by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Harness Drivers Association

Monticello, NY — The bucolic setting in Afton, New York added to the ambience of yet another race meet at the Afton 4H Fair which has been in existence since the late 1800s.

On Thursday afternoon, July 22, with the sun shining brightly and the temperature hovering around 85 degrees, Dave “Steady As” Yarock sent his trotting mare Patsy B Happy to the lead on the first turn and they cruised to an easy two length triumph in a time of 2:08 in the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series event at the Afton Fair.

Seven trotters started in that race with four in the first tier and three in the second tier and lucky for Yarock he had the two hole so he could speed away to the front.

Roan Ronnie and “Cowboy Eric” Taddeo took up the chase and were in second place until the homestretch when, seemingly out of nowhere, “Lightning Laura” MacNamara rallied West Clare Rail past Roan Ronnie as they charged at Patsy B Happy before they ran out of racetrack. Still MacNamara was second best and Roan Ronnie and Taddeo had to settle for the show dough.

On Saturday, July 24, at the Summit County Fair at Northfield Park, one Billings division — with 10 horses — will be contested in the fifth race on the 13-race card.

Finally some of the big guns in the Billings Series will be back in action that evening. Ready to battle are former National Amateur Drivers of the Year, “Trader Bud” Hatfield and “Tar Heel Tom” Williams and they’ll be joined by Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford, Bob “Lumberman” Troyer, Dave “Linemaster” Ehrenberg III, “Chicago George” Bonomo, “Tiny Tim” Miller, “Michelle the Belle” Ruvola, Dean “What Am I Bid” Beachy and Andy “Keep On Trucking” Coblentz.

And at Monticello Raceway on Sunday afternoon, July 25, Billings action continues with two Billings Trots which will mark the second consecutive week that the Mighty M has hosted the Billings amateurs. They will go as races nine and 11 on the 12-race card that day.