Volunteer hours led Andrea Studer to a harness racing commitment

by Chris Lomon

Dedication, devotion, and dependability continue to define Andrea Studer’s career in racing.

There is an unmistakable sense of gratitude in Studer’s voice when she talks about her work, reflecting her deep love for the standardbred breed and the sport itself.

“Life had me away from horses for a while,” Studer said. “I believe that it came back into my life at the right time, as I had forgotten how much I loved this career.”

Her time in the standardbred world has been a deeply rewarding experience, one that began during her teenage years.

Studer, who hails from Seaforth, ON, located about 40 miles northeast of London, was in secondary school at the time, and needed to find a volunteer gig as part of her curriculum.

After tossing a few ideas around, she reached out to a friend with a question.

“I was in high school and needed to complete my volunteer hours,” Studer said. “A family friend was working for Paul Taylor at the time.”

Taylor, a longtime horseman who would go on to win nearly 1,800 races as a trainer and another 16 in the race bike, gave Studer the opportunity to volunteer in his barn.

Initially, Studer had no intention of working beyond the designated hours outlined in her volunteer role.

Those plans, however, would change in ways she hadn’t anticipated.

“After I completed my volunteer hours Paul hired me onto the team,” she said with a laugh.

It’s not as though Taylor had to do any arm-twisting to have Studer stay on.

Once she started spending more time with the horses, working alongside the pacers and trotters felt like a natural fit.

Be Bop For Life was the first horse to capture her heart.

A bay gelding by Fit For Life out of the Apaches Fame mare Winplaceshowgirl, he recorded 18 career victories for owner/breeder Ken Merner.

One of his most notable wins came in 2008 at Grand River Raceway, where he captured an Ontario Sires Stakes leg for 3-year-old pacing colts.

Driven by Trevor Henry and sent off at odds of 38-1, Be Bop For Life prevailed by a quarter-length in 1:57.4.

“The horses that tend to become favorites of mine are typically because of their personality and that they are fairly well-mannered,” Studer said. “At the start of my career, I adored Be Bop For Life. He was all heart.”

Studer has equally high praise for two other pacers, including one in the barn of her current boss, trainer Lindsey Kerr.

“I really enjoyed my time with Wild Doc Holliday, who I got to work with briefly from last fall to spring and then there is the classy guy P L Oliver,” Studer said. “He is good in barn and on the track. With big personality and hearts, they always make me smile.”

Kerr, who has recorded more than 550 career training wins and enjoyed a career-best campaign in 2025, has plenty of praise for what Studer brings to the barn and the team.

“Andrea became a part of our family right away,” Kerr said. “She is so kind, calm, and responsible in the barn, and she is great with the horses. She’s always smiling and up for anything. She jogs her favorite horse, P L Oliver, and even helps with breaking yearlings. She is a great mother, too, and we are so glad to have her as an asset to our team.”

One of Studer’s greatest strengths is her ability to work well with every horse in her care.

“She gets along with all the horses,” Kerr said. “Whether it’s the crazy one, calm one or even the mean one, she is very calm, cool, and collected with them all and never is loud.”

Not even when she takes one for the team, so to speak.

“Our horse kicked her very hard in the leg and she didn’t even react,” Kerr said. “It still shocks me today. Not only is she a great person, she’s also tough as nails.”

Studer is also unwaveringly dedicated to every horse who is part of the Kerr operation.

“It is tough to see any horse get injured or watching one I care for get claimed or sold,” Studer said. “It’s never easy to say goodbye to them.

“When they race, I am pretty calm and don’t get overly excited or nervous, but I always hope they do well and get back safely.”

Despite the inevitable heartbreaks and disappointments that come with the role, Studer approaches her work with professionalism, compassion, and pride.

It is a career that continues to feel like home.

“The best part of the job would be working with the amazing people that I work with and just being around the horses and having the opportunities that I get,” Studer said.

Grateful is a word that Studer, who enjoys walking trails and spending time with a close friend and their kids when she isn’t at the barn, often uses to describe her racing career.

The journey that took her away from horses and eventually brought her back deepened her appreciation for the work and the horses.

And for that, Studer remains deeply thankful.