Aime J. Choquette Passes

Aime J. Choquette, one of the best known second trainers in the sport of harness racing, died Tuesday afternoon at the age of 102.

For details on funeral arrangements, click here.

Choquette, born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada on October 31, 1914, passed away from natural causes at a nursing facility in Sherbrooke.

As a youth after World War I, Choquette’s life revolved around horses as they were still utilized for daily transportation. He had jobs driving wagons and after he was finished schooling, he found full time work at the hosiery mills, but still devoted his free time to training jumping horses.

By the 1940s, Choquette, with his brother Robert, opened the Fairplay Stable at the local fairgrounds. They turned the stable into a thriving business for years as Choquette became one of the best show horse and jumper trainer/riders in Canada.

In 1952 at the age of 38, Choquette decided to leave Sherbrooke and head south to the United States to work in the national emerging sport of harness racing, which had just received pari-mutuel wagering in Quebec. He went to Ben White Raceway near Orlando, Florida as a caretaker and learning about training racehorses.

He was promptly hired by Jimmy Arthur and Harry Harvey, who were working for the Delvin Miller Stable. Delvin Miller was one of the premier trainers in all of harness racing with world champions Tar Heel, Lusty Song, Arndon, Helicopter, Countess Vivian and Stenographer, all in his stable. Miller also had the great stallion Adios at his Meadow Lands farm in Pennsylvania.

When Miller once asked for volunteers to head west to California to race some of his stakes horses, Choquette did not hesitate to go as he loved to travel. Miller soon knew he had a top man in Choquette, who helped train Kentucky Futurity winner Harlan.

Miller later selected Choquette to take his top trotter at the time, The Great Lullwater, to France to compete in the 1959 Prix D’Amerique. The Great Lullwater did not fare well in the race, but Miller saw how good Choquette did and when they returned, he promoted Choquette to second trainer.

That decision paid off over the year as Choquette worked with Miller and helped develop some of the greatest Standardbred race horses in the sport. Perhaps the shining moment of Choquette’s and the stables career was when Miller sent him with the top trotting mare, Delmonica Hanover, back to France to compete in the 1974 Prix D’Amerique.

This time Choquette made sure his mare was ready for the race, training her up and down the hills of the training center at Grosbois in preparation for the big race in Vincennes, so that she was tough and ready to take on the best trotters in the world.

And with the talented German driver Hans Fromming in the sulky, Delmonica Hanover won the Prix D’Amerique over the great French mares, Une De Mai, and sixteen other rivals. Miller, in a letter written to Choquette, said “There is no doubt in my mind that she would not have won the race without all your fine work in training and preparing her in France for Mr. “Arnold” Hanger and I. Of all the races that I have won I will always consider this race the most enjoyable win of all.”

Choquette worked for over three decades, mainly as a second trainer for Delvin Miller. During that span he helped with the training of world champions Dancer Hanover, Tarport Hap, Meadow Skipper, Countess Adios, Speed In Action, Tyler B and many other top racehorses.

Along with training horses, Choquette also trained and educated many caretakers who have gone on to become household names in harness racing. The list includes Andy Grant of The Hambletonian Society, John Cashman of Castleton Farms, Tom Charters of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown, Jerry Monahan of the Red Mile, Bob Leuhrman of the USTA, Jim Moran and Walter Bonafice of Vernon Downs; and such horsemen as Don McKirgan, L. “Bucky” Waugh, Bob Yohn, Soren Landin, Tomas Nilsson, John Butenschoen and many others.

Choquette retired from training in 1984 and settled at Palm Aire Country Club, right across the street from Pompano Park, where he winter-trained with Miller for so many years.

In 1991, Choquette was awarded by the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) with the Dick Baker Second Trainer Award. In 1998 the Florida Chapter of USHWA honoured Choquette as the first recipient of the Delvin Miller Award and in 2010, inducted him into the Florida Harness Racing Hall of Fame. In 2014, honouring his 100th birthday, the Keystone Chapter of USHWA presented Choquette with their most prestigious honour, the Mary Lib Miller Award.

For nearly seven decades, Aime Choquette served as a positive icon in the world of harness racing. Many who had the pleasure of visiting Choquette and Miller at the stable will remember their trademark salutation when leaving…”We’re glad you got to see us!”

Choquette was one of eight children and a confirmed bachelor.

In lieu of flowers, it has been requested that donations be made to the Aime Choquette Sunshine Fund that helps fellow horsemen and women in need, which Choquette himself founded. Cheques should be made out to the Florida Chapter USHWA and mailed to P.O. Box 669273 Pompano Beach, FL 33066.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Aime J. Choquette.

(Steve Wolf and Jean Emerson)