The Canadian Sportsman
Lee Way
Back To Lee WayFebruary 05, 2010
I’ve been in enough backstretches to know that the words ‘harness racing’ and ‘classy’ don’t always go hand in hand.
The place where they always seem to dovetail, however, is the O’Brien Awards, an event consistently organized and executed by Standardbred Canada — specifically through the hard work of Kathy Wade Vlaar and her crew — in a way that never forgets the class.
Between various racetracks and industry associations across North America, the banquet circuit can become a grind, glad-handing one’s way through another roast beef buffet.
The O’Brien’s are different, adding the glitz with the black tie dress code, iconic trophy, elegant venue, superb meal and high overall production values from the video tributes to the well-rehearsed hosts that keep the awards presentation moving along at a reasonable pace — which, in itself, is no small feat. Taken in sum, it’s an event befitting of our nation’s top honours.
Aside from the aesthetics, the O’Brien committee also holds its own, taking pains to develop fair and reasonable eligibility criteria, then publishing the vote totals when all is said and done to ensure transparency.
When there is controversy, as there seems to be every year regarding the eligibility of certain horses and people, the awards committee acts swiftly and decisively so all parties know where they stand.
This year was no different, when the Ontario Racing Commission announced the suspension of Bulletproof Enterprises, owner of three nominated horses, just 48 hours prior to the awards. In response to the suspension, the committee quickly assembled and declared the Bulletproof horses ineligible for O’Brien honours, allowing the evening to proceed with dignity and without ambiguity.
For an event that was designed to recognize the horses and people who have made the greatest contribution to Canadian harness racing, let us not forget to congratulate those responsible for the O’Brien Awards themselves, for developing and maintaining a tradition for which we should all be proud.
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