MANALAPAN,
NJ – July 18, 2013 – The children of three prominent standardbred trainers have
been selected to receive the 2013 Standardbred Breeders & Owners
Association of New Jersey Scholarships.
Caroline
Fanning will receive a $5,000 award while John McDermott and Nicole Coyne will
each take home $1,500.
The
recipients will be honored in ceremonies in the Meadowlands Racetrack’s
winner’s circle on Friday, July 26.
“We
are pleased to be helping three outstanding students who are continuing their
education and are the children of leading trainers in New Jersey,” said SBOANJ
President Tom Luchento. “All three are good students, active in their
communities and involved in harness racing.”
Caroline
Fanning, 18, is the daughter of Tom and Moira Fanning of Jackson, NJ. Her
sister, Veronica, is a previous scholarship winner.
John
McDermott, 19, is the son of John and Nancy McDermott of Lyndhurst, NJ.
His cousin, Caitlin, was a past recipient.
Nicole
Coyne, 20, is the daughter of Ron and Regina Coyne of New Egypt, NJ. Her
sister, Kristen, was a two-time scholarship honoree.
Caroline
Fanning, a 2013 graduate of St. Rose High School in Belmar, NJ, will be heading
Stockton College in the fall to study environmental sciences with a focus on
communications.
“I
think there is an important tie between the traditions of harness racing in
this country and how important the racing business is to the agricultural
economy of New Jersey,” she wrote in her essay. “My plan for my post
college career is to combine by two dream [working with animals as well as
film, television and writing] so I can help to promote harness racing and keep
the sport alive.
“I
want to capture the excitement of a race and portray it in a way that others
will be able to love it and get caught up in it just as I did,” she said.
In
high school, Fanning received varsity letters in soccer, track and lacrosse and
was voted Best Sense of Humor and Prom Queen.
“Caroline
has always liked harness racing and been involved since she was very young
-- from riding Red Bow Tie in lead line, to Harness Horse Youth Camp and
marching as Hambo Tony in the Hambletonian parades,” said her mother,
Hambletonian Society publicist Moira Fanning. “Her interest in harness
racing is ongoing, and we are deeply grateful to the SBOANJ for helping with
college costs. It's a future investment that will be returned.”
John
McDermott was a four-year honor roll student at the Academy for the Advancement
of Science and Technology in Hackensack, NJ. He played junior varsity football,
varsity basketball and took part in the Model United Nations.
He
is heading the University of Florida. Despite his high school years spent
at a science academy, his economics courses have lured him into the world of
business, which will be his major.
“I
love seeing the ways that I could apply economics to the real world,” he said
in his essay.
Nicole
Coyne, who graduated New Egypt High School and attended Ocean County College,
plans to pursue her studies at Monmouth University. In high school she
was active in lacrosse, field hockey, Spanish Club, History Club and Future
Business Leaders of America.
“I’ve
had the pleasure of being around horses since I was a small child,” she
said. “My father has also been devoted to the business throughout much of
his life and works as a full time trainer while my mother tends to their needs
as a groom. We share a mutual love for this profession.”
--Submitted
by Carol Hodes for SBOANJ
