by Rick Tittsler, for the WHHA

Madison, WI — The Wisconsin Harness Horse Association recently gathered to honor their best from the 2009 season.

Recently-elected USTA District 4 (at large) Director Gabe Wand scored the 2009 trifecta, as Driver of the Year, and he also co-owned/trained/drove the Pacer of the Year and the co-Trotter of the Year. Wand emceed the annual meeting and awards banquet and seemingly posed for photographs the rest of the evening.

“I sat behind some good stock last year,” said the ever-modest Wand.

There was a tie for Trotter of the Year, as Good Ride Cowboy, owned by Gabe and Bob Wand, and Coco Donut, owned by Dyan and Robert McCabe, posted identical stat lines of 7-6-1-0 in the Badger State. The complete list of top trotters were (in order): Coco Donut and Good Ride Cowboy (tie), Amidst, The Frilly Filly, Wilamar Valley, Fox Valley Bunns, Thisandakiss, Cmebeatrotter, R Double Brand Man, Agency Discount, and Purely Classy.

Mel’s Z Tam (also co-owned and trained by the Wands, 10-3-6-1) held off Sues Blue Jeans (7-4-3-0), owned by Robert Larkey, and Dancer’s Shiann (11-2-3-3), owned/trained/driven by Rick Davis, for Pacer of the Year honors. The top-10 pacers for 2009 were: Mel’s Z Tam, Sues Blue Jeans, Dancer’s Shiann, Two Cheese Burgers, Fox Valley Windy, Invitation To Play, KR’s Giddy Girl, Blue Jewels, Cool Man Cool and Erica’s Blossom.

Jim Springer accepted his Horseperson of the Year Award by including his wife Pat, daughters Dierdre and Gretchen, and sons John and Ross as his “co-winners.”

The WHHA named Jim Springer Horseperson of the Year for more than 40 years of harness racing success as a trainer, owner and breeder. One of his very best, A Patchy Frost, won at the Meadowlands in 1:51.2 in 2009, recording one of the fastest winning times for any horse bred by a Wisconsinite.

The James Laird Memorial Award for Excellence went to Bruce, Mary and Dean Alexander of the Alexander Stable. The Alexanders have given many $100,000-plus horses their early training foundation. Familiar names that started their careers at the Alexander Stable include Jolly Holiday ($115,000), La Rapida ($125,000), Sauce Two K ($283,000), Dr McDreamy ($210,000) and American Lane ($1,093,000).

Inducted into the Wisconsin Harness Racing Hall of Fame were G.V. “Doc” Hering and Art Shaw. Doc Hering trained, raced and owned horses from the 1940s until his passing in 2009. Doc served on the Board of the WHHA, and was also a Presiding Judge and race announcer. Art Shaw campaigned champions across the country from his famous barn at Elkhorn in SE Wisconsin. Shaw drove in two Hambletonians, and trained/drove leading money-winning trotter Lord Steward.

Dean Hoffman, former Executive Editor of Hoof Beats magazine, was the keynote speaker for the event. Dean shared a perspective on harness racing around the world in the morning session, and recalled first-hand stories about Wisconsin Harness Racing Hall of Fame inductees during the awards banquet.