by Timothy M. Jones, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Springfield, IL — Envision your first trip to the Delaware County Fair, home of the Little Brown Jug, and you get the opportunity to drive over the same historic surface as John Campbell with Life Sign, or Dave Palone with P-Forty-Seven. That will be the fortune of Carroll Hays, an amateur driver and coal miner, who will compete in the Tim Fouts Memorial on Sunday, September 16. Hays will represent the Illinois based Mid-Western Amateur Driving Association in the event that kicks off Grand Circuit week at Delaware.

Carroll Hays will represent the Illinois based Mid-Western Amateur Driving Association in the Tim Fouts Memorial at Delaware.

Hays will take time off from his full-time job at the Viper coal mine near Elkhart, Illinois, and venture east with his family to Ohio to compete in the event named after the late United States Trotting Association’s Director of Officials, and former presiding or associate judge at pari-mutuel tracks that also included the Delaware, Ohio oval.

Hays, who is the owner of a “qualifying/fair” license, has been competing as an amateur since 1999, but has also trained horses for just as long.

He first became interested in harness racing when a friend, who also owned a tavern in Sherman, Illinois, asked if Hays would be interested in joining a partnership group of nine others on a filly pacer. The group, T. A. Vern, was established with Pete Alagna training Hollys Cuisine.

“I started coming out to the fairgrounds and helped break her, and it was just amazing,” said Hays. “Right then I was probably hooked.

“Then John Cisna (USTA District 5 director and Illinois Standardbred Owners & Breeders Association Executive Secretary) got me interested in the amateur driving. I already had horses, but I wanted to drive also.

“I try to get to as many of the county fairs and amateur races as I can, but it’s hard when you work another job.”

Hays’ “real job” as a mining technician makes his involvement with the horses even more difficult because of the swing shifts that are a staple of the mining industry. He may work a midnight shift, then make the trip to his stable at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and jog his horses in the morning. Or he may jog late mornings or early afternoons before heading to work for an evening shift. Juggling his time in the winter is made challenging if he is working a day shift because of the abbreviated daylight hours at that time of year.

Timothy M. Jones photos

Carroll Hays with Skater-Boy, his 6-year-old pacing gelding that he drives in most of the amateur events.

“My wife Diane is a school teacher at Springfield High School, and she’s very helpful with feeding the horses for me in the morning or evening while on different shifts,” explained Hays. “The other trainers around my barn, Rick Schrock, Jim Crebs, Dennis Tripp — they all help me out feeding at lunch time. I appreciate their help and am very grateful.”

Hays doesn’t seem at all nervous about the drive at Delaware. He looks at it as if he would be a catch-driver at Chicago, or any other track for that matter. He’s eagerly looking forward to the role reversal.

“I just show up at the paddock like I’m a regular driver. Hopefully, I’ll get to warm up the horse and meet the owner; assure them that I’ll take good care of their horse.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do, but didn’t think I’d ever get the chance. In fact, I’ve never driven someone else’s horse in a race or even a qualifier. This will be the first time for a lot of things.”

And who knows, Carroll’s first time may be the charm.