Campbell hits unprecedented western Canadian milestone

Western Canadian harness racing fans witnessed a unique and never done before milestone get reached by driver Brandon Campbell. Campbell hit $2,000,000 in earnings in 2022 which is an amazing accomplishment but after looking around it appears the feat has never been completed by a driver in western Canada.

His stats this year have been something to marvel at. In 1117 starts in the sulky, and he won 266 times.

Another astonishing stat is he has finished in the top three, 670 times which is approximately 60% of his starts. If Campbell’s name is in the program, then there is a good chance he is showing up on the trifecta ticket. He will end the year with $2,056,905 in earnings and this will stand as the highest yearly total for any driver in western Canada. Campbell on he noticed and feels about the accomplishment.

“I noticed I hit $1,000,000 early in the year,” Campbell said. “And that’s usually my yearly goal. I noticed a couple of months ago I was closing into the $2,000,000 mark and I wasn’t sure if that was even a possibility. I wasn’t sure if it could actually be done but I kept aiming for it. I was pretty shocked about it, to be honest. It’s pretty crazy. The more I’ve been looking at stats, there always is a guy that one-ups you but now I’m close in stature to these guys I’ve idolized my whole life.”

Campbell has been having some of his best years driving as of late. He now has four straight years of hitting at least $1,000,000 in earnings. This of course occurred during a few years with shortened racing meets due to the global pandemic, but Campbell found a way through it. When asked what was special about this year this is what Campbell has to say.

“I think it’s just the fact of where my career is, “Campbell explained. “We didn’t get a lot of chances to race over the last couple of years due to Covid, but I still managed to have some good years over $1,000,000. It’s come down to putting the work in and flying back and forth between Alberta and B.C. Being able to race the whole year also made a difference. You do well and people are going to put you on good horses. I’m at that point of my career that no matter the horse they are willing to trust me that I can get the job done.”

Campbell’s response to where this accomplishment sits on his all-time list.

“I think it has to be near the top,” Campbell said. “I don’t even know if it’s a real thing. I’ve looked around and I haven’t found anyone to have done it. It’s going to be hard to replicate.”

Campbell has had a long year with a lot of racing under his belt. His 1117 starts this year are the third most starts he has had in one year. He also was jumping back and forth between Fraser Downs in Surrey B.C. and Century Downs in Calgary Alberta for long stretches of time. As he explains this took a toll on him.

“I’m not going to lie; the year wore me out,” Campbell said. “There was a lot of back and forth. I was racing in one province until midnight, then getting on a plane on a plane to come home. It was a seven-day-a-week situation all year long. I’d have to be a robot to be able to continue that.”

It’s not unreasonable to think that with his recent success a move to southern Ontario, or another harness racing hub might be in the cards for Campbell. In fact, he did spend some time previously racing in Ontario but as he says, he felt he needed to be home and home is where he plans to stay.

“I spent about a year and a half out there. At that time, I had a chip on my shoulder about things and I was always trying to prove who I was,” Campbell added. “Things went well but could have gone better. I was doing pretty good when I left but I was getting homesick, and they were building Century Downs. So, I thought I should go home and be the king of that place. Now I have about 40 horses in my care between broodmares, yearlings, and racehorses. My partners and I have invested a lot of money over the last couple of years to get more into the baby side of things. I also have two daughters who have great lives here with their friends and I have my better half, Jody. I couldn’t imagine picking them up and moving them.”

It’s not all hard work and no play for Campbell. However, it can be the opposite for him. Like many other drivers, Campbell says he finds a special place for them once he gets on the track.

“My favourite place in the whole world is when I’m lining up behind the gate,” Campbell said. “It’s where I’m the sanest, calmest and most happy. People ask me what my hobby is and it’s that moment. It’s when I’m lining up against everybody and the gate lets us go.”