a

ome claim that the apple never falls S far from the tree. If this popular

axiom ever needed proof, it has it in Clare MacDonald from Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Clare’s father, Ed Haley was recognized by his peers and racing fans as one of the most talented and respected trainers and drivers of standardbreds in the Atlantic provinces. He also was the founder and master of West River Stock Farm in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. This was one of the most successful farms in the breed— ing industry in the Atlantic provinces for the past 45 years.

Ed IIalcy CCl‘tzlinly set high standards but his daughter Clare MacDonald, with strong support from her husband, Ken had a lot of success in maintaining these standards. For example, rarely in the past 15 years has it happened in the Maritime provinces for a two— or three-year-old stake race for trotters or pacers to be run Without an entry from the West River Stock Farm.

Clare, Ken and their daughter Haley made so many trips Northumberland Strait to Charlottetown and Summerside racetracks that Islanders

across the

Photos: Ann Machill were thinking about adopting them. Travel is a necessity when you are raising and racing successful colts and fillies and this family didn‘t seem to mind it.

Harness racing seemed to be in Clare MacDonald’s genes. She stated that she had been around horses, “Right from the time I got out of pampers. As soon as I could walk, I was going to the barn with Dad. I just grew up in the barn."

The first horses that Clare had memory of were the three stallions that stood at the West River Stock Farm because they were the constant. Primo. Dellmor and Bancro/l Hanover were always there.

When Clare reached age eight or nine, she remembered, “A girlfriend and I would ride the horses on horseback. It was probably just to get us out of the way and from under everybody's feet for a while. Dad would put us in cleaning the horses because it would be a good way to babysit us for a while."

This talented trainer/driver learned an important lesson about horses early in life. She recounted, “I had a pony that my friend and I would ride. When we got a little braver we would sit on the

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