by Tom White, publicity director, the Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH — Phil Terry, General Manager and Director of Marketing for the Delaware, Ohio County Fair, was honored this morning as the 26th person elected to the Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame.

The ceremonies were held in the hospitality pavilion on the fairgrounds. Sam McKee was master of ceremonies.

Conrad photo

Phil Terry spoke on Wednesday morning on the occasion of being elected to the Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame.

Phil grew up on his family farm in Alexandria, Ohio and graduated from Northridge High School. One of Phil’s many duties was working with turkeys. He says to this day that his family raised organic turkeys. All through his school years he was called “Turk.”

In 1968, Terry was a student at Ohio Wesleyan University. He helped direct traffic at the Delaware Fairgrounds. Now 42 years later, he was selected as the 2010 Wall of Fame honoree by a panel of national and international harness racing enthusiasts.

Following graduation he worked with the Delaware City Police Department. One of his duties was working with the press. Whenever the fair was involved he met with Tommy Thomson — President of the Little Brown Jug Society and Director of Racing for the Delaware Fair. Tommy was editor and publisher of the Delaware Gazette.

Phil left the Delaware City Police Department to work with the Delaware law firm of Porter-Wright-Morris-Arthur.

In 1984 he was named Chief of Security for the fair and began working closely with Tommy. Their friendship grew. Later, Phil was named Director of Marketing and in 2008 the Fair’s Board of Directors unanimously elected him as the General Manager of the Delaware County Fair and the Little Brown Jug.

Among Phil’s major accomplishments has been the financing and construction of the Lavern Hill Jugette Barn, the Hospitality Pavilion and the Tack Shack.

He also created and oversees simulcasting, the future Jug pool and the Llittle Bbrown Jug Fantasy Stable contest.

‘Butts in seats’ is Phil’s favorite expression. To boost attendance and excitement for the Fair, Phil allows — and encourages — people to walk through the backstretch and see the horses and trainers up close. The Fair allows fans throughout the barn area, especially on Jugette and Jug mornings.

Phil married Katie McNamara in 1975 and helped his father-in-law Harold McNamara with his stable of horses that raced under the Sea-Mac-Farm banner. Katie volunteers in the marketing and public relations department at the Fair. She was the 2000 Lady Pace honoree.

Phil also received a President’s Award in 2008 from the U.S. Trotting association for decades of exemplary service to harness racing.