Pompano Beach, FL — Amateur driver, well known farrier and USTA ID technician Jeff Schaefer took a bit of time off from his traditional work and led the American team of amateur drivers on an excursion to France as the world paid homage to the D-Day heroes of 75 years past.

Schaefer, along with Tony Dinges, Ron Cusimano and Maurice Brooks, participated against amateur horsemen from France, Italy and Malta at two venues — the Hippodrome des Andelys and Lisieux — with Schaefer garnering a pair of wins.

Schaefer lamented, “It was a unique experience, to say the least. We had a ‘line start’ in one race — which we all found difficult — as you have to go around on the track when the starter begins counting and get to ‘three’ and you can’t go through the rope before it drops. Kinda crazy but we got through it!

“At Lisieux, we had a ‘gentlemen’s start’ — no starting gate and we raced clockwise, instead of how we race here in North America.

“It was tough to get used to, but we got through it and, in fact, I did get a win there — by disqualification!”

The group was given superb hospitality by Fredric Durville and Manon Delarette as they escorted the group to several historical landmarks including Omaha Beach, the D-Day cemetery and the farm which is home to the grand trotter Bold Eagle.

“We saw him in Paris,” Schaefer said, “and let me tell you, he is quite a horse — enough to give you chills just watching him perform.”

Schaefer and his wife, Maria, are also the founders of Harness Life, a charitable organization that sells apparel with all proceeds going to the latest research on finding a cure for cancer (www.Harnesslife.us).

“Maria and I both had cancer and when you are threatened by this disease, you just cannot sit around on the sidelines and let it conquer you,” Schaefer said. “So, we decided to fight it on behalf of ourselves and the many that have been affected by it. There are new therapies developed all the time and we are determined to help conquer it!”