Tanya Martin, Caretaker

First exposure to harness racing - Living in Elmira, home of the old
Elmira Raceway, I was always aware that harness racing occured there. As I grew older and became a horse nut, my friend and I would go up on Friday nights and watch some races. I enjoyed it and found it to be very
interesting and exciting..

Number of years I've owned horses - About five years now. I usually have pieces of one or two in the stable just for fun, and hopefully a chance to earn a little extra income.

Best horse I've owned - Definitely Dream On Bernie. She was very special to me as I looked after her mother, Dreamfair Tierra during her race career. I had a great time with her and I was there when "Bernie" was
born, which I was extremely thrilled about. My trainer offered me a share
of her when she was just a baby and I jumped on it. Bernie gave me and
the other owners a great ride during her 2 and 3 year old years as she was
a very nice, steady trotter and was very successful in the Ontario Sires
Stakes. A great ownership experience. I also looked after her during her
time with me, too.

Greatest Thrill in harness racing - Seeing your horse cross the finish
line first and also seeing your horse just race well. They try their hearts out for us and they are amazing creatures. Also when someone recognizes your hard work and your horse's talent.

What I love about the sport - Obviously the competition part of it is fun
to an extent. It is a sport that you don't have to be an expert in or a horse person to be involved in just a little, if you want. The sport as a whole is a great community filled with terrific people that become your friends and family. It feels good when you travel around the province and people recognize you and congratulate you on any luck you may have had. It is a terrific sport and very close-knit.

Advice I would give to someone interested in becoming a horse owner - If you have never owned animals, remember that they are an animal and they can become injured or sick at any time with no warning. It's non one's fault, just life. Stick with it and keep waiting because a good one will come along. It took me two horses that never made it to the races before I got Dream On Bernie, but it was worth the wait. The thrill of your horse winning a race or even just racing good, is a terrific feeling..

Entrepreneur Lorne Duffield

Pro athlete Mats Sundin