The Maine Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association presented six scholarships at its 2010 Summer Meeting and Banquet on Wednesday July 14 at Hollywood Slots Hotel and Raceway in Bangor. Each scholarship was for $2,000. The recipients chosen by the MSBOA scholarship committee this year were:

Matthew Beckwith will be a junior at Emmanuel College in Boston, MA this fall, majoring in Communications. As the son of driver, trainer and farrier John Beckwith, Matt grew up in a well established Maine harness racing family. Last summer he worked as a groom for a trainer at Scarborough Downs. Matt plans to pursue a career in broadcasting and journalism upon graduation, and is particularly interested in working for a media outlet which promotes the sport of harness racing.

Robert Beckwith will enter his second year at Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro, Nova Scotia in the fall, majoring in Animal Science, with future plans to pursue a veterinary degree. Like Matt, Robert grew up in a harness racing family helping both sets of grandparents (Linda and Douglas Beckwith and Norma and Robert MacLeod) race their horses in the Maritimes and in Maine. Robert has also been very active in 4H showing dairy cattle, and was chosen three times to represent New Brunswick at the Royal Winter Agricultural Fair in Toronto.

Andrew Burrell is entering his second year at the University of Maine at Orono, also majoring in Animal Science. Andrew is active in 4H raising and showing sheep, but in high school became interested in standardbreds while working for Bud (Ival) Cianchette, so much so that he purchased a mare from Bud, raised her foal, and sold the foal at the MSBOA auction. He has also worked at Blackstrap Hills Veterinary Clinic. Andrew intends to pursue a veterinary career with an emphasis on reproductive work and plans to be an active breeder and owner of Maine stakes horses in the future.

Bethany Graffam has been on the Dean’s List consistently while at University of Maine in Farmington majoring in Community Health and in the fall will finish up with an internship at a therapeutic riding facility in Windham, Maine. Bethany can be seen at any given stakes race helping her father, Michael Graffam in the paddock with the many Maine stakes horses trained at Norton Farm and will remain an integral part of the training and racing legacy of Norton Farm in the future.

Emily Fournier is a 2008 graduate of Skidmore College with a degree in business, Emily is now pursuing a veterinary degree, currently taking science courses at the University of Southern Maine in preparation for applying to veterinary school. Emily obtained her USTA trainer’s license while a freshman at Skidmore, and two years later got her license to drive. She has worked for Michael Graffam and is currently working at Blackstrap Veterinary Clinic. As an owner and member of MSBOA, Emily serves on the Fairness Committee, and is also the secretary of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of Maine.

Adam Mace is a graduate of Bishop College in Quebec, and this fall will enter his final year of law school at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. This summer he is interning at a law firm near Winnipeg. Since the age of 16, Adam worked every summer through high school and college for his uncles, Ivan and Owen Davies helping care for and train their many New York and Maine stakes horses. At 18, he bought into his first race horse. Adam expects to continue to be active as a breeder and owner and will carry on the Davies family tradition of excellence in Maine harness racing in the years to come.

MSBOA congratulates this fine group of young harness horsemen and women, and wishes all of you the very best of luck in your future endeavors!