“By appealing to their best selves, he (Jean Béliveau) reminded people of the best that was in them.”
Those were some of the eloquent words of former NHL great Ken Dryden eulogizing the late Jean Béliveau. Mr. Dryden, who was also a former Federal Cabinet Minister, was explaining the impact the late Canadiens captain had on the thousands of people, young and old, whom he had met during his playing career and in the subsequent forty plus years in Mr. Béliveau’s role as Ambassador for the Montreal Canadiens.
For those of us who are Montreal Canadiens fans, Jean Béliveau was a hero. Many are not old enough to have seen him play, but we have heard the stories, read the books and articles, and enjoyed the many tributes which indicated he was something very special, on and off the ice.
Sometimes, and fortunately not often, the people we idolize as heroes turn out to disappoint us away from their hockey rink, baseball diamond, or racetrack.
In harness racing we are very lucky to have many individuals who have been true heroes in our business, both on and off the track. Our history tells a story of visionary builders, track managers, breeders, owners, grooms, trainers, and drivers who have devoted their life’s work to our industry. Theirs are the shoulders upon which we all stand.
In Canadian harness racing, we recognize the achievements of our best each year with the presentation of the O’Brien Awards. I was fortunate to have been a member of the local Committee which organized the events held in conjunction with the O’Brien Awards in 2014, which were staged in Prince Edward Island.
For those of us who grew up reading and hearing about the exploits of one of our heroes, Joe O’Brien, it was surprising to learn that many people, even some in our industry, were unfamiliar about the man and his career.
For that reason, one of the goals of our hosting last year’s awards was to provide more information about Mr. O’Brien’s career, and his impact upon our industry. Special displays and a souvenir race program highlighted Joe O’Brien’s numerous champion horses, and the legacy he has left behind.
I had the opportunity to meet and watch Mr. O’Brien on numerous occasions, and to hear firsthand, the respect with which he was referred to by people, I admired. He was a hero who didn’t disappoint, and it is very appropriate that our best receive a trophy in his name.
As the O’Brien Awards return to Ontario for 2015, I hope everyone who can, takes advantage of the opportunity to attend the event and celebrate our best.
This year sees eight previous winners back to compete against the other twenty six hopefuls for recognition as Canada’s best. In order to get to our finalists, voters had to consider an initial list of horses and people with many significant achievements, all of whom were worthy of merit.
Good luck to all those nominated, win or lose you had a wonderful year, and see you at the O’Brien’s.