LaVerne Hill elected as Ohio Hall of Fame Immortal

LaVerne Hill, a former vice-president and owner of Scioto Downs and known by many as the “First Lady of Harness Racing,’ has been elected into the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame as an immortal by the members of the Ohio Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association.

Mrs. Hill and her late husband Charlie founded and operated “Ohio’s Showplace of Racing,” Scioto Downs for 48 years and owned Hill Farms, one of the state’s finest breeding facilities which stood the great Falcon Almahurst.

She previously served as President of the Mid American Racing Association, President and CEO of Mara Enterprises, a Director of Harness Tracks of America, a member of the Little Brown Jug Society and as a director of the United States Trotting Association.

Both Charlie (1985) and LaVerne (2001) won Harness Tracks of America’s prestigious Messenger Award, the first husband and wife so honored.

Mrs. Hill was also presented with the Sulky Sweeties Good Guy award, the U.S. Harness Writers’ Presidents Award, HTA’s Good Gal Award and the Social Service Award from the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association.

In 2001, Mrs. Hill was the honoree for the Delaware County Fair’s Lady Pace. Three years later, she donated the funds needed to finance the construction of the Jugette Barn at Delaware, a memorial to her late husband. She was elected into the Little Brown Jug ‘Wall of Fame’ in 2005.

Mrs. Hill passed away in October 2013.

by Jay Wolf, for the Ohio Chapter of USHWA