390m: Rating

Harness racing has always been an extremely popular sport on Prince Edward Island. From early spring (year round in Charlottetown and Summerside), trotters and pacers hold the spot- light, which is not at all surprising, since Islanders have always traditionally been passionate horse lovers. The horse was the principal means of transport until the 1930’s and nearly every household in the country areas had a “‘driving horse”. Many were the challenges to horse supremacy issued and settled on the way to church and school and even as funeral processions solemnly - or not so solemnly — wound their way down the road or across the winter ice.

The Summerside race track had already staged its first race in 1888 and more than a dozen other ovals were scattered throughout the Island Province when the Charlottetown Driving Park held its first race in October 1889.

Among the popular rural tracks was the one opened on the North Road in August 1888. The proprietor of this popular track with the ambitious name Central Park, was John Thomas Cosgrove. He operated this track on the North Road property until 1898 when he and his fami— ly moved to Wellington. This track, like the others at this time of our history, enjoyed great prestige. The day of the race almost took on the status of a legal holiday. Those in attendance could enjoy not only the races but also musical entertainment, excellent meals, games of chance and more than the occasional unscheduled pugilistic encounter. John T. Cosgrove’s enticing advertisement in the Examiner portrays graphically what would be expected in the Stanley Bridge District on August 18, 1888.

In addition to the rural tracks, ice racing was also highly popular in all areas and Stanley Bridge was no exception. The Stanley River between the Morris Bridge and Stanley Bridge West was a wonderful locale for ice racing. Many of the residents of the District participated in the races and challenges from horse owners in other districts, heightened the popularity of an afternoon at the races.

The self—sufficiency of Stanley Bridge assured the horsemen of more than adequate support ser- vices. Through the years the Quinns, the Murphys, William Gunn, and William MacKenzie with their blacksmithing expertise kept the shoes of the horses keenly edged for the ice surface. Patrick Walsh and his son, Austin, kept the harness in excellent condition. And the woodwork- ing establishments at James C. Coles, the Quinns, Jacob Best, the MacKay Entrepreneurs and at William Gunn’s guaranteed that the horse-drawn vehicles were second to none.

It is therefore, not at all surprising that Stanley Bridge became a veritable “Mecca” for the ice racing “aficionados” of the last decades of the nineteenth and first half, at least, of the twentieth century.

The widespread interest and emphasis on horseracing is illustrated by the activities of SN. Dawson and Thomas Reid in 1901.

The Daily Patriot July 18, 1901

The trotting stallion Leewood, owned by S.N. Dawson, Tryon and Park Campbello, owned by Thomas Reid of Stanley were taken over on the Northumberland this morn— ing. They will be entered in the races at Calais, Me. on Tuesday and Wednesday 23rd and 24th. They will also be entered in the races to take place in Saint John, NB. on the

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