Drivers for Quebec/Eastern Ontario Regional Driving Championship announced

The Quebec / Eastern Ontario Regional Driving Championship (QEORDC), the third of four regional harness racing events, brings us closer to the 2024 National Driving Championship (NDC) in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, set for July 5.

Standardbred Canada is pleased to confirm the following field of eight drivers for the Quebec / Eastern Ontario Regional Driving Championship, which is set to take place on Sunday, May 19, at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Que.

• Pascal Berube
• Nick Boyd
• Stephane Brosseau
• Samuel Fillion
• Guy Gagnon
• Jimmy Gagnon
• Stephane Pouliot
• Robert Shepherd

This is the fifth time the QEORDC has been held at Hippodrome 3R, where the track will also host the National Driving Championship for the first time.

“It’s quite an honour to host this event at our historic racetrack, one of the oldest in North America, especially during a time when the city of Trois-Rivières is buzzing with activities,” said Sophie Mongeon, Chair of the Board for Club Jockey du Québec. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase and promote our wonderful sport.”

In 2022, Pascal Berube and Samuel Fillion advanced to the NDC at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Edmonton, Alberta. Two years later, Fillion, who has accumulated 74 first-place finishes so far this year, will join Berube in competing for the opportunity to return to Hippodrome 3R on July 5. They will join a group of six other top regional competitors.

Drivers will receive points based on their finishing position. The first and second-place finishers from the eight-race competition will advance to the 2024 National Driving Championship, which is set to return to Trois-Rivières, Que., on Friday, July 5 at Hippodrome 3R. They will be joined by the two finalists from each of the other regional championships (Western, Ontario, Atlantic).

Invitations were extended to drivers based on racing criteria from their 2023 season up to Feb. 29, 2024. Additionally, drivers were required to confirm their availability for both the 2024 National Driving Championship and the 2025 World Driving Championship.

The draw for the Quebec / Eastern Ontario Regional will be facilitated by Standardbred Canada. The format will allow drivers to participate in selecting the horses they will drive.

First, there will be a draw to determine the order of the draft (first through eighth) for the first Quebec / Eastern Ontario Regional race. A random number generator will then be used to determine the draw for the next seven races to ensure each driver has the opportunity to draw a first through eighth pick. Following the draft will be the post position draw to ensure that every driver drives from post one through eight for the competition.

The winner of the 2024 National Driving Championship will be invited to represent Canada in harness racing’s 2025 World Driving Championship, hosted in New Zealand and Australia.

From Standardbred Canada