London, ON — The Raceway at Western Fair District is teaming up with some of Canada’s top harness drivers to spread added Christmas cheer again this holiday season. The London oval will play host to the third annual Drivers’ Holiday Challenge in support of Toys for Tots on Sunday (Dec. 18). Post time for the special program will be 2 p.m. (EST).

Two very popular drivers from Woodbine Mohawk Park and six top drivers from The Raceway will be generously donating a portion of their driver earnings for the race card to Toys For Tots to purchase Christmas toys for children in need. The Raceway will also be matching the drivers’ donations.

The third edition of the Drivers Holiday Challenge will feature Woodbine Mohawk Park’s leading driver James MacDonald and circuit regular Scott Young, plus six of the top drivers from The Raceway including Colin Kelly, Travis Henry, Brett MacDonald, local favorites Tyler Borth and Scott Wray, as well as this year’s OLG Ontario Women’s Driving Champion, Natasha Day.

COSA TV, presented by CUJO Entertainment, will provide live coverage of the event again this year. The broadcast will be available on the COSA TV social media platforms along with Harness Racing Update and the Standardbred Canada website.

Horse owner Kelley McNiven is excited to be involved with the event again this season.

“This time around, with no pandemic restrictions in place, should be a wonderful experience and I’m really looking forward to it!”

McNiven mentions boxes will be set up at both the Woodbine Mohawk Park race office and paddock for new/unwrapped toy donations.

“Wilson’s Tack will also have a box at their warehouse and in the paddock in London, plus Emma Christoforou will be available for toy donations around Flamboro Downs,” she says. “The eTransfer donations (to mcnivenk2@gmail.com) were popular last year and all monies received went and will go towards purchasing new toys.”

McNiven adds that anyone donating will receive a ballot for a chance to win one of two $100 gift cards sponsored by Twinbrook Farms and the Scott and Kim McNiven Stable.

Toys For Tots (Canada) is a Canadian charity based on local partnerships between Canadian Armed Forces, businesses, and concerned citizenry whose sole focus as an organization is to provide toys for children who are in need. Toys For Tots works to address and prevent specific problems faced by families and their supporting charity organizations by providing toys to children who would otherwise go without during a major religious holiday and provide toys throughout the calendar year to local emergency and social agencies to distribute to children during catastrophic circumstances.