Driving School honors go to Volunteer State student
June 15, 2014,by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications
Goshen, NY — Alan Roberts of Jamestown, Tennessee, with professional driver Adam Rucker on board, made a move before the three-quarter mile mark to take the lead and win the 2014 USTA Driving School Graduation Pace.
USTA/Ellen Harvey photo
Alan Roberts, of Jamestown, TN crosses the line to win the 2014 USTA Driving School Graduation Pace at Goshen Historic Track on Sunday, June 15.
Alan Roberts of Jamestown, Tennessee, with professional driver Adam Rucker on board, made a move before the three-quarter mile mark to take the lead and win the 2014 USTA Driving School Graduation Pace. It was the first win for Roberts, but the 28th for BJ’s Bequia, the 7-year-old pacer pulling the two in a double seated jog cart with two sets of lines. Beth Podhajecki, of Norfolk, Connecticut, was second.
“That was great,” said Roberts. “What a ride. That was, thrilling. I enjoyed it.”
“He was very competitive out there,” said Rucker. “He really wanted to win it today – I have to hand it to him.”
The race was the culmination of the USTA’s annual driving school, held since Wednesday evening at Goshen Historic Track and the adjacent Harness Racing Museum.
- USTA Driving School opens with welcome dinner (Thursday, June 12, 2014)
Soon after Michele Warner found her way to the United States Trotting Association’s website, she decided to find her way to upstate New York. Warner, who lives in the Los Angeles suburb of Diamond Bar, Calif., is among the participants in the 16th annual USTA Driving School.
- Ron Burke speaks to USTA Driving School students (Thursday, June 12, 2014)
Ron Burke gave the keynote speech during Wednesday night’s opening session of the United States Trotting Association’s Driving School.
- USTA Driving School is part of ‘bucket list’ for some participants (Thursday, June 12, 2014)
Larry Compton has a lengthy bucket list, but after this week it will be reduced by one item.
- Owner hopes to pilot his own horses after Driving School (Friday, June 13, 2014)
Jim Grow was introduced to harness racing by watching his father’s horses compete at the New York fairs. Grow now races his own horses at those fairs, but he would like to do more. He would like to one day be the driver of one of his horses there.
- Driving School is worth the wait (Saturday, June 14, 2014)
Kerinna Coffey, who was introduced to harness racing by her fiancé, is among 19 women participating in the Driving School, which attracted 48 students from 14 states.