Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Induction
It has been announced that the harness rider, Wally Hennessey, will be inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Hennessey, the 57-year-old harness driver from Prince Edward Island, along with his father, his grandfather, and other family members, is a legend in the horse racing world in Canada.
This is not the first time that Hennessey has been inducted into a call of fame, but it is the first time that he is receiving this honour in Toronto. Hennessey's Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame induction will take place on August 6th.
Hennessey Accumulated Decades of Canadian Horse Racing
Hennessey's wins over the years have reached an astounding 8,588 career wins. He began harness racing in the 1970s. From the mid-1970s until the end of 2013, Hennessey had accumulated $58 million in earnings. He has reached the rank of 40th in purse earnings over his lengthy career and has been ranked the 20th of all time for wins.
While Hennessey has found himself in the winner's circle with many different horses, there is no doubt that Moni Maker was the best, and certainly a highlight of his career. The horse was retired with $5.5 million in winnings and was the richest standardbred horse to date. Moni Maker won awards for being the Horse of the Year in 1988 and 1989, and also won Trotting Mare of the Year four times.
When speaking of his achievements, Hennessey said: "What means the most is still being able to do what I was brought up to do at a high level."
Hennessey and International Harness Racing
Hennessey has been harness racing around the world. Other than harness racing in Canada, Hennessey has raced in the United States, France, Italy, and Scandinavia. In August, right after he is inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, he will be flying to Ireland to compete in the Delaney Memorial in Dublin. Hennessey explained that this event is a promotional event and that harness racing is still fairly small in Ireland at this time, although the industry is currently in a state of growth.
Hennessey is no stranger to being inducted into a Hall of Fame. He is already in the Saratoga Harness Hall of Fame, the National Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, the Prince Edward Island Sports Hall of Fame, and the Florida Hall of Fame.
