Discovering harness racing was like winning the lottery for Adrienna Rowe
At 11, the inner-city girl won a contest at Pocono and fell in love with standardbreds.
by Chris Lomon
With every stride she takes in her journey, Adrienna Rowe hopes to inspire others to chase their own dreams and find purpose in horse racing.
Her story stands apart from many of her contemporaries in harness racing – most notably because she doesn’t come from a background rooted in standardbreds.
“Back in 2005 is when I first heard about harness racing,” Rowe said. “I entered a contest at Pocono Downs, to be in their Harness Racing Youth League. I believe 12 of us were picked out of a bunch of entries and it was very exciting for me. At the time, I was an inner-city kid, and I didn’t have much experience with any type of agriculture or horses. So, it was a great time because I got to learn a lot about horses during that week-long camp. There was a lot of hands-on teaching – it was very exciting.”
So compelling, in fact, that it sparked something deep within her.
“It ignited something in me to want to do something with horses when I got older,” Rowe said. “I was only 11 when I entered that contest, but it felt like winning the lottery because I fell in love with horses.”
That spark eventually led Rowe to hit the jackpot in standardbred racing.
Determined to follow her passion, she turned to the classroom to deepen her knowledge of horses.
“After that, when I was finishing high school, I took on odd jobs so that I could do riding lessons,” she said. “At that point, it was really set in stone that I wanted to have a job in the equine world, so I went to Wilson College, in Chambersburg, PA, from 2011 until 2015, and earned my Bachelor of Science in Equine Studies.”
While at college, Rowe further solidified her connection to the horse world.
“When I was there, I competed in dressage, IDA (Intercollegiate Dressage Association), Hunt seat, IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association), and for my four years at Wilson, I was on the competitive riding team, which was amazing,” she said. “Growing up without that connection to horses, my college education gave me as many tools possible in the equine world. The director of the program was a vet, so we learned a lot about the physical makeup of the horses.”
After college, Rowe found fulfilling work across different corners of the horse industry.
Her journey took her from Maryland to Florida, taking on various roles along the way.
Rowe worked and trained under George Morris (Olympic Show Jumping silver medalist), Marilyn Little (FEI Eventing and Show Jumping), Siobhan Byrne (USDF Dressage Medalist), and Juri Ito (FEI Show Jumping).
“Before I graduated in 2015, I got a job in Maryland at a premier hunter and jumper facility,” Rowe said. “From 2015 to 2017, I was working at that facility, teaching, riding and working on European sales. Not long after that, I got a job working for a vet, Dr. Kevin Brophy, in Wellington, FL. He used to be a vet for thoroughbreds at Penn National.”
In the past five years, Rowe shifted to the corporate world – but horses never left her heart.
Even while working 9-to-5, Monday through Friday, she stayed connected to the equine world.
Then, just four months ago, she read that standardbred trainer Chris Walsh was looking for help.
Curious, she picked up the phone.
“Chris and I have known each other since high school,” Rowe said. “And funny enough, he was my high school crush. I got in touch with him and that’s when I really started stepping into the harness world and learning a lot more about it. I’m still very new, but over the past four months, I have learned so much from so many people. Chris was another person who inspired me to get into the horse business at a young age.
“And fast forward to now, we are a couple, both in the business. We have been to Pocono, Tioga Downs, Chester – Chris has been a great trainer, someone I can look up to and learn a lot from.”
As the head groom for the Walsh stable, Rowe quickly developed a deep respect for the harness racing community.
“It’s a different world from when you are watching the races on television or sitting in the stands,” Rowe said. “Now that I am more involved, I am so amazed at the hard work and dedication of the horsepeople to get these horses to the races and give them the utmost care.
“You need to have a passion for the sport and the horses – there are no shortcuts.”
There is, however, a seemingly endless amount of fulfilling moments in her role.
She had an immediate kinship with the Walsh horses.
“I have fallen in love with the breed in general,” she said. “I worked with a lot of warmbloods in the past. These horses are phenomenal, in every way. They love their job, and they love competing. I work on their nutrition, take care of them, stalls, groom, any rehabilitation and recovery care.”
Watching them race brings out her most animated self.
“I am loud and I feel like my heart is beating out of my chest every single time we race,” Rowe said. “Even when I was showing horses and riding, I am a nervous wreck all the time because I want to see the horses do well.”
Talking to the horses is a daily ritual.
“Chris laughs at me whenever I come into the barn because I am always saying hello to the horses,” Rowe said. “I always try to be happy for them. They say horses can read your facial expressions — they can tell when you are happy or sad — so I believe when you put that joy and care into the horses, they respond to that.”
That joy extends well beyond the racetrack. A self-confessed hiking, camping, and nature lover, Rowe finds peace in the outdoors – and purpose in the barn.
Her hope is that others from non-traditional standardbred backgrounds will discover what she has.
“I want to inspire others who come from the outside world to be part of this great sport,” she said. “I want people to see the great community this sport has. I want everyone to succeed and I want the industry to grow. It is truly something special.”
And more than just a job.
“It’s a real passion,” Rowe said. “I wanted to have a career with horses, and I have found my way here. I feel blessed.”
