by Regina Mayhugh, communications director, OHHA
Grove City, OH — This year at the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA) Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday (Jan. 13), two youngsters will be presented with the Terry Holton Youth Award. Alexis Schwartz and Dalton Walls are two young horsepeople who have provided outstanding service to harness racing in Ohio. The OHHA is proud to present this award to each of them.
Alexis Schwartz is one of two Terry Holton Youth Award recipients.
Schwartz, who is from Washington Court House, Ohio, has been involved in harness racing her entire life. She grew up in the industry working for Hired Guns Racing Stable, which is owned by her father, owner and trainer Bret Schwartz. Her roles have varied from cleaning stalls and jogging to paddocking horses at the fairs and racetracks. She also assists her grandfather Dr. Robert Schwartz, the veterinarian with Midland Acres, on farm calls.
She has even been an owner since age five. She is knowledgeable and observant about the horses’ gaits and health and knows when it is time to call in the blacksmith or the veterinarian.
Schwartz is a sophomore at University of Kentucky majoring in Equine Science and Management with a career goal to become an equine pharmaceutical sales representative. She also works at Keenland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky.
Besides her activities with the horses, she has held a variety of leadership roles and has been active in her community. In high school she was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA. She was also active in school activities including playing softball and basketball and a member of the Key Club and Fayette Christian Athletes.
Her volunteer work includes coaching softball and basketball and volunteering for various events at the Fayette County Fairgrounds.
Dalton Walls, from Greenville, Ohio, was also involved in harness racing since he was a child. He started jogging when he was 12-years-old and began training not long after. In 2016, his senior year at Greenville Senior High School, Walls purchased three yearlings and began partnerships as he established Dalton Walls Stable. He was also active in school activities, FFA, track and soccer while he was breaking and training his stable’s first horses.
In 2017 one of his three horses Blue Bank K won a division in the Buckeye Stallion Series and the 2-year-old Dr. HM Parshall Futurity at Greenville. Besides leadership roles in school and horse activities, Walls has also exhibited leadership roles with the responsibility of taking care of others.
The OHHA thanks both Schwartz and Walls for their service in the industry and look forward to what they both will accomplish in the future.
Photos courtesy of OHHA
Terry Holton Youth Award winner Dalton Walls opened his own stable as a senior in high school.
The OHHA looks forward to seeing everyone at the banquet. Don’t forget to check out the 2018 Stallion Service P.A.C.E.R. Auction and help OHHA increase PAC funds that are used in working with legislatures throughout the year. Bidding can be done via the website https://wedoauctions.net/ohha now or via phone on Saturday (Jan. 13) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (800.353.6442 or 614.221.3650). All bidding closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday.