by Lynne Snierson, publicity director, Rockingham Park

Salem, NH — Two young men with deep roots in harness racing were each awarded a $5,000 scholarship named after one of the true greats of the sport at Rockingham Park on Saturday, August 2.

Samuel Andersen and Matthew Beckwith each won the Bert Beckwith College Scholarship Award, which is given in memory of the top New England driver and trainer who campaigned horses in the 1960s through the 1980s.

Matthew Beckwith is the nephew of Bert Beckwith and the son of current Rockingham horseman John Beckwith and he will be a freshman at Emmanuel College in Boston where he plans to major in journalism. Samuel Andersen is the son of driver-trainer Ralph Andersen and his wife, Ann, and he will study landscape design and horticulture at Vermont Technical College.

The $5,000 scholarships were presented in a winner’s circle ceremony at Rockingham by Hubert Barker, president of the Western New England Harness Horsemen’s Association, which funded the awards.

Both young scholars come from families who have raced horses all over New England and owned harness training farms in New Hampshire for over 50 years. Matthew Beckwith is the grandson of Dot and Mel Beckwith and Samuel Andersen is the grandson of Marjorie and Bob Andersen.

The Western New England Harness Horsemen’s Association has presented the Bert Beckwith College Scholarship Awards for four consecutive years at Rockingham Park.