# Canadian Harness Horse of the Year

Canadian Harness Horse of the Year is an annual award in the sport of harness racing in Canada. It is the most prestigious Canadian award among those given to a Standardbred horse. Part of the O'Brien Award program, named in honour of legendary Canadian driver / trainer Joe O'Brien since 1989, the Horse of the Year award honours the top performing pacer or trotter in Canadian racing. In 2018, Standardbred Canada renamed the award to the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year to honour the late champion, who died earlier that year. Operated by Standardbred Canada, its website states that "every media person across Canada who covers harness racing on a regular basis receives a ballot, this includes writers for the various trade publications as well as those in print, radio and television. All Canadian race secretaries and track publicists also participate in the voting," and that "The voters' list is vigorously scrutinized each year with names added and deleted when necessary."

## Historical notes

Through 2022, Somebeachsomewhere is the only horse win the award twice.
Both Western Dreamer in 1997 and Blissfull Hall in 1999 won the U.S. Pacing Triple Crown.
In 1996 and again in 2007 there was a tie.

## Past winners

| ^ | Also named United States Harness Horse of the Year |
| † | Member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame |
| * | Member of the United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame |
| Year | Winner | Gait | Age | Trainer | Owner | Breeder |
| 2023 | Sylvia Hanover | P | 3 | Shawn Steacy, Mark Steacy | Hudson Standardbred Stable | Hanover Shoe Farms |
| 2022 | Bulldog Hanover ^† | P | 4 | Jack Darling | Jack Darling Stables, Brad Grant | Hanover Shoe Farms |
| 2021 | Desperate Man | P | 3 | Kathy Cecchin | Kathy Cecchin, Paul Cecchin, Nicole Davies, Paul Davies | Winbak Farm |
| 2020 | Century Farroh | P | 4 | Dr. Ian Moore | Ratchford Stable NS | Century Spring Farms |
| 2019 | Forbidden Trade | T | 3 | Luc Blais | Determination | Steve H. Stewart |
| 2018 | McWicked ^†* | P | 7 | Casie Coleman | SSG Stables | Andray Farm |
| 2017 | Hannelore Hanover ^* | T | 5 | Ron Burke | Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino, J&T Silva Stables | Hanover Shoe Farms |
| 2016 | Betting Line | P | 3 | Casie Coleman | Ross Warriner, Steve Calhoun, Christine Calhoun, Mac Nichol, Casie Coleman | Fair Winds Farm, Inc. |
| 2015 | State Treasurer | P | 6 | Dr. Ian Moore | Sally & Paul MacDonald | Brittany Farms |
| 2014 | JK Shesalady ^ | P | 2 | Nancy Johansson | 3 Brothers Stables (Alan, Ronald, & Steven Katz) | 3 Brothers Stables (Alan, Ronald, & Steven Katz) |
| 2013 | Bee A Magician ^* | T | 4 | Richard Norman | Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman, Dave McDuffee | White Birch Farm |
| 2012 | Michaels Power | P | 3 | Casie Coleman | Jeffrey S. Snyder | Jeffrey S. Snyder |
| 2011 | San Pail ^† | T | 7 | Rod Hughes | Glenn Van Camp & Rod Hughes | Glenn Van Camp |
| 2010 | Dreamfair Eternal † | P | 6 | Pat Fletcher | John Lamers | John P. Lamers & Mary G. Lamers |
| 2009 | Muscle Hill ^* | T | 3 | Gregory B. Peck | TLP Stable, Jerry Silva, Southwind Farm, Muscle Hill Racing | Winbak Farm |
| 2008 | Somebeachsomewhere ^†* (2) | P | 3 | Brent MacGrath | Schooner Stables (B. MacGrath, B. & R. Petitpas, G. Pye, S. Rath, J.Bagnall, P. Dean) | Stephanie Smithrothaug |
| 2007 | Somebeachsomewhere †* | P | 2 | Brent MacGrath | Schooner Stables (B. MacGrath, B. & R. Petitpas, G. Pye, S. Rath, J.Bagnall, P. Dean) | Stephanie Smithrothaug |
| 2007 | Tell All | P | 3 | Blair Burgess | My Desire Stable | Tom Crouch |
| 2006 | Majestic Son † | T | 3 | Mark Steacy | Majestic Son Stable | Peter Dennis & Mike Schertzer |
| 2005 | Admiral's Express † | P | 9 | Mike Hales | Gary & Laurel Gust, Cheryl & Edward D. Sayfie | Pebble Creek Farm, Inc. |
| 2004 | Rainbow Blue ^* | P | 3 | George Teague, Jr. | K&R Racing, LLC (Kevin & Ron Fry) & Teague, Inc. | Winbak Farm |
| 2003 | Eternal Camnation † | P | 6 | Jeffrey Miller | Eternal Camnation Stable (Doc & Dorothy Miller) | Frederick W.Hertrich II |
| 2002 | Real Desire ^†* | P | 4 | Blair Burgess | Brittany Farms, R. Burgess, K. Olsson Burgess, Perretti Farms | Fair Island Farm |
| 2001 | Bettor's Delight † | P | 3 | Scott McEneny | John B. Grant | Winbak Farm |
| 2000 | Yankee Paco | T | 3 | Douglas McIntosh | Harry Ivey & Dr. Tom Ivey | Yankeeland Farms, Inc. |
| 1999 | Blissfull Hall † | P | 3 | Benjamin Wallace | Daniel Plouffe | Walnut Hall Limited |
| 1998 | Odies Fame † | P | 2 | Harold Wellwood | Harold Wellwood & Dr. Norman Amoss | Glengate Farms |
| 1997 | Western Dreamer | P | 3 | William G. Robinson | Matthew, Patrick Jr., & Daniel Daly | Kentuckiana Farms |
| 1996 | Whenuwishuponastar | P | 2 | Robert McIntosh | R. McIntosh Stable, Seymour Grundy, Leo Beaudoin, David Kryway | New Destiny Stable |
| 1996 | Riyadh | P | 6 | William G. Robinson | R. Peter Heffering | Kentuckiana Farms |
| 1995 | Ellamony † | P | 5 | Stephan Doyle | Charles A. Juravinski | Charles A. Juravinski |
| 1994 | Emilie Cas El | T | 2 | R. Dustin Jones | R. Dustin Jones & Wendell Cass | Angus Farm (Pierre Levesque) |
| 1993 | Staying Together ^† | P | 4 | Robert McIntosh | Robert Hamather | Kentuckiana Farms |
| 1992 | Artsplace ^†* | P | 4 | Gene Riegle | George Segal & Brian Monieson | George Segal |
| 1991 | Precious Bunny ^†* | P | 3 | William G. Robinson | R. Peter Heffering | Alfred Ochsner, Jr., |
| 1990 | Town Pro † | P | 3 | Stewart Firlotte | Pro Group Stable | J. Brian Webster & Ray Bednarz |
| 1989 | Matt's Scooter ^†* | P | 4 | Harry J. Poulton | Gordon & Illa Rumpel, Charles A. Juravinski | Max Gerson |
* † - tie