The Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association has announced that Robert A. Brooks will be the 24th horseman inducted into their Harness Racing Hall of Fame on Friday, September 14 during a presentation in the winner’s circle at Tioga Downs.
Bob Brooks has worn just about every hat you can imagine during his lifelong participation in harness racing, but the singular objective he has had through every stage of his involvement was what he could do for the betterment of the sport.
Brooks' first exposure was attending the track while in fifth grade with his friend and his father. It was love at first sight and the affair has continued. His initial investment came as a $4,000 gamble on a new trainer through the word of a friend, and 30 years later he’s still in the business. In that time he has owned and raced harness horses, many who were eligible to the New York Sire Stakes, and has recently expanded his small breeding operation at his farm in Greene, New York.
For several years, Brooks served on the Board of Directors of the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State (HHBNYS) while his good friend Bruce Hamilton was the executive director. In September of 2003, Brooks took over the reins of executive director for that organization, and held the post until he retired in January of 2009.
During his time there, the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) program went from a position of precarious status to one of the finest breeding programs of its kind in North America. And Brooks efforts helped facilitate many of the changes that made that transition possible.
One of Brooks’ most rewarding accomplishments came when he spearheaded an effort to recover the Zweig Memorial Trot from New Hampshire and bring it back to New York State. Since its return, the stake has reclaimed the prestige it had when it was founded in honour of Dr. Harry M. Zweig, who was instrumental in establishing the NYSS in 1965. The race has since been held at Tioga Down from 2006 through 2011 and was contested at Vernon Downs this year. Every year since its return, it has gained value and popularity.
He also helped move the state fair races away from the track in Syracuse which was used only one week a year for harness racing, to have them contested at established pari-mutuel tracks in the state, where horses and horsemen could compete under the best racing conditions.
Bob and his wife, Lynn, are looking forward to participating in the sport for many more years and being a part of the great racing that the breeders, owners, trainers and drivers of New York State have been responsible for producing.
(USHWA)