USHWA Canada Chapter launches second Youth Racecalling Contest

(Halifax, NS; Jan. 24, 2025)— After months of planning, the second edition of the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA) Canadian chapter’s Youth Racecalling Contest launched on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.

Entries from young racecallers (aged 21 or younger in 2025) and their friends and families will be accepted into the contest until the Monday, March 31, 2025 deadline. There is no fee to enter, but all entrants must sign up or renew as USHWA Youth members to participate. These memberships are sponsored and do not have a fee for anyone 21 or younger who signs up. Entrants can sign up for membership at the time they enter the contest.

Their racecalls can be in French or English and must have taken place during 2024 for a harness race or qualifier. Race calls from pari-mutuel races, fairs, and qualifiers are welcomed, as are informal video recordings of race calls made on personal recording devices and/or uploaded to social media. There will be prizes for the top 3 finalists, and a guest racecalling opportunity for the winner.

Submissions should be sent to ushwayouthannouncingcontest@gmail.com or uploaded to the contest Dropbox. (Full rules at bottom of this release.)

The race calls can be submitted in the following ways:

a. Sending a link to a video posted on a track or racing organization’s website, YouTube, or social media account;

b. Uploading and creating a link to a race call video and submitting the link (e.g. Google Photos);

c. Sending the video as an mp4 file to a Dropbox set up for the contest;

d. Sending a full description of the race/qualifier (track, date, race number) and where to find the video online (e.g. replays on an ADW site) if it is not posted on a track website or social media.

Entries will be judged by a panel of USHWA harness racing media members and racecallers: Ken Warkentin (Hall of Fame Meadowlands racecaller); Garnet Barnsdale (DRF Harness, Ontario Racing Tips from the Pros); Ghislain Paquet (Quebec Circuit Regional des Courses de Chevaux racecaller), Melissa Keith (Rideau Carleton Raceway racecaller), Nathan Bain (Leamington and Dresden Raceway racecaller), Mark McKelvie (Woodbine Mohawk Park Senior Manager of Communications), Edison Hatter (Yonkers Raceway racecaller), Jeff Porchak (Standardbred Canada Director of Digital Communications), and Conley Ecclestone (Grand River Raceway handicapper/timer/photo finish operator).

The defending 2023 champ is Grady Hachey. We welcome both young veteran racecallers and any young people who want to try out their skills and receive valuable feedback from the judges.

For further information or help submitting an entry, please contact USHWA Canadian chapter 2024 director Melissa Keith (mkeith71@gmail.com or @TheTriactor on X/Twitter) or USHWA Canadian 2025 chapter director/secretary Nick Barnsdale (nicholasbarnsdale@hotmail.com or @AceBarnsdale on X/Twitter).

Rules:

1. To enter, a participant must submit their race call from a harness race that took place in 2024. One entry (one race call) per entrant.
2. Participants must be 21 years old or younger to enter the contest, and have made the race call in 2024.
3. The race call can be in English or French.
4. The race call can be from a pari-mutuel race, a fair or matinee race, a qualifier, or calling a replay. Calls from actual races/qualifiers are preferred.
5. Because not everyone gets a chance to call a race from a booth, we will accept video recordings made by the entrant or someone recording their informal race call. This could be a call made while at the track or watching the races from home.
6. The race calls can be submitted in the following ways:
   • Sending a link to a video posted on a track or racing organization’s
     website, YouTube, or social media account;
   • Uploading and creating a link to a race call video and submitting the
     link (e.g. Google Photos);
   • Sending the video as an mp4 file to a Dropbox set up for the contest;
   • Sending a full description of the race/qualifier (track, date, race
     number) and where to find the video online (e.g. replays on an ADW
     site) if it is not posted on a track website or social media.
7. There is no fee to enter.
8. The winner (by points) will receive an opportunity to call a race at a racetrack where one of the contest judges is a track announcer. They will be treated to a meal for two at the track, free programs, and swag/souvenir items (which vary by track). If the winner cannot make it to a participating racetrack, the contest organizers will help arrange a similar prize experience at a more convenient racetrack.
9. Second- and third-place finishers in the contest will also receive prizes.
10. Deadline for entries: Monday, March 31, 2025. Entries should include the racecaller’s name, age, contact information (mailing address, email, phone), link to racecall (where applicable), and preferred track to visit if they win the contest.
11. Entrants must be current USHWA Youth members (any chapter), renew their membership, or apply to join USHWA as a Youth member when they enter the contest. New Youth memberships are sponsored, so there is no fee to sign up.

by Melissa Keith, for the USHWA Canada Chapter