Kawartha Downs to host regional driving championships
FRASERVILLE -- Kawartha Downs will host the Eastern Ontario/ Quebec Regional Driving Championship for harness racing drivers on June 30, Standardbred Canada announced.
The top two drivers from each regional competition will advance to the National Driving Championship at Grand River Raceway in Elora on Sept. 26.
The winner of the 2018 National Driving Championship will have the opportunity to represent Canada in the 2019 World Driving Championship in Sweden.
This is the first time Kawartha Downs in Fraserville has hosted a Regional Driving Championship during the 11-year history of these events, stated a joint press release from KD and Standardbred Canada. A field of eight or nine (to be determined) of the top drivers from Kawartha, Rideau Carleton Raceway and Hippodrome 3R will compete for points in the event and a coveted spot in the national championship. “We are very pleased to have been selected by Standardbred Canada to host our regional championship,” stated Kawartha’s marketing director Heather MacKay Roberts. “I believe we have the ideal components to make it an exceptional event: our horse people are incredible for supporting new and creative initiatives on and off track, our fans are very enthusiastic and welcome new ideas with open arms and our staff dig in to successfully implement them. “We’ve always had a very deep and talented driving colony at Kawartha Downs and I’m sure the drivers will put on a great show.”
The other three regional events will be held at Century Downs in Calgary on June 23, Western Fair Raceway in London on May 16 and Truro Raceway in Truro, N.S. on June 29. The winner will join 2017 World Driving Champion James MacDonald, of Guelph, to represent Canada in the 2019 World Driving Championship.