Behind the Gate

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 level in recent years. For example, he won the Francis McIsaac Trophy two successive years as the leading point earner during Old Home Week at the GDP. In the past, Joe Hennessey, Clark Smith, Francis McIsaac and Garry MacDonald dominat— ed during Old Home Week.

After his family, horses were the most important thing in Gary‘s life. He loved 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. Each horse has its own personality. It is imper— ative that horses receive proper nutrition every day. It is also important to worm them and to keep them in shape with proper training. wrong with them, you must try to fix it."

If there is something

This horseman had indeed accomplished a great deal since he opened a public sta- ble. At one time he had Rhonda '5 Buddy for Eugene Carr entered in the Gold Cup and Saucer Trials. Gary said that this trial race was one of the highlights in his Like all drivers in this part of Canada, he dreamed of winning the pres— tigious Gold Cup and Saucer.

CZIl'CC‘f.

One of the inevitabilities of harness rac- ing is that accidents, sometimes serious

GarffChappell

ones, will happen. Gary informed, “I have had some bad accidents even a bro- ken leg that kept me on the shelf for months, a holiday that I did not enjoy."

When asked for the single best piece of advice he would give a youngster bent on getting into the harness racing game, Gary answered without hesitation, “Head to Ontario." Unfortunately, today’s eco— nomics determine that this is a very pop— ular and realistic trend. It is very difficult to stay afloat in Atlantic Canada and each year sees movement of youth to the more lucrative tracks in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and the United States. Incidentally, there are many success sto— ries of Atlantic Canadians at these tracks.

Before opening his own public stable, Gary paid his dues by working for Graham Chappell, Stanley Mayhew and Robert Jorgenson. Longtime owner and breeder of standardbreds, Leith Dickieson of New Glasgow, P.E.I. had high praise for Gary as a horseman and as a person. Leith said, "I think he is one of the best drivers on PEI.“ Dave and Phil Pinkney were two in this very corn— petitive industry that Gary highly respect— ed and he stated that he would like to duplicate some of their achievements.

When asked to give his preference between training or driving of horses, Gary chose driving. He had no immedi- ate or long-range plans to move to Upper

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