State College, PA – The annual USTA District 7 (Pennsylvania) and Fair Awards Banquet was held in this central Pennsylvania city on Saturday (Jan. 21) at the downtown Graduate Hotel. It was co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, and the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen Association.

The horses whose finishes earned them the most points during the fair season won their owners the stable-color-coordinated and valued blankets for their accomplishments:

2TC – AB FAB HANOVER (g, Southwind Frank – Are You Ready), trained and owned by Mitchell York.
2TF – DANCINWITHTHANGELS (Sebastian K S – By A Nose Hanover), trained by Todd Schadel and co-owned by him along with Christine Schadel.
2PC – CAPTAINCOUNTRYSTAR (g, Captaintreacherous – Well What’s New), trained by Todd Schadel for Andy Miller Stable Inc. and Russell Townsend Jr.
2PF – RAMBLING RUBY (Betting Line – Goldies Bad Girl), trained by Todd Schadel and co-owned by him along with Andy Miller Stable Inc., Jean Goehlen, and Bert Hochsprung.

3TC – BIG BEN HANOVER (c, Andover Hall – Beignet Hanover), trained by Todd Schadel and owned by him along with Christine Schadel.
3TF – HEART MATTERS (Explosive Matter – Ts Fast Forward), trained by Todd Schadel and owned by him along with Christine Schadel and Rick and Regina Beinhauer.
3PC – BUCHANNON HANOVER (c, Always B Miki – Breakaway Hanover), trained by Todd Schadel and owned by him along with Christine Schadel.
3PF – BETTOR STRAIT N UP (Betting Line – Strait N Great), trained by Linda Schadel and co-owned by her along with Tony Schadel.

The winners of the Championship races at The Meadows earned their connections a warm, heavy-duty winter jacket for their victories:

2TC – H S WINCHESTER (g, Cantab Hall – Easy Money), trained by Bill Daugherty Jr. for Susan Daugherty.
2TF – CHEROKEE JOY (Andover Hall – Cherokee Hope), trained by David Wiest for Bimmie Strausser.
2PC – LOUONTHEBEACH (c, Sweet Lou – Rockin On The Beach), trained by Dan Altmeyer for Diamond Club Racing and David Wills.
2PF – STAY HAPPY (Stay Hungry – Sara Diamond), trained by Dan Altmeyer for Ruth Altmeyer.

3TC – HEYTHERWILLIE (g, Possess The Will – Heythergeorgiegirl), trained by Kaylee Martin and co-owned by her along with Jodi Martin and Fred Uber Jr.
3TF – HEART HEART MATTERS (Explosive Matter – Ts Fast Forward), trained by Todd Schadel and owned by him along with Christine Schadel and Rick and Regina Beinhauer.
3PC – BUCHANNON HANOVER (c, Always B Miki – Breakaway Hanover), trained by Todd Schadel and owned by him along with Christine Schadel.
3PF – BETTOR STRAIT N UP (Betting Line – Strait N Great), trained by Linda Schadel and co-owned by her along with Tony Schadel.

The Keystone Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association also presented its annual awards on Saturday night. Honored by Keystone USHWA were:

ED ROGERS, the recipient of the Keystone Chapter’s highest honor, the Mary Lib Miller Award, is a long-serving member of the Pennsylvania Horse/Harness Racing Commission, an accountant by trade, a level-headed regulator, and having a special eye for the needs of harness racing’s fans;

FOUREVER BOY and CAPTAIN COWGIRL, both three-year-old pacers who were awarded Pennsylvania Sire Stakes pari-mutuel Horses of the Year;

BETTOR STRAIT N UP, winner of a Special Achievement Award for being the first fair horse ever to both lead in preliminary points then win her Championship at ages two and three;

MITCHELL YORK, a retired Pennsylvania state trooper who now trains and owns or co-owns with father-in-law driver David Brickell many outstanding performers, as Small Stable of the Year; and

ASHLEY EISENBEIL and DAWNELLE MOCK, two communications specialists with the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Association especially good with social media, as the Keystone Chapter Members of the Year.

Lisa Dunn of the Pennsylvania Fair Harness Horsemen’s Association presented awards to Mike Harant and Viet Nguyen, the two administrators based at Harrah’s Philly who insure the draws and then the purse check payments for the fair circuit are handled in a professional and timely manner.

In addition, two young horse people who were heard throughout the state’s fairs received awards from Daryl Breniser of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission: Elizabeth Schadel, who sung the National Anthem at many stops along the fair circuit this year, and Dylan Daugherty, who gives descriptive and insightful race calls at several Pennsylvania ovals.

The District 7/Fair Banquet continued to be one of harness racing’s best investments, with an ROI nearing 3.00 per $2 “investment” in the price of a dinner ticket – in the neighborhood of $10,000 in door prizes were distributed.