Goshen, NY – Moira Fanning, a world-renowned administrator and publicist for the Hambletonian Society and Breeders Crown, will be the recipient of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) Monticello-Goshen Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual awards banquet in Campbell Hall, N.Y.
Raised in Valley Forge, Pa., Fanning was bitten by the horse bug at an early age. The former Moira Sullivan went from giving riding lessons at a local farm to working with Standardbreds. Her duties took her from the East Coast to California, and along the way has been a caretaker for Hall of Famers Howard Beissinger and Billy Haughton. Eventually she found her way to the “front side” of Brandywine Raceway, working publicity for the late Marv Bachrad.
In 1987, Tom Charters, who was tasked with developing the fledgling Breeders Crown series, hired Fanning, and she has been with the Hambletonian Society ever since.
“Moira deserves every honor that comes her way,” stated Hall of Famer John Campbell, who has been the president of the firm since 2017. “She has been involved in so many aspects of Hambletonian Society dealings these last 38 years and has been an integral part of not only our organization, but also all of harness racing, and not only here in North America, but worldwide.”
Campbell continued, “On a personal note, being able to work alongside Moira these last eight years has not only been so enjoyable, but a tremendous education for me. Her passion and commitment for all things harness racing is unparalleled.”
After nearly 40 years with the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown, Fanning recently announced her retirement as the stakes administration organization’s Chief Operating Officer. She had earned her most recent title from the ground up, providing publicity and event planning for decades to both the time-honored Hambletonian Day events and the prestigious Breeders Crown.
When asked about her biggest takeaway from those foundational years in the organization, through the present day, Fanning was pragmatic about her experience, “While everyone dreams of working big events, with the top horses, drivers and trainers, it has been commonplace for the industry to focus on the past. However, I would suggest that the sport turn their collective attention to the future.”
Elected to the Communicators Hall of Fame in 2011, Fanning is an oft-sought expert of the big races of our sport. Shunning attention and deflecting fame to others, her humble nature and sense of humor has assembled Fanning a “who’s-who” list of friends and admirers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Because she is such a big fan of harness racing, Fanning considers traveling to Paris for the Prix d’Amerique and Stockholm for the Elitlopp as some of her most cherished memories. But Fanning’s love of traveling really started as a caretaker.
“We moved around once a month on the Grand Circuit, and I really enjoyed exploring new towns and meeting new people along the way,” she noted.
Her plans for retirement may include some travel but will be sure to focus on spending more time with her 1-year-old grandson. Although Fanning was quick to add, “I look forward to staying involved with harness racing and attending races as a fan.”
She will be in good company because wherever Fanning travels she is always greeted cheerfully by throngs of her own fans.
When the Monticello-Goshen USHWA Chapter holds its 66th annual Awards Banquet on Sunday, Dec. 7, Moira Fanning will receive the chapter’s highest honor, its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Once again this year the chapter has been given the opportunity to include the New York Sire Stakes and U.S. Trotting District 8 Awards, which will be presented in addition to the year-end awards for horses and horsepeople from the local tracks.
The Monticello-Goshen chapter will also honor Ralph Scunziano (Excelsior Award), Keith Hamilton (John Gilmour Good Guy Award), Janet Durso (Amy Bull Crist Distinguished Service Award), James Crawford IV (Cradle of the Trotter Breeders Award), Jessica Hallett (Phil Pines Award), Dylan Huckabone-Miller (Rising Star), and Barb and Liz Stubits (Mighty M Award of Appreciation).
Funds raised through the banquet and souvenir journal have allowed the Monticello-Goshen Chapter to give well over $150,000 to Goshen Historic Track and the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame over the last two decades. The track and the museum are two separate and distinct entities that share the same hallowed ground and a mutual purpose of preserving and promoting harness racing.
The practice of raising money and donating funds to Historic Track and the Hall of Fame began in the mid-1970s with Monticello Raceway publicity icon John Manzi and has continued ever since.
Tickets for the gala event at the new venue, The Country Club at Otterkill, Campbell Hall, N.Y., can be reserved by contacting Shawn Wiles at (845) 798-4074, or email: swiles@rwcatskills.com.
To place a congratulatory ad in the souvenir journal, please contact Chris Tully at (845) 807-7538, or email: tullytrot@yahoo.com.