by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway
Monticello, NY — It seems that every year in mid-November when Big Game Hunting Season rolls around in the Catskill Mountains, many of the local sportsmen look forward to competing in Monticello Raceway’s Battle of the Hunting Clubs as much as they do searching for that big buck.
Now in its seventh season, this year’s Battle on Sunday, November 28th will have 12 hunting clubs with representatives driving a pacer over the usual mile distance with thoughts of bringing the big trophy back to their respective camp and earning bragging rights among their peers.
Though each licensed big game hunter is hell-bent on winning, Coach Vince Lombardi’s classic words “winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing”, really aren’t apropos. For the most part just driving a harness horse in competition is thrill enough, but of course winning is the ultimate goal.
However, as the great Muhammad Ali once said: “Those who hit and run away live to fight another day” has become more of a motto for this competition in that being safe and returning for future endeavors is more important than winning.
Slated to go to post before and after the first race on Sunday’s betting card, the seventh Battle will have two six horse divisions of pacers driven by licensed Big Game hunters who took the time to practice with professional trainers, either at the raceway or at local training farms.
“We don’t let anyone compete unless they practice and get a thumbs-up report from their teachers,” noted racing secretary Eric Warner. “Many of the participants have competed before and in a few cases some have even been victorious.”
Last year there were three divisions of hunters competing and the winners included Jack Frost, from the Hemlock Hollow Club in Sackett Lake, New York; Dan Hogue, Jr. from the Squirrel’s Den in Monticello; and Mike Romano who represented Molly’s Club, also in Monticello.
Romano will be back to drive for Molly’s Club and handle a pacer nicknamed “Antlers” from post five in the first Hunter’s split, while this season Dennis Mandina will represent Hemlock Hollow and handle a “Quick Trigger” from post position one in the same event. Also in that race is Todd Van Keuren, who is the Squirrel’s Den representative this year and he’ll pilot “The Yearling” from post position two.
In the second division, previous Battle winners Bill Shumanski and Anthony Marciano will lock horns in that six-horse field. Shumanski again drives for his Tyler Ridge Club of Cochecton, New York, while Marciano is back on the jog cart to represent the Hook N Bullet Club from Smallwood, New York. The former handles “Tree Seat” and will start from post position three, while the latter will leave from post position four behind “Deer Call”.
For safety sake the hunters compete in jog carts without the use of whips.