by John Manzi, for the Billings Series

Monticello, NY — On Thursday afternoon, Sept. 17, the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series moved on to the Wayne County Fair in Wooster, Ohio, where two Midwest Region divisions were contested and when they became official Kathy “High Flying” Hawk and Bob “the Lumberman” Troyer had each won their respective splits.

Hawk, who had won two previous Billings trots, notched her third when she guided her own Quikmaster to a gate-to-wire triumph in a 2:05.3 clocking. Now Hawk is three-for-three in Billings competitions this season.

After Quikmaster sped to the lead Bob Troyer and Iron Duke tried to shadow him and they did for the most part, but drafting didn’t help Iron Duke as Hawk’s Quikmaster trotted clear in the lane and scored a three length victory over Troyer’s trotter. Done Dreamen finished third for “Trader Bud” Hatfield.

Troyer redeemed himself, not that he needed too, in the other division with his veteran trotter Candacraigh.

Like Hawk, Troyer used the front-end route and his Pine Chip 10–year-old gelding kicked in a :30 second final stanza en route to a 2:04.1 triumph. Kelly “Sky” Walker, the current point leader in the Midwest Region, made a valiant effort with Abs Super Hall but they had to come too far after being sixth at the half and fourth at the three-quarters. Still Walker’s trotter did make up plenty of ground but they had to settle for second money, a length off the winner. Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford took home the show dough with Vegas Volcano.

Next action in the Billings Series will be on Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Delaware County Fair, the home of the famed Little Brown Jug.