Blast from the past: Featuring Glorious Winner

 Horse Shows Why Owner Was Right Not to Give Up 

****This is a past article about a horse that was prominent on the RUS scene and has sense passed. 

For a horse that most had given up on, Glorious Winner sure is proving he still belongs on the racetrack. 

Not only is the 7-year-old gelding improving his times each outing this year in harness, but he wrapped up the RUS NY season with a “glorious” victory by setting a track record. 

On September 30 he took to a sloppy track after a rain delay to finish the Monticello Raceway Invitational with trainer Jocelyn Gale aboard in a time of 2:05.4. The track record was previously set by Michelle Crawford and her mare Vassar Hall two years ago with a time of 2:08.3. 

Glorious’ owner, Shawn Francis Garland of Vernon New York, said she has been in the harness racing business for more than 20 years but this win was the most special. 

“He won my first ever award (a silver plate trophy) and I couldn’t be prouder of him,” she said. “I had faith in him when everyone else thought he would never race again. He showed them all.”

Garland  fell in love with Glorious when taking care of him for trainer Roman Lopez. She said when his owner, Mr. Cooley, found out how much she loved the horse he sent him back from Batavia for her to have. He had broken a coffin bone from racing and nobody thought he would compete again, but after a year off he was able to go back racing, Garland explained. 

“I always thought he would like riding because he loves work and attention. I am beyond thrilled and proud that he not only won his final race, but set a record. I am so happy he showed everyone what I always knew he could do,” Garland added. 

According to Gale, Garland was the one to break Glorious to ride. Garland was looking for a rider for the RUS Series and that is when Gale said she got connected with the horse. 

The horse is currently being trained by Gale’s husband, Truman, for harness and by Gale herself for under saddle. 

“Our biggest challenges were fitness,” Gale said. “We jogged and trained many miles this summer to get and keep in shape for all the races. We still have our battles for next year, hopefully becoming more manageable, but every start he progressed this year.”

Glorious raced in both the Vernon Down’s RUS Series and the 2015 RUS NY Fair Series. Gale also shipped him to Canada to race at Hiawatha Horse Park. 

“This year it worked out well that many of the fair races were on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Gale said.  “It made nice blowout miles in the middle of the week for him. He seems to race great in the bike after he is trained or raced under saddle in the middle of the week.”

Gale, who has been training and racing under saddle since 2012, describes Glorious as a “powerful, high energy horse.” His “want to do it,” is what makes him so special, according to Gale. 

“He truly loves doing it,” she said.

The rider said winning the Monticello Invitational and breaking a track record felt rewarding after all the hard work that was put in all summer long. She said her only game plan going into the race was to try to be on or near the front since that seems to be where Glorious is most competitive.

“I wish the track would have been in better condition as it was the first time I've tried to race him on a half mile track (with exception of fairs) and would have liked to see just how competitive he would be. He gets worked up easily so I wish there was no delay to keep him calmer,” Gale said about the invitational.

Gale and Glorious Winner (CREDIT WINNER - FOX VALLEY FLAN - VAPORIZE) beat out Ashely Eldred and Maple Grove Emily in the invitational by two lengths. Michelle Miller rode Monticello warrior Strongbow to a distant third with Jennifer Lowrey and Striking Mystery completing the field. 

Garland said Glorious has been such a great gift and he continues to show everyone why he is so worth loving. 

“I have taken care of so many good race horses, including Resolve a Hambletonian horse, but it means so much more to win with Glorious. Not only because I own him, but because I never gave up on him when others did,” Garland said. 

Glorious’ owner said she plans to continue racing her beloved horse under saddle.

“I feel it is a wonderful sport that needs more attention and the horses love it,” she said. 

“It truly shows the many ranges of sport the standardbred can handle,” Garland continued. “It has made Glorious a happier race horse. He has grown a little calmer and it has made him happy to work. He looks forward to both the bike and saddle now. With the saddle he is changing his routine, which really makes him enjoy racing in the bike more.”

Blast from the past: Featuring Cathy Gearwar

Article originally written in 2018

 It Is Never Too Late To Get In The Game 

It’s never too late to pursue your passion even if it means getting aboard a trotter that races full speed. At the age of 48, Cathy Gearwar is proof age is just a number when you have a goal and set your mind to it. 

