How does a person become a member of the Living Hall of Fame? Each year living persons who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness racing are nominated by the members of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) at each chapter level.
To be eligible a nominee must have been active in any phase of harness racing. Selection requires ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character. A selection screening committee, consisting of senior USHWA writers and Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame trustees who are members of the Living Hall of Fame (acting as non-voting advisors), produces the nominees for election - typically two.
Biographies are then prepared and ballots sent to all writers with two or more years of membership in USHWA. Seventy-five percent of the ballots cast are required for election. Induction ceremonies take place at the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Goshen, New York, on the first Sunday in July. Honorees receive a commemorative ring. A lifelike statuette of each inductee is created and displayed in the Museum's Hall of Fame Gallery. For more information, contact the Secretary of USHWA at [email protected].
For a complete listing of the elected members of the Harness Racing Living Hall of Fame: Click Here
THE LIVING HORSE HALL OF FAME ELECTION GUIDELINES
How does a horse become a member of the Living Hall of Fame? The bylaws of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame provide for the establishment, within the Museum, of a classification for living Standardbred horses known as the Living Horse Hall of Fame. The Board of Trustees of the Museum appoints a nominating committee, which makes selections for candidates for election.
In 2018 and 2023 the Board of Trustees approved revised sets of Living Horse Hall of Fame eligibility criteria. These criteria are as follows:
A racehorse must be retired from racing for three years and have had a drug-free career. In addition, racehorses must have been the winner of $2.5 million lifetime WITH 2 Dan Patch Awards, OR been the winner of $3 million lifetime, OR been named Dan Patch (U.S.) Harness Horse of the Year. Horses over the age of 12 that are still racing and meet the criteria are also eligible. Committee members can also nominate a racehorse that does not meet the criteria.
A racemare must be retired from racing for three years and have had a drug-free career. In addition, racemares must have been the winner of $1.5 million lifetime WITH 2 Dan Patch Awards, OR been the winner of $2.5 million lifetime, OR been named Dan Patch (U.S.) Harness Horse of the Year. Mares over the age of 12 that are still racing and meet the criteria are also eligible. Committee members can also nominate a racehorse that does not meet the criteria.
Stallions must rank among the 10 all-time leading moneywinning sires at their gait, OR have sired at least 100 $200,000 winners, OR been a leading moneywinning sire at his gait in three or more seasons.
A slate of not more than eight nominees is presented to the Museum's membership. Voting is by ballot, which is sent to all members in good standing after the Board of Trustees has approved the slate. Members are entitled to not more than four votes each. Completed ballots must be returned to the Museum on or before January 1st. The four horses receiving sufficient votes as specified by the Board of Trustees are the winners. Horses not receiving sufficient votes to be elected may be renominated the following year.
Annually on March 1st, a list of broodmares that have produced two Dan Patch winners, OR two millionaires, OR one Dan Patch winner and one millionaire will be assembled for the Living Horse Hall of Fame Committee to review. Committee members can also nominate a broodmare that does not meet the criteria. Each of the committee members votes for his or her top 5 broodmares, voting results are tabulated, and the top two vote getters are elected to the Living Horse Hall of Fame.
Induction ceremonies take place on Hall of Fame Day, the first Sunday in July. A commemorative crystal disc is installed in the Hall of Fame in honor and recognition of each inductee. An award is also presented to each horse's current owner.
Click here to visit the Living Hall of Fame
(ALPHABETICAL LISTING HERE)
Click here to visit the Living Horse Hall of Fame
(ALPHABETICAL LISTING HERE)
How Immortals Are Elected
How does a person or horse become an Immortal? A Museum member can nominate a person or horse, deceased for three years, to be an Immortal. Nominations must be accompanied by biographical information outlining the nominee's contributions to the Standardbred sport and must be received by the Museum director no later than March 1st of any given year. These nominations are reviewed by an Immortals Committee; recommendations are made to the Hall of Fame's full Board of Trustees and the board elects Immortals at its annual meeting on Hall of Fame Day, the first Sunday in July.
Click here to visit the Hall of Immortals
(ALPHABETICAL LISTING HERE)
Click here to visit the Hall of Horse Immortals
(ALPHABETICAL LISTING HERE)