ber of people I really respect and admire for different reasons. I consider Kenny Arsenault and Walter Cheverie to be among the top drivers in this region. I really respect Donnie Galbraith and Phil Pinkney as top trainers in the Maritimes. It’s rare in the Maritimes or in the Meadowlands for one person to be among both the elite drivers and trainers in this age of specialization. Personally, driving is not the end all for me. It does not make that much difference to me whether I drive or not. I would much sooner train horses than drive horses. This is a difficult question to answer because we do have more than two good drivers and two good trainers but the ones I have selected stand out for me."

Both Ronnie’s son, jack and his daughter, Jodilyn were knowledgeable and aware of what was involved in the world of standardbreds. His mother, Blanche understood the game and its peaks and valleys. I am sure that his dad, Roddie was looking down from above and was pleased with the efforts and progress of his son in a very demanding and chal— lenging profession.

Ronnie did not set specific goals at the beginning of each racing season. He rea— soned, “It is pretty hard to set goals in the horse business because with injuries, sickness, etc., you never know what is going to happen with your horses. You just do your best and hope that things work out." If an opportunity arose for him to train horses in Ontario, he stated,

48

Behind the Gate

“I would certainly think about it. It has entered my mind, but if it is going to hap— pen, it would have to happen soon." Incidentally, trainers from the Atlantic provinces have been known to achieve success at the elite level of this industry in Ontario and New Jersey.

The late D. Lloyd Mathiescn was a tal— ented hockey player in his youth. As a teenager, he left RBI. to pursue a profes— sional hockey career in the United States. Success in real estate and :he furniture business south of the 49th parallel per- mitted this Islander to continue involve- ment in a lifetime passion of his — horse racing. Some older Islanders will remem— ber Lloyd as Denver Dan because of a horse he owned by that nane in the Eric Moreside Stable.

Lloyd owned Queen Liz Hershey, a three— year—old filly by Camhest out of Thruway Hershey. He named her after the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown. Lloyd decided to donate her earnings to the Queen Elizabeth Hosptal Founda— tion. This was a very though'ful and con- siderate act by a true Prince Edward Islander. Queen Liz Hershe) was trained by Ronnie Matheson at the C.D.P. Her progress was indeed monit>red closely by Islanders. Ronnie also had great suc— cess training the mother ()1 Queen Lz’z Hershey and many other horses over the years for Lloyd Mathieson.