From U.S. Harness Writers Association
Kelly Smith, who has
worked for Hall of Fame trainer Chuck Sylvester for more than three decades,
has been named the recipient of the 2020 Caretaker of the Year Award sponsored
by Art Zubrod and Leah Cheverie’s Fair Island Farm in conjunction with the U.S.
Harness Writers Association (USHWA). Smith was announced the winner during the
USHWA Dan Patch Virtual Awards Show on Saturday, Jan. 16.
“I was very surprised
and honored,” said Smith. “The competition was fierce, that’s for sure. There
are some of the others nominated who are very good friends of mine. Everybody
nominated was well deserving; clearly somebody thought we were special.
“I am very
appreciative of this. Chuck has meant everything to me.”
Smith was nominated
by Sylvester himself.
“Kelly often knows
more of what’s going on with me than anyone else,” Sylvester wrote in his
nomination letter. “She is there every day starting at 5 a.m., feeding all the
horses, turning them out for a few hours, waiting for vets or blacksmiths and
staying with the horses, holding them during their appointments.
“Kelly is honest,
reliable, trustworthy and absolutely passionate about the horses! She is
extremely smart and could do anything, but she chooses the horses.
“This last year Kelly
even went above and beyond her usual excellence and complete loyalty. When I
was unable to go north this year, as I needed to stay home with my wife Sharon,
Kelly went … and was my eyes and ears. She is my unsung hero.”
All caretakers in
North America were eligible for the Fair Island Farm Caretaker of the Year
Award, with nomination letters submitted detailing the skills and special
qualities of the nominee. A seven-member panel — all USHWAns who were former
caretakers themselves — selected Smith as the winner.
As winner of the Fair
Island Farm Caretaker of the Year Award, Smith will receive a cash prize of
$1,000 and a trophy etched with a likeness of her and a favorite horse,
Breeders Crown champion Spider Blue Chip.
Including Smith, 16
names were submitted for the Fair Island Farm Caretaker of the Year. All
nominees will receive an honorary certificate commemorating their nomination.
Here are all the nominees, with the stable for which they work noted in
parentheses:
Erin Bonno (George
Ducharme)
Margaret Gillon (Ron
Burke)
Bethany Graffam
(Graffam Stable)
Shelly Greico (Linda
Toscano)
Michelle Hallett
(John Hallett)
Kim Hines (Jason
Robinson)
Diane Lewis (Joe
Holloway)
Trish Nappi (Cory
Deyermand)
Lisa Palmiter (Chris
Lakata)
Katie Remmerswaal
(Nancy Takter)
Kelly Smith (Chuck
Sylvester)
Sierra Smith (Gerry
Sarama)
Anki Wernis (Jim
Campbell)
Dave Wisher (Joe
MacDonald)
Vicki Wright (Noel
Daley)
Cheyenne Yoder (James
Yoder)
