No more planning for Moira Fanning
The COO of the Hambletonian Society is set to retire at the end of January 2026.
by Debbie Little
According to Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “the only constant in life is change.”
That was true for Communicators Hall of Famer Moira Fanning, until a fateful phone call landed her at the job she’s had for nearly four decades.
Following the 42nd edition of the Breeders Crown, HRU spoke with the Hambletonian Society’s chief operating officer/director of publicity about her impending retirement and her longtime association with the sport’s biggest events.
“I’ve worked since I was 16 years old, and I’m tired,” said Fanning with a laugh, explaining her upcoming retirement. “You just don’t want to be one of those people who works until you die, or says you’re going to retire and then you die. So many of my friends have done that, so, I’m trying to go out with some buffer zone there to enjoy myself and my family and harness racing without working it.”
Fanning said she has been contemplating retirement for several years, and even though it sounds cliché to say, she’s doing it to spend more time with her family, especially her 1-year-old grandson.
“I do want to be there for my grandson the way that my family was there for my kids,” she said.
Retirement following the 100th Hambletonian being put in the books earlier this year would appear to be a perfect plan, but it wasn’t what Fanning had in mind.
“Well, I actually had hoped to not work this year and just help with the 100th,” she said. “But, when Gunjan [Patel] finally became available [to work for the Hambletonian Society] it made sense for her to sort of go through a year with me here so she would not have it all dumped on her.”
Patel joined the Hambletonian Society as co-chief operating officer in January of this year, and that, as well as the addition in 2023 of current staking manager Nadia Tarnawa, gave Fanning confidence that she was not leaving the Society in the lurch.
“I would never do that,” she said. “I did make a vow to myself that I would never do that.”
Fanning, who started in the business as a caretaker, never envisioned herself in the lofty position she currently holds.
Following a car accident early in her career, Fanning transitioned from the barn to the front-side of the business, working in publicity at Brandywine and then Garden State Park.
During her time at GSP, the Breeders Crown came to town and that’s when Fanning met Tom Charters, the former president of the Hambletonian Society.
“And after [the Breeders Crown] was gone, my friend, who was the track photographer, said, ‘You know, that guy promised us jackets, and we never got them,’” Fanning said. “Well, I didn’t really care, but she wanted it, so I called them and said, ‘Could you send at least one jacket for Kim?’ And he was like, ‘Oh, yeah. And by the way, would you like a job? My secretary just left.’
“I almost didn’t take the job because I didn’t want to be a secretary… He wasn’t my husband then, but Tom Fanning was like, ‘Are you crazy? [You have to take the job.] This Breeders Crown is going to be around long after Garden State is not around.’ Which I didn’t really think at the time.
“I sort of went back and forth with Tom Charters, saying, ‘If I can, I want to go to the races.’ And he was like, ‘Well, we’ll see what happens.’ And then it turned out that I could work with the TV crew at the races, and so I did go to work there in 1987 when Mack Lobell was a 3-year-old.”
When Moira started working for the Hambletonian Society, although the Hambletonian had put down roots at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, the Breeders Crown was a traveling road show being hosted by many tracks a year before arriving at its current incarnation of all 12 events at one track each year, with alternating host venues.
Moira said although things change, the Hambletonian Society remains constant in the baseline foundation they provide for every event, and before her retirement, it’s that change that she wanted to share with Patel.
“So, the first year I worked there was 1987 and the first Meadowlands Hambo was ‘81 and I remember the Society did nothing except show up, you know, get wined and dined in Pegasus, go to the Central Park Boathouse press conference,” Moira said, adding with a laugh, “Now we work like pack mules right alongside The Meadowlands. We put a couple hundred thousand dollars into the event every year. It’s become more of a shared event, you know, where we take as much of the load from The Meadowlands as we can. They’re great and we’ve been great partners to them. They’re great to work with, but every time is a little bit different. So, Gunjan got a good sort of baseline, and we did so much more with the 100th, more special events, special things, so we went even deeper into partnership with them on all the extra things we did. So, despite the fact that she’s been here a year, it’s always going to be just a little bit different. She got an experience with The Meadowlands and Mohawk [that played host to the 2025 Breeders Crown], two very experienced at big events, pretty well staffed, pretty well funded for big events.”
