CKG Billings - MICHELLE RUVOLA WINS BILLINGS CONTEST AT ZANESVILLE, OHIO

With her victory in the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series  at the Muskingum County Fair in Zanesville, Ohio August 13^th  Michelle “the Belle” Ruvola jumped up to fourth place on the Midwest region leaderboard and  now  has  15 points in just two starts.   Although she trails leader Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford by 37 points she’s just four points behind that region’s runner-up, Mike “the Doo Wop Doc” Caston.

Ruvola , a strategic planner from Napierville, Ill., reined  her parent’s  trotter, Spit Happens to a  2:08 triumph over Cabo Blue, who was driven by Michelle’s dad “Chicago George “ Bonomo. Third place went to Four Starz Valley driven by “Marvelous Marvin”  Raber.

“My horse made a little bobble behind the gate but I got him back trotting without too much trouble and when I did we stalked my dad who was driving his other horse, Cabo Blue, until the top of the stretch and  when we  turned for home  I tipped my trotter and then waved goodbye to dad,” Ruvola said trying to hold  back a chuckle. “I like winning but I’m not crazy about beating my dad. But I’ll bet he was proud of me just the same.”

Ruvola, who drives whenever her schedule allows, notched her first win of the year to go along with one second and three thirds in six seasonal drives.  An accomplished horse-woman prior to driving standardbreds  she scored her 34^th career amateur driving victory.

Ruvola recently accepted an invitation to compete in the  Ladies Word Cup  of Amateur Racing which will be contested in Taranto, Italy on September 15^th.