4.192% amt-Pu, 
     
     Magic Pic/e, Burlington’s Pet, Raised 
     
     Emotions and/251511202. 
     
    
   
   
    
     There is a general tradition among horse— 
     
     men that the “special” horse always gets 
     
     the first stall as you enter the barn. Erwin 
     
     loved and respected all of his horses but 
     
     there was no question as to what horse 
     
     would get that stall during Raised 
     
     Emotions’ tenure. Clark Smith sent this 
     
     talented and durable three-year—old from 
     
     Ontario to co—owners Erwin, Brian and 
     
     Bill, and Raised Emotions went on to win 
     
     50 races in the Maritimes. He was 
     
     Erwin’s all—time favourite horse. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Always amicable, Erwin‘s life revolved 
     
     around people — his family, co—workers, 
     
     friends, acquaintances, and even 
     
     strangers. His son, Brian explained, 
     
     “What dad enjoyed most about harness 
     
     racing was the fact that it enabled him to 
     
     meet all kinds of people. He loved an 
     
     afternoon or night at the races because it 
     
     gave him an opportunity to meet and talk 
     
     to people.” 
     
    
   
   
    
     Supporting his brother’s comments, Bill 
     
     elaborated, “Dad was a fan first; he was a 
     
     huge fan of harness racing, he loved to 
     
     attend and watch the races and talk to the 
     
     other fans. You would find him at the rail 
     
     with the other die-hard railbirds or on the 
     
     apron or under the grandstand talking to 
     
     the other hardcore fans. You wouldn’t 
     
     find him in the grandstand or in the club- 
     
     house.” Bill also explained that in earlier 
     
     times when his dad was actively involved 
     
     in the breeding aspect of harness racing, 
     
    
   
   
    
     50 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Behind the Gate 
     
    
   
   
    
     he developed friendships in the 
     
     Maritimes that lasted a lifetime. 
     
    
   
   
    
     This fan of the game did not appreciate 
     
     the bureaucracy of the horse industry, 
     
     especially people with their own agen- 
     
     das. At times he became frustrated with 
     
     some of the things the breeders or the 
     
     racing commission were doing. Bill ver— 
     
     ified, “Dad loved the sport but couldn't 
     
     understand why people didn’t want to 
     
     move things ahead. Also, he had little 
     
     time for the naysayers or those who 
     
     always undermined or knocked the 
     
     sport. Dad loved to explain the nuances 
     
     of harness racing to complete strangers at 
     
     the track." 
     
    
   
   
    
     Erwin lived a dream when he realized his 
     
     family retained a strong involvement with 
     
     the sport and industry of harness racing. 
     
     He lived his dreams tirrough family 
     
     involvement. His familys participation 
     
     was more important to him than winning. 
     
     He was also very proud of the creation of 
     
     Meridian Farms and the cirection it was 
     
     taking under the keen anc watchful eyes 
     
     of Bill and Brian. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Harness racing is a sport that spans 
     
     involvement ranging from complete 
     
     hands—on participation on the track or in 
     
     the barns, to simple enj)yment as an 
     
     observing fan. In his time Erwin experi- 
     
     enced both types of involvement. In his 
     
     earlier years as a hobby horseman, he 
     
     was very active with j(gging horses, 
     
     backstretch duties and the breeding com— 
     
     ponent. He used to tra\el extensively