Not one to crave or even enjoy the spotlight, Moira had to endure it recently in Lexington when Hambletonian Society president/chief executive officer John Campbell threw her a surprise retirement party.
“I was totally surprised,” she said. “But actually, Campbell said something funny at the end. I said, ‘Who planned this?’ He said, ‘I did. I just didn’t want you to know I could plan stuff till you were leaving.’”
Campbell said although that comment was said in jest, he’s not joking when he talks about the impact Moira has had on the Hambletonian Society.
“Well, I can tell you she knows everything that’s gone on in this office for a long time and has been a major part of most of it, and I cannot tell you what an asset her guidance has been since I took over, and how much I have leaned on her experiences and her expertise and her opinion, for the last eight years,” Campbell said. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with her number one… and I think one of the most amazing things about Moira is her interaction with people. She’s so great, not only here in North America, but in Europe as well; how highly thought of and respected she is throughout the harness racing community all over the world.”
Moira’s former boss Tom Charters echoed Campbell’s sentiment.
“Moira is one of those few individuals I’ve known who has had a profound positive effect on our lives and our industry for four decades,” Charters said. “Her talent for sharing her love of the sport and appreciation for its traditions and legacy seems boundless.
“I bless the day that she called me out of the blue on behalf of a friend and, as my good fortune would have it, I needed help at the Breeders Crown. She has been a great friend and wonderful colleague ever since.”
When asked if he has a favorite memory of his time working with Moira, Campbell said their trips to the Elitlopp in Sweden stood out, because unlike here, where she is working an event, there she was just a fan.
“We’ve gone a number of times, and I think just seeing her enjoy the races in that different element is something I really noticed,” Campbell said. “She’s not as intense and she can relax and just enjoy the show.”
With Moira set to retire in late January following the Prix d’Amérique, Campbell looks forward to seeing her enjoy races here, too, although he’ll still have her on speed dial.
“I think she will be able to go to those events and just relax and enjoy the racing,” he said. “But, you know, the fact that she is only a phone call away is certainly something we’re aware of, and we’ll take advantage of, for various things throughout the year in preparing for those events. Once the event comes, she’s just there as somebody to enjoy the day.”
Moira said she wouldn’t mind helping out in the future, just not right away.
“I would say my first plan is to sleep, read and be with Casey, that’s my grandson,” she said. “And then once I’ve caught up on my reading and sleeping, I have to think about what I want to do. I told John that I would help sporadically or if needed, or, you know, if there were questions, but I don’t want to be responsible for event planning anymore.
“It will be really hard for me to say no or to not help people, because I’ve done it for so long. It’s reflexive, and I don’t mind, I like to help people… but not right away. First, I’m going to sleep and read.”
In regard to what she’ll miss most, Moira said, “Well, I would say that 24 hours before the Hambletonian or the Breeders Crown, when really you’ve done everything you can all year to get the event to that point. I have a joke, we call it, the train has left the station, like our part is over, and now it’s in the hands of the drivers, the trainers, the horses, and the officials to put on those races. So that 24 hours is a great feeling of relief and anticipation, where the responsibility is kind of off you, and you’re just waiting to see the horses do their thing. And that’s what I will miss.
“What an honor and a privilege it has been to work for the Hambletonian Society. And I mean, I think the proof is in the 100-year and 40-year existence and flourishing of these races; they take it very seriously. There was a very serendipitous moment when Tom Charters wanted to retire and John Campbell wanted to change lanes at the same time, and that couldn’t have come at a better time for the Society. That’s why I feel okay in leaving now, because the Society has proven decade over decade over decade, it’s going to do the right thing. It’s going to do the best thing for harness racing, and it’s got great leadership.”
