Behind the Gate ‘ \W

no anything and I began to panic. \V'e phoned home and somebody rushed the trunk *0 kilometers to the track. I was neryous that day until we linally got behind the starting gate for the race. I took (.‘o/lage l’mn/e to the rear ol the pack until I got a chance to moye him with coyer. I remember that we l‘inished third in 11% without incident. 1 was 1" at that time and I will neyer forget my first race.” li‘iltyahree years later in 2008. the competitiye juices still lilowed when Ralph Annear laced the starting gate for stakes action or an oyernight eyent at any Maritime racetrack.

(bl/age l’raH/y? was the only horse that Ralph droye that year while he worked tor Alfred Lowrey. Allred droye the other horses himsell. Alter six attempts that year. he would finally win his l‘irst race and it would be with (.‘oHr/ge Fran/e in 2:12 at the (I.l).l’. Since that memorable \‘ictory this Montague reinsman would Visit the \V'inners' (lircle on 51% occasions. This was a neat acct.)mplishment tor a hobby horseman who had driyen. almost

exclusiyely. his own horses.

In May. 1%". Ralph started to work at a l'eed mill in Montague. In one year. he took ownership ol that same mill and it

became known as Fraser and Annear

l’eed Set'yice. lior the next i3 years. this successl'ul business yenture would be his Vocation and would occupy most ol‘ his time and energy: howeyer. Ralph always seemed to lind time to raise. train and race standardbreds as a hobby.

Ralph Annear

At age ()3 in 2005. a major change had taken place in Ralph Annears lil‘e. He laughed in amusement when l asked him to describe his inyolyement with horses. He explained. "I am training two two— year—olds and two three—year—t>lds, I also haye three broodmares and a weanling at the larm. I probably should haye some» body to help me but I enjoy starting each

day at 3 am. I guess that l haye now become a full—time horseman."

Ralph and Laurie enjoyed lite on a beau— tiful larm in Lower Montague. 'l‘heir l‘our children — ‘lanice. Maureen. Ronnie and

jlohn are now adults and haye made their

own liyes elsewhere. His family enjoyed and appreciated his inyolyement with horses oyer the years. The Annear farm included a beautil‘ul residence. a well organized and tidy barn with eight stalls. a halllmile training track. paddocks with an open shed and a loyeable companion

dog tor the horses.

Ralph was asked to list his most memo— rable horses and to explain why each was chosen. This task required some deliberation because he had been in— yolyed with so many horses during the past (it) years. .\'e\'ertheless. he offered. “.lla/J/e lea/Bramble was last. tough and had great courage. He was my choice for a horse. Ix'l'mnn's \t'ln'm was a good little trotter that raced well in the two— and three-year-old stakes and became a Maritime champion. She was a bad little deyil. In 200%. Maple leaf/lately? was still

quite a horse. He took a record of 1:363

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