sheward grew up working with her father Ray’s horses at their Portland, Ind., farm and later as an assistant trainer. She is now the first ever female to work as an associate judge for the Delaware, Ohio county fair.

“Renee is one of three women judges working at pari-mutuel tracks,” said Delaware Presiding Judge Tim Schmitz. “She is the first to work in Ohio in the capacity of a presiding judge. No woman has ever worked the Little Brown Jug which says a lot about her qualities since it is the premium harness pacing event.”

She joins Schmitz and associate judge Rich Williams, the presiding judge for the Kentucky Racing Commission.

“I grew up on our farm working with dad’s babies. I worked with them, jogged them, and went with Dad and my brother Donald to county fairs in Indiana and Illinois,” said Sheward. “In the 1980s I took a few of dad’s racehorses to Chicago. I also worked for trainers Tommy Harmer, Lavern Hostetler and Doug Hamilton at Maywood Park, Balmoral Park and Sportsman’s Park.”

From Illinois Sheward went to Northfield Park as an assistant trainer.

“We had a big stable, a lot of good 2- and 3-year-olds. We trained winters at Kentucky’s Red Mile, and raced all over the country. Two of my favorite horses were Rosemont Student, who set a track record at Scioto Downs, and Lightening Speed, one of the top 2-year-olds of his year.”

In 2000, when Sheward turned 50 years old, she went from training horses to becoming a racing official.

“I just decided it was time to turn my life around. I wanted to make a name for myself. And then Tom Aldrich, general manager at Northfield Park, gave me a chance and I loved it.”

In 2002, Sheward worked as paddock judge at Northfield Park; in 2007 she became presiding judge at Raceway Park; and in 2009 she became presiding judge at Lebanon Raceway.

“I was there four years, then I joined Tim and Rich at Hoosier Park and Shelbyville.

“In the spring of 2008, Sam Zonak, executive director of the Ohio Racing Commission, was looking for a paddock judge for the Delaware County Fair. He gave my name to Tom Wright, director of racing for the Delaware Fair, and he asked me to become an associate judge. It was a tough decision because I really enjoyed being a paddock judge where I got to see the top horses up close.”

Schmitz says of Sheward, “She was a stern and efficient paddock regulator and kept her paddock in order. It only makes sense that she was going to be an outstanding presiding and associate judge and that she has a keen eye for judging races, knowledge of the rules, and the backbone to enforce the rules of racing.”

Racing starts Sunday at Delaware County Fair

Igottafeelinfran is a slight favorite for Sunday’s $28,000 Ohio Breeders Championship for 2-year-old pacing fillies at the Delaware County Fair. First post time Sunday is 12 noon and 15 races are on the opening card.

The favorite, trained by Jim Foley and driven by Dan Noble, comes into the race with three wins, two seconds and two thirds and earnings of $52,000.

Second choice is Pink Camo and Cating Around is third.