How the National Standardbred Horse Show saves lives

When a copy of a communique crossed this desk from a prominent farm manager advocating horse slaughter, it spawned the recent Mane Attraction column entitled “Bananas—We Luv “Em, Eat “Em…And Throw Away The Peel…”

I then tried to cool down a “bit” by remembering the goodness—make that greatness—of J. W. Fox and Mike Murphy and what they did for Feel Lika Winner, plucked off a kill pen truck, nursed back to health—and winning—before now enjoying a life of luxury at the Kentucky Horse Park.

There are, of course, many others about whom I do not personally know that have hearts of gold, especially for our equine family members.

The Standardbred Retirement Foundation then came to mind…along with After The Finish Line…American Horse Rescue Network…Equine Advocates Rescue…Purple Haze Adoption…Peaceful Ridge…Vincereremos Therapeutic Riding Center…Safe Harbor Sanctuary…Redemption Ranch, Steele Magnolia…Cassidy’s Cause…Tomorrow’s Rainbow…Rocking T…Bit-By-Bit…New Vocations…and the many others that cherish our breed and the life that goes along with it…from start to finish!

A perfect example of saving our beloved standardbreds and providing them with viable lives after their war years of combat on the racetracks have been completed, was the recent National Standardbred Horse Show, conducted as a three-day event at the Horse Park in New Jersey, located in Allentown.

This incredible show featured well over 100 standardbreds competing in many judged classes.

This grand event was sponsored by many of the stalwarts of our sport, including The Hambletonian Society, the U.S.T.A., some of our sport’s greatest names, horseman’s groups and several amateur driving clubs, including the American Harness Drivers Club and the United States Harness Driver’s Club.

(The importance of amateur driver’s clubs cannot be overemphasized as their members donate every cent of their earnings from driving in amateur event with those finds earmarked for charitable causes and puts harness racing in a positive light in communities, counties, cities and States…even stretching out nationally via The Make-A-Wish Foundation and the many scholarships awarded.)

This was the 30th anniversary of The Standardbred Horse Show and featured horses of all ages—some bordering on greatness and others that never made it to the starting gate for a race.

Sponsorship Chairwoman Helene Gregory lamented, “Yes, we had Hanover’s Miracle, now five, who didn’t make a single dime on the track to Split The House, now a 12-year-old, who won a Breeders Crown back in 2017.”

Some others of note include Go Daddy Go, now 12-years-old, that won $365,567 as a two-year-old in 2014, Jo Pa’s PE III, now 16-years-old who earned checks in the Woodrow Wilson and Niatross Stakes in 2010 and Special T Rocks, who raced for 10 seasons, took a four-year-old mark of p,1:48.3 and won $301,850.

One the most interesting entrants in the competition was Twin B Impressive, a 15-year-old that has 53 lifetime wins, $681,560 in career earnings AND IS STILL RACING up in Maine at the fairs for trainer Mary Beth Ranger and driver Bruce Ranger—one of three horses from the Ranger Stable to compete over the weekend.

Twin B Impressive has won as recently as September 1 in 1:57.2—last quarter :28.4.—and earned ribbons in the USHDC sponsored English/Western Pleasure competition, as well as other judged classes necessitating versatility.

Yes, our standardbreds also proved their docile nature, agility and intelligence to compete in other categories such as Obstacle Course Driving, the Open Roadster class, Pleasure Driving Reinsmanship, Walk,/Trot FlagRace, Barrel Racing, Puddle Jumping and Showmanship, to name a handful of classes.

And that brings us to Bali, a warhorse Dali gelding now 13-years-old and the second member the Ranger Stable to compete at this historic Standardbred Horse Show.

Yes, Bali is, too, still racing—he has a win this year…one of 68 lifetime…who has been grinding out a living both north and south of the border since 2013.

Bali competed in barrel events and jumping, the latter with Ellie Gray in the saddle.

The Rangers also sent the C You Again DK, yes, from Denmark, in competition…who won 22 races in Europe and another six here in the States to go along with a 1:54.4 mark as a nine-year-old last season at Yonkers Raceway.

Mary Beth Ranger had this to say about the experience, “What an amazing three days showcasing our great standardbred breed. Every visitor with whom I have spoken with cannot believe that these horses were racehorses—some still are!

“If you don’t get bit by the standardbred bug seeing this, well…I just cannot see that happening. It’s great for the soul.”

Young and older horse enthusiasts were invited to compete and there were age groups drawing folk in four age groups…12 and under, 13 to 18, 19 to 49 and 50 plus!

Yet another entrant was the “down under” pacer Mister Bling A, who came to the U.S.A. in 2016 and took a mark of p,1:51 over in Philly.

And speaking of Australia, “Aussie” Lauren Triton participated in this historic show and had rave reviews lamenting, “This show has to be considered an extremely important tradition to our great breed known as the standardbred.

“This show brought out the best in the breed, the versatility, agility and intelligence and the show was in a great setting, including perfectly manicured grounds in Allentown.

“If you witness this once, you would be as amazed as I am to see our breed in a different setting from the racetracks. It was absolutely amazing and gives one a great all-around perspective of the standardbred.”

When one thinks of the versatility off the breed with its “second careers” available as riding horses, equines used for therapeutics and extraordinary horses for pure riding pleasure, it’s amazing that anyone could even think of any alternative.

By the way, one of the Platinum Sponsor of the event was the United States Harness Driver’s Club (USHDC), whose generosity since its inception has resulted in over $325,000 in charitable donations—their member drivers donating 100% of their earnings from driving in amateur races making this possible…and it’s the same way with all amateur driving clubs in the U.S.A.

The USHDC sponsored the Equestrian Horsemanship for the 13-18 age group, which was won by Chocolate Delight, a gelded son of Chocolatier, ridden by Aubrey Contardo, The winner, now 14-years-old, last raced in 2017.

As to the National Standardbred Horse Show saving lives, our industry can follow the lead of the many Organizations and Sanctuaries listed above with shows like this putting an exclamation point on the worth of our standardbred breed…or…bluntly…the kill pen.

This now iconic show brought out the best and most caring horse people and visitors from all walks of life, one of whom was noted veterinarian Michelle MacDougall, who provided such a great insight about this show and its positive affect on our industry.

We’ll cover it all as we interview Michelle in the next Mane Attraction.

May The Horse Be With You.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink