Behind the Gate

There are very few people that you meet as you go from track to track that you couldn‘t sit down and enjoy an evening."

()ne aspect about her business that she did not appreciate was explained. "I guess the fact that it is tough to make a great living but with a lot of hours and effort you can make a good living. It makes you envious when you see people in other vocations making more money and better benefits with less toil."

(Ilare believed that she was very fortunate to make her livelihood working with something she truly loved. She put it this way. "I ha\ e always loved horses. I love everything about them — the smell. the feel. the action. the way they act. I have always loved everything about a horse; however. a horse requires constant care, You must make sure that he or she is comfortable. well fed. well groomed and well exercised. If you dont put the hours on them before they perform on the

track. don‘t have high expectations.”

This extremely skilled trainer driver 'blac ksmith didn't believe that she has yet had her best experience or moment in the "I haven't

sport. She put it succinctly.

had it yet. I really and truly hope I

havent had it yet." On the other hand.

Clare MacDonald

she was involved in a few accidents but they have been few according to the number of years that she has driven. She experienced broken ribs from an acci- dent on the track and was out a couple of weeks from time to time, She was forced to sit on the sidelines during three pregnancies.

Clare was very articulate especially when giving advice to a youngster contemplat— ing a career with the horses. She advised. "Don't be scared to work. It is a business that you really do have to start at the bottom to be successful. You must put in your time with all facets of the game in order to learn valuable fttnda— mentals and gain necessary experience You must come up through the ranks; you cant start at the top."

Over the years. (Ilare had a number of

talented and hard—working people employed at their farm and she thanked them for their contributions over the years. Some of them included Bruce .i\lac1,.aine. Roy Burton. ()reg hrlilt‘lt‘lltln. Anthony Banks and Ambyr .\1acl’hee. Clare stated that she had never worked

for anybody else but her father.

The person that this »i“‘-year—old respect- ed most in the sport was Billy O'Donnell.

“I have a/u {(175 lovea’ horses. I love everything about them —

the smell, the/eel, the action, the way they act. ”

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