Ralph Annear “g

with horses was cemented that would last for more than half a century.

As a youngster in i\ilontague, Ralph was fortunate to haye had some yery capable and knowledgeable horsemen as his mentors. Ile receiyed most of his train— ing and experience from Alfred Lowrey. His other mentors were lack Annear. Leo Collins and Archie Llewellyn. liach con— tributed to his deyelopment in the critical

early stages.

I asked Ralph to name a horseman that he admired during his early years in the

game. lle responded. "James .\lacGregor

seemed to haye extra flare and seemed to be a real professional. Laurie. my wife. and I used to yisit her relatives in the l'nited States and we would often attend the races at the old Rockingham track. _lames was yery hospitable to us and any— one from Atlantic (Ianada who looked

him up at the track. He was at the top of

his game at that time racing in the .\laritimes. Quebec and the eastern Ifnited States.

At age 1". Ralph earned his licence to driye at racetracks with a pari—mutuel. He was driying horses mainly for his father and Alfred Lowrey. ()ne exception was Airways ll'b/‘m owned by Harold llennessey. She was a good little trotter that became a Maritime champion at age

tltt‘ee.

In 1983. Ralph bought .lIa/)/e lea/'gtri/e/l at the yearling sale in 'I'ruro, She became

36

Behind the Gate

:1 Maritime champion in stakes action. In 1983’. he purchased Hap/e leaf Bramble in a p riyate sale from Alack (Iruickshank. lie was a great horse that went on to race well in Montreal where he was sold. 'l‘hese successful trotters trained and dri— yen by Ralph Annear were among the early performers in the Ralph Annear Stable. He continued oyer the years to haye success with the square gaiters like Map/e Lea/'Ao/J/e. Hap/e lea/‘1’)are. Map/e Lea/'llazc/e and Dana/ore 'l'opaz'. He also had success with pacers .llor/er's Pride. _/ ()r/am/ (L'. 'l'rae lady Ina. Dar/co. Harrods [6011/0 and .1lag/‘c Dex/er.

’l‘his capable trainer driyer with the familiar brown and white driying colors remembered his first official driye in a race like it happened yesterday. He recounted the eyent. "I sure can remem— ber it. It was at the Charlottetown l)riying Park and l was driying Col/age Frau/e for Alfred Lowrey. 'l'hat horse would take quite a hold but I got along great with him. \\"hen it came time to start him that year after months of jog— ging and training in \lontague. Alfred said that I might as well driye him. I was pretty excited for the trip from Montague to Charlottetown that day. \Ve loaded the two horses on the trailer without inci— dent. At that time. when you transported horses to race. you had a trunk for the horses' harness and other items you would need that day. The trunk would be placed at the front of the trailer which was hitched to the car. \V'lten we arriyed at the (I.[).l’.. I had no trunk. no harness.