Behind the Gate ‘W 
     
    
   
   
    
     the game. I like to compete and I like to 
     
     win. I really get up for a race day. It is 
     
     much different from other days." This 
     
     statement explained why Gary was able 
     
     to take his game to the next leyel in 
     
     recent years. For example. he won the 
     
     I’rancis Mclsaac 'I‘rophy two successiye 
     
     years as the leading point earner during 
     
     Old Home \\"eek at the C.I).l’. 
     
     past. _Ioe Hennessey. Clark Smith. Francis 
     
    
   
   
    
     In the 
     
    
   
   
    
     McIsaac and Garry MacDonald dominat— 
     
     ed during Old Home \V’eek. 
     
    
   
   
    
     After his family. horses were the most 
     
     important thing in Gary's life. He loyed 
     
     horses and tried to explain why when he 
     
     said. "It just gets in your blood. I just like 
     
     the horses; it goes with the races. Iiach 
     
     horse has its own personality. It is impe1> 
     
     atiye that horses receiye proper nutrition 
     
     eyery day. It is also important to worm 
     
     them and to keep them in shape with 
     
     proper training. If there is something 
     
     wrong with them. you must try to lix it." 
     
    
   
   
    
     This horseman had indeed accomplished 
     
     a great deal since he opened a public sta— 
     
     ble. At one time he had Idiom/(1‘s lit/(Mr 
     
     for Iiugene Carr entered in the (Iold Cup 
     
     and Saucer 'I'rials. (Iary said that this trial 
     
     race was one of the highlights in his 
     
     career. 
     
     Canada. he dreamed of winning the pres— 
     
     tigious Gold Cup and Saucer. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ()ne of the ineyitabilities of harness rac- 
     
    
   
   
    
     ing is that accidents. sometimes serious 
     
    
   
   
    
         
     
    
   
   
    
     Like all driyers in this part of 
     
    
   
   
    
     Gary Chappell 
     
    
   
   
    
     ones. will happen. (iary informed. "I 
     
     haye had some had accidents eyen a bro— 
     
     ken leg that kept me on the shelf for 
     
    
   
   
    
     months. a holiday that I did not enjoy." 
     
    
   
   
    
     \V'hen asked for the single best piece of 
     
     adyice he would giye a youngster bent 
     
     on getting into the harness racing game. 
     
     Gary answered without hesitation. "Head 
     
     to Ontario." I'nfortunately. today's eco~ 
     
     nomics determine that this is a yery pop— 
     
     ular and realistic trend. It is yery difficult 
     
     to stay afloat in Atlantic Canada and each 
     
     year sees moyement of youth to the more 
     
     lucratiye tracks in Ontario. Quebec. 
     
     Alberta and the States. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Incidentally. there are many success sto— 
     
    
   
   
    
     I‘nited 
     
     ries of Atlantic Canadians at these tracks. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Before opening his own public stable. 
     
     Cary paid his dues by working for 
     
     (Iraham Chappell. Stanley .\Iayhew and 
     
     Robert Iorgenson. Longtime owner and 
     
     breeder of standardbreds. Leith 
     
     Dickieson of New Glasgow. l’.l§.l. ltatl 
     
     high praise for (iary as a horseman and 
     
     as a person. Leith said. "I think he is one 
     
     of the best driyers on I’.I{.l." I)a\'e and 
     
     Phil l’inkney were two in this yery com— 
     
     petitiye industry that (iary highly respect— 
     
     ed and he stated that he would like to 
     
     duplicate sortie of their acl‘rieyemei‘its, 
     
    
   
   
    
     \\'"hen asked to giye his preference 
     
     between training or driying of horses. 
     
     Gary chose driying. Ile had no immedi4 
     
    
   
   
    
     ate or long—range plans to moye to I'pper 
     
    
   
   
    
     113