Hamburg, NY — For Donna Kerr, being in the harness racing business for over 50 years, she’s thought many times of just walking away. But that’s easier said than done.

“I guess I’m going to keep doing it until whenever,” Kerr said after she found out that she was the recipient of the April Horseman of the Month Award at Buffalo Raceway that is sponsored by Ilio Di Paolo’s Restaurant and Ringside Lounge and Univet Equine Nutritional Supplements.

Donna Kerr was the recipient of the April Horseman of the Month Award at Buffalo Raceway.

“My grandfather and father had horses since forever so this is something I’ve always done,” stated Kerr, a resident of South Dayton, N.Y. “Back then, it used to be family. You’d raise the babies and then race them. Now, it’s more of a business. People are always buying and selling.”

While Kerr sees how the business has shifted away from being ‘family owned,’ the people on the backstretch are still family to her.

“All these people I’ve known forever. We all grew up together and we stick together. I’ll do anything to help a trainer out.”

Kerr noted that being a groom in the Tommy Mays barn now is a lot different than back in the day.

“It’s definitely a lot faster pace. We used to walk and cool down the horses but it’s not as much now.”

But being a groom, there’s a couple of things she said that aren’t her most enjoyable tasks to do.

“I don’t mind the cold weather, that I can deal with, but it’s the mud. It’s hard to get the mud off the horses, the equipment and me.” She quickly added with a chuckle, “Also, if I have to jog a horse I will, but I try and not make that happen.”

When asked who her all time favorite horse has been to work around, Kerr really couldn’t pinpoint one specifically. But she did mention one that is currently racing, the Tommy Mays trained Redwhiteandheaven. “She’s a nice old mare to be around, so she’d be on my list,” Kerr noted.

While it’s a 40-minute drive from her home in South Dayton to Buffalo Raceway, Kerr doesn’t see that round trip journey ending soon.

“There are days I wake up and feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck. I’ve said I’m gonna quit but then I tell myself I’m going to keep doing it. I love this way of life and still enjoy the horses.”

Kerr then mentioned that people were coming up congratulating her but she had no idea why. Then when Buffalo Raceway Marketing Coordinator and Race Host Paige Usiak told her she was named the April Horseman of the Month, her response was simple: “Wow, I never expected anything like that.”

With over 50 years in the harness racing business and her love, dedication to the horses and her ‘backstretch family,’ it’s an honor that was a long time in coming and one Kerr definitely deserves.

She will receive a gift certificate from Ilio Di Paolo’s Restaurant and Ringside Lounge, located at 3785 South Park Avenue in Blasdell, N.Y. She will also receive a Univet Equine Nutritional Supplements ‘goodie bag’ with a custom bucket made by Kathy Smith and grooming supplies.

For more information on Buffalo Raceway, including the latest news, upcoming promotions, entries, results and race replays, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.