by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Harrisburg, PA — For the first time in four decades, Murray Brown can relax at the Standardbred Horse Sale.

Brown is still a presence at the sale, held this week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, but for the first time since 1971 he is not the sale’s general manager.

Now, rather than spending his time in a small office staring at a television screen showing the sale while chewing at the end of his pen, he can roam the arena and enjoy conversation with those in attendance.

USTA/Ellen Harvey photo

Murray Brown shows off his trademark Hanover-colored shoes at this week’s Standardbred Horse Sale.

“It’s wonderful,” a grinning Brown said Tuesday. “You just get to see people, see the horses. The best thing about it is the mental aspect, no worrying about (the results). So much of it was people, in my mind, creating problems that weren’t necessarily there. I don’t worry about things like that anymore.

“It’s terrific. It’s like I’m a changed person.”

A native of Quebec, Brown was named the public relations director at Hanover Shoe Farms in 1967 and five years later became the vice president and general manager of the Standardbred Horse Sales Company.

Over the years, Brown became recognized for his knowledge of pedigrees and participated in numerous forums on breeding, conformation and market trends.

Brown, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2003 and into the Communicators section of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in 2010, still continues many of his day-to-day responsibilities at Hanover, but is only a consultant at the horse sale.

He spent much of his time the first two days of this year’s sale sitting near the Hanover Shoe Farms section of the arena, chatting with Hanover staff and numerous horsemen who stopped by.

“I wish them well with the horses,” Brown said. “It’s much more social than business. It’s a huge change, but a huge change for the best.”

Of course, he is still paying attention to the action in the ring. The sale was up 21 percent after the opening day and maintained a 14 percent hike through two days.

“It was strong, very strong,” Brown said following the first day. “The crowd was good. I was very pleased.”

And very at ease.