Fitness is a requirement to race under saddle because the unique sport takes a lot of balance and stamina to stay on a trotter racing a full mile. However, there is no age limit and Gearwar is proving she is up for the task as she has thus far had a successful season. The Benson Vermont resident has been able to win a qualifier and her first race; both held at Goshen Historical Track. She is also competing in the RUS New York 2018 Fair Series where she took a second at Afton Fair. 

Her journey with horses all began 30 years ago when she was 18 when she had a job cleaning stalls at a combination standardbred and dairy farm in New Hampshire. She had ridden in several different disciplines growing up. Gearwar participated in events such as hunt seat, dressage, jumping and trail, but the farm was where she was first introduced to harness racing. It is also where she met her future husband, Pete.

Twenty some years later Gearwar saw her first racing under saddle race. 

“I thought, I could do that,” she said.  

However, the decision to pursue the sport did not come until the fall of 2016, after her children were grown and college loans were paid. 

That fall she took the written test and had an uncle offer his horse to test the on the following year. 

“Famous Oscar was 16 and really wasn’t sure he liked racing with a rider, but he was a trooper and we got the job done,” she said. “He wasn’t available to race under saddle after the testing was finished, so I didn’t ride a race horse again in 2017.”

During the winter of 2018 Gearwar said she started her journey into the sport by getting several sponsors for RUS NY.  Then she began her hunt for a horse. 

“I had a couple of people helping me search, and I finally found a 5-year-old gelding named Armbro Hall in the beginning of May. He hadn’t been ridden as far as we knew, but I had faith and took a chance that he would take to RUS,” she said. 

According to Gearwar, the goal was to find a horse, get it qualified and race it in the fair series. 

“We have a 3-year-old pacing filly we race in the Sire Stakes fair series, so it would be perfect to take the two, one for Pete to race and one for me,” she said. “Armbo exceeded my expectations by easily qualifying in RUS by himself and then going on to win our first qualifying matinee and then our first money race. We entered him once at Saratoga in harness during all this and he looks like he will do just fine switching back and forth between the two types of racing.”

The Gearwars almost passed up Armbro Hall. 

“We were told maybe his leg had some issues and therefore he may not be fit to ride,” Gearwar explained. 

The decision to purchase the horse was made after a respected trainer that had a little experience with the horse said, “Nonsense, there is nothing wrong with his legs.,” she added. 

Armbro’s leg was given some TLC it needed and according to Gearwar, they have not had any problems with it.

“I thank God regularly for the horse he sent me and that I am fit and strong enough to take on such a physically demanding sport at my age,” said Gearwar. “Going behind the gate is exhilarating and racing is invigorating and exhausting at the same time.  I am only three races into my new hobby, but hope to get in at least a couple of years and, God willing, a few more after that.”

RUS New York a small organization trying to get a lot accomplished. The group needs every person who has passion for the sport to succeed to be involved for it to continue to grow. No matter how little one can contribute involvement is encouraged. Members do not have to live in New York and can be anybody who wants to see the sport flourish. Anybody interested in membership should email rusnewyorkseries@gmail.com.

For more information on racing under saddle and RUS New York visit,
rus-newyork.com. 

Blast from the past: Featuring Ashley Eldred and Ehi

 Written by Ashley Eldred in 2014

From racehorse to RUS horse to show pony, Ehi Guaglione (“Ehi”) is no doubt the ideal versatile standardbred. 

“Ehi” comes from the Nigerian name for “Angel” and “Guaglione” comes from the Neapolitan name for “Boy” so his name stands for “Angel Boy” and I couldn’t agree more! Ehi is a 10 year old pacing gelding, with a lifetime mark of 1:52.4. He has this personality that I just love. He plays a mean character on the outside, showing his teeth and pinning his ears, but he would never harm anyone and is filled with love on the inside. 

Before he was first sold, RUS was new in the United States and I didn’t have a trotter capable of doing RUS. So while I was in search of a trotter to use, I practiced on Ehi. 

Although they don’t allow pacers to race under saddle yet, it was good practice for me. He doesn’t pull, make breaks, or do anything bad so he was a safe horse. It got me use to riding at the speed of racing and also use to the motions and building the strength and stamina it take to race under saddle. 

It turns out he loved doing it. So for the remainder of the time we had him, instead of jogging/training every day in harness, he did so in the saddle. Not only did he like this, but he actually raced better too!

I refer to Ehi as my four-legged child. I discipline him, reward him, and love him like a mother does a child. He tolerates a lot from me too. Even though he is a male, I dress him up with ribbons, bows, sparkles, anything! In between the racing, riding, and dress up, we will be going to our first standardbred horse show together next week. I am looking forward to it as I know he will do great. He loves the attention and the camera too. We take a lot of selfies!

