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Goshen, NY – Beloved harness horse trainer Eddie Hart looked out at the capacity crowd of well-wishers at Sunday (Dec. 8) night’s 65th Awards Banquet of the Monticello-Goshen Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA), presented by the New York Sire Stakes, and said, “Me and my buddy Tom Manza took the BOCES harness class in high school over 50 years ago.”
“And I am still here,” stated the trainer of this year’s USTA District 8 Horse of the Year, Sir Pinocchio.
Hart, whose charges have earned over $23 million, gave the life-long conditioner a long list of people that he was thankful for.
“Jeff Cohen flew up from Florida just to be here tonight,” Hart stated, “and I am very grateful for that.” For Cohen, Hart trained Four Starzzzz Shark, a top open pacer. Hart also trained Space Shuttle for Bob Hiemstra, Roll With Joe for Blue Chip Farms, et al, and had a plethora of horses for top owners like Jeff Snyder and Mannie Halbert.
“But most of all I have to thank my wife Jeannine for sticking with me and the horses for all these years,” which prompted the crowd to their feet, once again.
Known for his integrity, professionalism and horsemanship, Hart often shies away from the spotlight, but anyone present could feel the mutual admiration and respect that filled the room.
Although the Monticello-Goshen Chapter was tasked with presenting all of the New York Sire Stakes, Excelsior Series and County Fair Awards, along with the US Trotting Association’s District 8 Awards, the night very much belonged to Eddie and the connections of Sir Pinocchio.
For the owners and breeders of the Yonkers Trot and NY Sire Stakes Championship-winning 3-year-old son of Met’s Hall, Carolyn and Irv Atherton were both honored with individual awards. Carolyn was the recipient of the Cradle of the Trotter Breeders Award, and her husband Irv received the Amy Bull Crist Distinguished Service Award for his twenty years of service to the sport and Goshen Historic Track.
Sir Pinocchio’s driver, Jason Bartlett, was feted with both the New York Sire Stakes and USTA District 8 Driver of the Year award.
The USHWA chapter’s second highest honor, the John Manzi Leadership Award, went to Steve Jones for his work as trustee with the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Fund in securing a record purse structure for the New York Sire Stakes program for 2025. Jones, the proprietor of his family-operated Cameo Hills Farm, glossed over all of his other ‘dollar-a-year’ jobs. The third generation horseman is also president of Goshen Historic Track and sits on the board of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, the Hambletonian Society, and the Grand Circuit.
The writers also honored Kim Crawford with the Excelsior Award for his dedication and contributions to harness racing in New York State. A former driver, trainer and owner, Crawford now dons the tools of trackman and is also a USTA Director. A staunch advocate for horsemen throughout the state, he puts his time and efforts into ensuring that our NY racing surfaces are the best they can be.
Heather Reese-Marshall received the chapter’s John Gilmour Good ‘Gal’ Award for her yeoman’s work foaling, raising and selling champion Crawford Farms’ stars such as Hambletonian winner Karl and Kentucky Futurity winner Sig Sauer. In addition, Michelle Crawford was on hand to accept the Breeder of the Year award from the New York Sire Stakes and USTA District 8.
In addition Jessica Otten, harness racing analyst and TV personality received the chapter’s Phil Pines, along with Tyler ‘TJ’ Miller who got the group’s Rising Star Award.
Aside from hosting nationally prominent honorees, the awards banquet still maintains its ‘Borscht Belt’ roots. Since 1959 the Monticello-Goshen chapter has been rewarding the local horsemen and women that compete at the ‘Mighty M,’ as well as the hard-working staff and management that keep the races rolling.
The Mighty M Award of Appreciation was bestowed upon Dale Berenson for her 35-years of dedication to the Monticello Harness Horsemen’s Association. President Alan Schwartz made a poignant introduction while Ms. Berenson was given a lengthy standing ovation for her tireless efforts on behalf of all the local horse people.
Andrew Adamczyk was this year’s Amateur Driver of the Year, with long-time track announcer Howard Oil ad-libbing a race call while a replay was shown on two big screens, much to the delight of all in attendance. These folks, and others from around the region, received their awards along with their peers for the sixty-plus divisional equine honors bestowed upon the hard-working owners, trainers and caretakers that call New York State, and the Sullivan County oval home.
Just after the dinner break a ‘bidding war’ of sorts broke out among several of the golf aficionados that were in attendance that evening. When the dust settled Jared Bako emerged as the successful live auction purchaser of a foursome at the Monster Golf Course, compliments of Resorts World Catskills. Following the melee, Bako said, “I hate to lose!” The Bako Racing Team had an entire table of staff and horse people on hand to collect all the hardware they won for horses such as The Last Martini and Fast Choice.
With revenue from their loyal advertisers in the 88-page souvenir journal, the Monticello-Goshen Chapter of USHWA is able to raise enough funds to donate thousands of dollars every year to the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, as well as Goshen Historic Track. These two distinct, separate entities share the same hallowed ground and a singleness of purpose to preserve, protect and promote harness racing.
The practice of raising money and donating funds to Historic Track and the Hall of Fame began in the mid-1970s with Monticello Raceway publicity icon John Manzi, and has continued ever since. In just the last 25 years, the local Monticello-Goshen chapter has donated well over $160,000 to these important industry preservationists.
by Chris Tully, for the Monticello-Goshen Chapter of USHWA
