With the resignation of John Berry from the US Harness
Writers Association’s Hall of Fame Screening Committee USHWA president Chris
Tully has appointed Shawn Wiles to replace Berry.
Wiles, a vice president and longtime member of the
Monticello- Goshen Chapter USHWA and general manager of Monticello Casino and
Raceway is a current USTA District 8 Director as well as second VP of USHWA
National and he has a long history in the sport.
His career in harness racing started in the backstretch of
Monticello Raceway during the 1970s where he worked as a groom for Richard
Sturgis, Robert Camper and Jim Grundy. He then went on in search of a Grand
Circuit stable to work for and found success with the famed trotting
specialists of Continental Farms under the guidance of Hakan Wallner, Hall of
Famer Berndt Lindstedt, and Jan Johnson.
Wiles was the first American second- trainer to work for the
famed Scandinavian trotting experts from 1980-1986.
During his tenure as a groom he rubbed many top performers,
most notably the crack stakes filly Dominant, and then worked for Castleton
Farms from 1986-1988. Wiles joined Monticello Raceway in 1996, working under
John Manzi in publicity and Bill Sullivan in operations.
Wiles was initially promoted to assistant GM of Monticello
Casino and Raceway, and lately promoted to
General Manager of the entire
facility. He was recently lauded by the local scribes on his tough stance on
racing integrity.
Wiles will now join Tully, Roger Huston, Randy Manges, Leon
Zimmerman and Moira Fanning, and Alicia Schwartz and their main order of
business is to vet the applicants who were selected for Hall of Fame induction
by the various USHWA Chapters.
Wiles is also on various other USHWA committees including
the Integrity Committee, Location Committee, and the Fan Award Committee.
“I am honored to be part of the process that honors the
legends of Harness Racing,” Wiles said referring to his recent appointment to
the Hall of Fame Screening Committee.
