2024 Neville Award to Herve Filion

Herve Filion, the Hall of Fame harness racing driver and two-time winner of the Little Brown Jug, will be honored as the 2024 Joseph Neville Memorial Award recipient by the Little Brown Jug and the Delaware County Fair.

Filion, a native of Angers, Quebec, started driving standardbreds at the age of 12 and won his first race at the age of 13. He would conclude his career in 2012 with 15,179 wins and $88.4 million in earnings.

He won two Little Brown Jug titles. In 1971, Filion guided Nansemond in an upset victory over the heavily-favored Albatross in an epic, three-heat battle. In 1979, Hot Hitter and Filon enjoyed an easier day, winning in straight heats.

Filion, who won the inaugural World Driving Championship in 1970, was North America’s leading driver 16 times, earning his first title in 1968 and final dash crown in 1990. He topped the purse standings seven times. He was voted the Harness Tracks of America’s ‘Driver of the Year’ a record ten times.

Filion was the youngest person ever elected to harness racing’s Living Hall of Fame in Goshen, NY and Canada’s Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Herve Filion passed away on June 22, 2017 at the age of 77.

by Jay Wolf, for the Little Brown Jug