The story of Ehi, a family pet for a number of years, starts with when he was sold in the fall of 2012. The decision was made to sell him when money was tight and he was racing good so he was worth a decent price. He went to a friend, who was stabled at Afton fairgrounds, and raced Ehi at Monticello where he did fairly well. I was able to travel to Afton a couple times to visit and ride Ehi which was nice. The new owner decided he didn’t want Ehi anymore and sold him. 

He ended up going to a trainer who was stabled in the barn we share in the spring of 2013. I walked in the barn one morning and my mom said to me, “Go look in that stall and tell me what horse it is.” So I did. I was ecstatic to see Ehi; the feeling was mutual, his ears perked up and he came to the front of the stall so I could pet him and give him a big hug. I introduced myself to the trainer and told him how Ehi used to be my horse. He proceeded to tell me how the horse was always miserable, stood in the back of the stall, and they didn’t get along. So he let me help take care of the horse for the few months he had him, before the owner decided to sell him in the late summer of 2013.

Ehi went from a few different tracks and trainers with his new owner, but he wasn’t racing well. I followed his movements through USTA and would anxiously wait to watch him race every week. By now, I was very sad, thinking I was never going to get him back. I saw the owner sent him to New Jersey to a trainer whom I know and am friends with. He still wasn’t racing well, so I called the trainer to find out if they were willing to sell Ehi. She informed me that the owner had decided to send the horse to the Amish the previous day. I was devastated and thought there was no chance of me ever getting him back now. The trainer told me to give the Amish man a call and ask about the horse, so I did, but the bad news kept coming. 

The amish man told me he had already sold him to another fellow of the Amish community, and told me he would call him to see if he still has him. I figured there was no hope, and dreaded to think of where he might end up. The next day, I received a call from a random Pennsylvania number so I decided to answer it and I am glad I did. It was the man that bought Ehi, and he still had him! I sighed with relief and told the man I would do anything to get my horse back so, we made a deal, and made arrangements for him to be shipped to NY. Throughout all of this I was in Florida for the winter, so you can only imagine how hard it was to make this all possible. Ehi was shipped to my sister’s house in NY until I came home from Florida in April to see him.

Ehi had been on vacation from racing since October, so when I retuned from Florida in April, I started jogging him to get him back in shape to be able to race. Every Sunday I went for a long casual horseback ride on Ehi through the stables of Vernon Downs. He loves being ridden and I like to keep him happy. Day by day, Ehi got stronger and faster and by May, he was ready to qualify. He qualified in 1:58.4 finishing fourth, but he still wasn’t ready to race. He qualified again a week later in 1:57.1 finishing third. He’s raced in two overnight races at Vernon Downs since; the first one finishing 8^th in 1:56.2 and the second one finishing 7^th in 1:58.3. He started coughing and was very sick after the second race, so for he was scratched from his third race. 

I brought him home to the farm so he could get better and run around in the field, which he loves. It took him about two weeks to overcome his illness. Last week he made an appearance at Afton fair for the Free-For-All Pace. He had the seven hole which meant he started in the second tier, three wide across the track. He got away last and just before the finish line he started passing horses. I was so nervous that I could barely watch. They crossed the finish line and I hear, “Ehi Guaglione third…” I was so proud of him for coming from last place and passing all those horses.

His most recent race on July 14^th at Waterloo Fair, a three horse race, consisted of another pacer and a trotter. Yet again, I was so nervous, and I could only see parts of the racetrack. All I kept hearing was “Ehi Guaglione in front by ‘x’ number of lengths.” By the time the announcer said, “..and the winner is Ehi Guaglione..” I was already on my way to the winners circle with tears of joy in my eyes! I was so proud of him and myself because we got there together. We are both looking forward to our following races at Morris and Norwich fairgrounds.

Together we plan on continuing racing throughout the season. I have plans to travel to Florida for the winter again, so of course,  this time Ehi will come with me. It’s a long ways from now, so nothing is certain, but we may or may not race throughout the winter as well. After Ehi’s racing career, I plan to continue showing him and taking him trail riding. I would love to see RUS expand to pacers under saddle, because I know he would love to participate in that as well. Either way, he will always have a home with me for life. Not only do I love him unconditionally, but he has given me so much that I couldn’t possibly get rid of him. I think I owe him a happy retirement!