by Thomas Hicks

Pompano Beach, FL — The Isle Casino and Racing at Pompano Park and the Florida Amateur Drivers Club are hosting an exciting International Drivers Contest on March 12-13.

Ten countries and representing drivers plan to participate in the two-night endeavor. The FADC has been active at Pompano Park for many years and, through the donations of its members’ driving fees, has contributed more than $150,000 to local charities.

FADC’s efforts bring positive attention to harness racing and support worthwhile charitable organizations. Real estate executive Dein Spriggs, from Jupiter, Fla., heads the FADC and has spearheaded the upcoming international races, while also posting 412 lifetime victories and 2005-2006 Billings Gold Cup wins. Spriggs’ best years were 1978-1979 when he posted a combined 121 wins.

Through the efforts of FADC, Pompano Park and the Federation of European Amateur Trotting Drivers, 10 participants are on their way to South Florida. They are:

Austria – Johann Preining Jr.
Finland – Tapio Hoikka
Germany – Michael Gutsche
Hungary – Andrea Fazekas
Italy – Enrico Columbo
New Zealand – Paul Daniel Blakemore
Norway – Nils Holm
Russia – Ivan Serik
Spain – Jaume Bassa (Riera)
USA – Dein Spriggs

Founded in 1954 by six nations, the current country membership of FEGAT numbers 15. The organization conducts annual championships for its gentlemen and women drivers and a world championship weekend.

In 2016 the women will battle in Finland from June 29-July 2; the world championship will be Sept. 2-3 at Budapest and the men will compete Sept. 16-19 at Wolvega and Alkmaer, Belgium. Agusti Mascaro Pou of Spain is FEGAT’s executive secretary and Claes L. Ljung is its President.

One interesting amateur driver on-hand this weekend is Hungary’s Andrea Fazekas. With 136 career victories she regularly drives in both amateur and open races at Kincsem Park (Budapest) and often is at the lines of trainer/driver Imre Fazekas’ stable star, Ollyan Nincs (by the US-bred Pickaflick), a former winner of the Hungaria DIJ (greatest international race at Kincsem Park) and a host of other older classic races. Andrea’s parents are also very accomplished drivers/trainers of trotters.

Andrea’s husband, Gyorgy Horvath, is a professional driver that teamed Chevallier SR to a third place finish in last Saturday’s classic Tavaszi Handicap.

Of particular note is Andrea’s expertise as a videographer and film producer for her country’s trotting association (www.ugeto.com) and the racetrack Kincsem Park (www.nlkft.hu).

Her fine professional work highlights the trotting sport and adaptability of Standardbreds for show, recreation, education and children’s therapy. An example can be found at this link. Andrea’s work regularly is shown on the 24-hour racing channel of Kincsem Park and through the Equidia Pro network on Kincsem Park’s site.

Be there at Pompano Park this weekend to watch many of the world’s best amateur drivers compete and hear legendary Hall of Famer Roger Huston call the action.