Harness: Dan Patch show includes Caretaker of the Year

The 2020 Fair Island Farm Caretaker of the Year Award winner will be announced as part of the United States Harness Writers Association's (USHWA) Dan Patch Virtual Awards Show on Saturday, Jan. 16, from 5-6 p.m. This Virtual Awards Show has been made possible in large part by Jason Settlemoir and The Meadowlands, Roberts Communications Network, and the United States Trotting Association (USTA).

The winner of the Caretaker of the Year Award, sponsored by Art Zubrod and Leah Cheverie's Fair Island Farm, will receive a cash prize of $500 and a plaque with a photo of the caretaker and a favorite horse.

Sixteen names were submitted to the seven-member committee, all USHWAns who had been caretakers, that was tasked to select the winner. Here are those names, 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)

The Dan Patch Awards Show can be watched live on USHWA's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/USHarnessWriters), as well as through the Meadowlands simulcast signal, on the track’s website (www.playmeadowlands.com) and through the RTN broadcast network.

The next day it will also be archived and available on USHWA's website (www.usharnesswriters.com) and Facebook page as well as the USTA's YouTube channel.

-release (USHWA)