Make way for the 2022 Gala des Champions

We can easily guess the excitement of the organizers and animators François Carignan, Guy Lafontaine and Sophie Mongeon at the dawn of this wonderful evening that is harness racing’s Gala des Champions every year.

Eventually making such an organization requires know-how (and these people have it) and animating it is always a challenge. We told you yesterday about all these winners already known, but tonight there will be a lot of suspense for several important awards.

We can only wish all the nominees, win or lose, very good moments.

Pascal and Sylvain

For a second consecutive year, no suspense regarding the champion driver and the champion trainer. Pascal Bérubé and Sylvain Tremblay are the lucky recipientsof these coveted trophies following a remarkable season in 2022. By design, the organizers wanted to give them the title of winners, without unnecessary nominations, it must be said.  To every lord, every honor: you win the greatest number of victories in your field, you are crowned champion. And that’s what will happen tonight.

The duo is also often reunited on track, Pascal being the official driver of Sylvain and the Alpha Team. The two make the pair and their combined successes are not denied. A good combination for both. Especially in the case of a young stable like Sylvain’s, with lots of young horses every year, it is important for him to have a perfect complicity, with his driver,  to allow the youngsters to progress. Bravo gentlemen, well-deserved titles than yours!

The suspense now….

All other categories have nominations and winners. Here they are:

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Mentions: Michel Lagacé, Jean-François Gauthier, Marc-André Pilon

Nominated:

MARIO G LACHANCE

KIWON WALDRON

GROOM OF THE YEAR

Mentions: Sabrina Lord-Bédard, Karol-Ann Landry, Léonie Maguire, Marie-Pier Paquin, Sabrina Pelletier

Nominated:

VALÉRIE GÉLINAS & LÉA THIBEAULT

JESSICA THÉROUX

BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Mentions: Claude Hamel, Ecuries Maguire

Nominated:

BRUNO LEPAGE

JÉRÔME LOMBART

TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Mentions: Bonfire Bash, Dart Guy

Nominated:

CLEVELAND MASSIMO

STELLA ALPHA

PACER OF THE YEAR:

Mentions: : Siddhartha, Spectrum Seelster, La Petite Grrise, Macho Polo, Windsun Cheyenne

Nominated:

ENCHANTED STORY

PLATINUM ALPHA

EVENT OF THE YEAR 2022

Nominated:

102 VICTORIES OF PASCAL BÉRUBÉ

RADIO BROADCAST AT 91.9

QUEBEC FINALS DAY (September 11, 2022)

MILE DE DGS DE VITO IN 1.52.1

NATIONAL DRIVERS’ TOURNAMENT (EASTERN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC)

OWNER GROUP OF THE YEAR:

Mentions: Magfly Group = Jean-François Maguire, Julie Malenfant, François Bleau, Charles Parent, Luc Lalonde, Pascale Maguire and Jocelyn Marois

Alpha stable of Métabetchouan

Nominated:

ROYAL PEARL STABLE

DESJARDINS NOREAU STABLE = Maxime Desjardins, Daniel Noreau, Johanne Champagne, Yanick Noreau, Marc-André Simoneau, Jean Fontaine

It all takes place tonight at the Hippodrome 3R, the Gala des Champions, on the spot starting at 5:00 pm.

by Daniel Delisle, for the Quebec Jockey Club