Ontario's top female drivers put on a show in Leamington

By Deanna Bertrand

LEAMINGTON – Top female drivers from across Ontario, racehorses and a whole lot of pink ribbons for hope dominated the Leamington race track Sunday afternoon, October 17.

It was the first annual Leamington Ladies Driving Challenge in collaboration with Harness the Hope Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for Breast Cancer Society of Canada.

Driver Samara Johnson took home the top honours of the day with her very first trip to Leamington and the track’s winner’s circle. She picked up the first place finish on Fiesty Like Fire in The Hope Pace, Race 4.

Samara Johnson (right) with Fiesty Like Fire in the winner’s circle following The Hope Pace in Race 4. Johnson accumulated the most points in the five-race competition, becoming the 2021 Leamington Ladies Driving Challenge winner. From left are Kristine Dustin, Stephen Quinn, Jen Pinkerton and Johnson.

SUN photos by Deanna Bertrand

Johnson had three second place finishes in the first three races, giving her 29 points throughout the five-race challenge. Marielle Enberg earned second place with 27 points and Natasha Day finished third with 22 points.

Pam Forgie also picked up a single win with Let Me See, trained by Kim Biekx of Leamington, in Race 2.

Local driver Andrea Leon finished second in Race 5 on Dashiki, a horse she also trains.

Drivers Britt Kennedy and Julie Walker rounded out the list of lady drivers.

It was the first time the Leamington grandstand was open for 100 percent capacity since the start of the pandemic. Several hundred people were in attendance wearing masks and social distancing after having been pre-screened for COVID-19 at the fairgrounds entrance gate.

Local driver Andrea Leon is all smiles before the start of Race 5 with the horse she trains, Dashiki.

The Lakeshore Horse Racing Association presented Harness the Hope co-founder Kristine Dustin with a $1,500 donation following Race 4. Dustin said many of the volunteer members are breast cancer survivors too and want to help others through the difficult journey.

For more information on Harness the Hope, go to http://www. harnessthehope.com.

For more information and race results go to or http://www.standardbredcanada.ca.