It was 1980, 38 years ago, when Brent MacGrath and Joe Kelly came up with the idea of an annual Atlantic Grand Circuit Week. The huge harness racing event has triumphed perhaps to even greater heights than MacGrath and Kelly had imagined.
Earlier this week I talked with Kelly MacEachen, the manager of Truro Raceway, and Penny Wesley, the vice-president of the Truro Horse Owners Association.
“This is a huge week,” Wesley said. “It will be busy here at Truro Raceway; you will see people you haven’t seen in a long time. Race fans come from all over the Maritimes to see the best horses in the east. This is a wonderful opportunity to draw attention to our sport, new people have been showing an interest in harness racing lately, this week will add to what already has been a great season.”
MacEachen pointed to Thursday night features including the Atlantic Sires two- and three-year-old trotters stake races, the High Maintenance Hair Salon amateur driving challenge and the Wilson’s Home Heating Fillies and Mares final.
“It’s really an outstanding opening race card,” said MacEachen. “We will showcase both amateur drivers and seasoned drivers as well as young horses and aged horses. The amateur races will have possibly the highest number of young drivers ever competing.”
On Friday, Atlantic Sires Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies and colts will be featured, followed by Saturday’s three-year-old pacing colts and the Lindsay Construction Exhibition Cup.
“The excitement will really build up by the time Saturday night comes around,” said MacEachen. “There’s a real following throughout the Maritimes of the three-year-old pacing colts. It’s like a family thing, people will arrive in Truro from all over to see these young horses in action. We’ll also have the $7,500 Lindsay Construction Exhibition Cup Invitational, featuring the fastest free-for-all horses in the Maritimes. This race can be a nail biter, it’s really great to bring these fast horses together in Truro.”
The Atlantic aged pacing mares will also be featured Saturday night and the occasion is also “International Caretaker Day,” celebrating the grooms and their hard work and dedication to harness racing. This year’s final AGCW card goes Sunday afternoon at 12.30 p.m.
“The Frank & Beth Stanfield Memorial Stake for three-year-old pacing fillies is a great way to complete our week,” Wesley said. “Everyone who owns a three-year-old filly wants to make it to this race. The Stanfield stake is great for harness racing, It’s one of the richest races for three-year-old fillies in the Maritimes. I think we’ll have a large crowd on hand. Overall, this should be an outstanding week.”
What great optimism – local harness racing is in good hands. MacEachen, a native of Canso, has a bachelor of arts from Saint Francis Xavier University and is a former banker. Wesley, who grew up in Kennetcook, owned the race mare Winner Panic and presently grooms the pacing mare Badlandia, owned by her sister Paula White.
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The History of softball in Brookfield will be the topic Tuesday night, July 24 at the Brookfield Baptist Church. Part of the annual Coming Home To Brookfield days, the presentation begins at 7 p.m.
Rev. Frank Locke, an early speaker, will take the audience back to the 1940s in recalling some of his Elks teammates, opposing teams and travel during a very different era in sports. An interesting lineup of former Elks will take the microphone, including former player and coach Terry Henderson, Mike Henderson, Hugh Matheson and John Matheson. Former Elks infielder, Gordie Burnett, will be paid tribute to during the evening.
Another contributor, Nancy vanTassell, will oversee ‘an early day photo gallery’ and report on what’s going on these days at Elk Park regarding the young people.
A glimpse back at the Brookfield Elkettes and “Chucker Ball” will also be highlights of note.
Musical intervals should liven up the night as Sarah Matheson, accompanied by Joanne Hatfield, will sing favourites such as Take Me Out To The Ball Game and Farewell To Nova Scotia. The two popular local musicians will also tell the story of Mighty Herman Ingarmarjohanson – the stubby Swede who lived in Brookfield for two years. At five-foot-seven and 240 pounds, he hit some powerful home runs back in the 1930s.
Everyone is welcome, there are great door prizes, refreshments will be served and there is no admission charge.
Lyle Carter’s sports column appears weekly in the Truro News. If you have a story idea, contact him at 902-673-2857.
