Tenth Birthday Celebration Planned for UMaine Racehorse
Contact: Melanie Brooks at (207) 581-1700; Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571
ORONO — The University of Maine’s Witter Farm and the University Bookstore will host a birthday celebration for UMaine’s own racehorse, One Vine Lady, on the Mall outside of Fogler Library at 1 p.m. Wednesday April 25.
Lady’s birthday celebration will include a demonstration by the UMaine drill team with the other standardbreds who live at Witter Farm.
Foaled in Adrian, Mich. on April 6, 1997, Lady has been trained and raced by the Valerie Grondin Stable at Bangor Raceway for the past five years. Grondin is a UMaine graduate who studied in the pre-veterinary and veterinary tech assistant program. She was named Maine Harness Horseman’s Association Trainer of the Year in 2005 and 2006.
“Since 2001, One Vine Lady has been an ambassador for UMaine at Bangor Raceway, the Maine Fairs, and Scarborough Downs,” says Prof. Robert Causey, director of UMaine’s equine programs. “Through her we have established working relationships with Maine’s standardbred industry, leading to educational opportunities for our students, especially those in the pre-veterinary program.”
Lady’s first race came in 1999 when she was two years old. She has raced every season since. In 146 lifetime races, an average of about 18 per season, she has 27 wins, 35 places and 19 shows. Her lifetime earnings of $47,500 help to support UMaine’s equine program and cover the cost of her training, boarding, feed, vet and all other expenses associated with harness racing.