by Tim Bojarski, for USHWA

Akron, NY — Fan voting closed on New Year’s Eve and when the ballots were counted, the horseman and racing moment of 2010 as seen by the fans were named.

Racing Moment of the Year: The Border Battle at the Orleans County Fair

In an effort to get racing back to its roots, the agricultural society that runs the fair has refocused their efforts in recent years to showcase its horsemen and harness racing program that has been held there since 1867. In 2009 they hosted Grand Circuit horses and drivers that included Tim Tetrick and Brian Sears. Last year they went International.

The “Border Battle” featured racing legend Herve Fillion and included Jordan Stratton, Stephane Bouchard and Yves Fillion. The drivers competed in several races but were featured in an International trot and International pace. Following the two races, the drivers met with fans in the grandstand and signed autographs on commemorative photos that were designed by the USTA’s fair liaison, Jessica Schroeder.

The two day, 18-race meet offered $30,000 in purse money and also produced the second fastest mile in the track’s 143-year history.

Fair Director Kim Brooks summed up the day with their mission statement to promote harness racing: “The fair has always been supported by our friends to the north (Canada) and we hope many people from both sides of the border come out to see the races. We will continue to do everything we can to keep racing at Barton for another 100 years and I hope everyone in our industry does the same at their track.”

Horseperson of the Year: Ed Ryan

Ed Ryan took on a dual personality in 2010. By day he was the track superintendent at Yonkers Raceway. In his spare time he became a super hero to many horsemen in Vermont. You see Ed unselfishly spent many uncompensated hours of his own time along with a lot of miles on his vehicle driving back and forth from New York several times to oversee the reconstruction and resurfacing of the oval at the Orleans County Fair.

The new surface on the race track is similar to that on major tracks like Yonkers Raceway. It is now safer for horses and drivers, and will not end up muddy or dusty regardless of the weather. The half-mile track has a layer of “staymat” covered with an inch of artificial sand. The grade and turn sloping was enhanced and accurate mile marker pylons were installed. The entire installation of the track was supervised by Ryan.

The track was finished just prior to the fair’s two-day meet so no horses were able to work out on the track prior to the races so the track had no time to set up. But since the second fastest race time ever recorded there occurred in an Open class pace, the effects of the renovation were definitely seen. This year’s meet should yield a plethora of speedy times.

Many of the thousands of U.S. and Canadian fans who attended this event voted in the Railbird Recognition balloting and were responsible for the fair and Mr. Ryan winning these awards.

Kim Brooks (representing the Orleans County Fair) and Ed Ryan will accept their awards at the USHWA Dan Patch Awards on February 27.

This year, the Dan Patch Awards dinner is being held at the Ft. Lauderdale Marriott North Grand Ballroom in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. — just one mile from the Isle Pompano Park. Tickets are now on sale at a cost of $100 each. Tables of ten are available for $1,000 and seating is limited to the first 400 people who purchase tickets, so please order your tickets now. Ticket order deadline is February 11.

The cocktail party begins at 6 p.m. and the USHWA awards dinner program starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. In addition, a Silent Auction benefiting the Harness Horse Youth Foundation will be held, along with a Live Auction featuring two rare pieces of harness racing art and a special Grand Prize raffle drawing.

As the host hotel, the Ft. Lauderdale Marriott North Hotel has a limited number of rooms available at a special rate for USHWA guests of $99 and $129 per night plus 11 percent tax. Please e-mail or call directly to Maria Vigil at maria.vigil@marriottnorth.com or 954.334.9278 or e-mail Earnestine Cooper at earnestine.cooper@tpgcompanies.com to make reservations. You must mention that you are seeking the US Harness Writers Association discount. The web site for the hotel is available by clicking this link.

For those wishing to congratulate the 2010 honorees, there’s no better place to do so than in the USHWA Banquet Journal. Deadline to reserve space is February 1 (ads requiring typesetting) or February 7 (camera ready). For an ad form and rates, go to www.ushwa.org or contact Kim Rinker at 708.557.2790 or e-mail Trotrink@aol.com.