by Victoria Howard

The people involved in harness racing are diverse and admirable. They come from all walks of life.

The sport’s “family” consists not only of dedicated, hardworking, horse-loving human beings, but some have other jobs that are extraordinary, honorable and worth mentioning.

There are several attorneys who will gladly lend a hand to help fellow horsepeople in dire situations, and several physicians and real estate moguls who have helped our sport survive and thrive.

And then there’s a woman named Joanne Roy Young.

Perhaps you may know her as the co-owner of what one of the best 3-year-old male pacers in 2023, It’s My Show, the extremely fast son of Young’s champion pacing mare, Put On A Show.

On June 17, the son of Sweet Lou was victorious in the North America Cup, crossing the finish line first in a sizzling 1:47.4. On Saturday, he finished fourth in the Adios.

Driven by Canadian native Scott Zeron and trained by Hall of Famer Linda Toscano, It’s My Show has accumulated a bankroll of some $550,000.

But this is not Young’s first champion for It’s My Show is following in his big brother, Best In Show’s footsteps.

And his dam, Put On A Show, is considered, by many, as one of the best broodmares in the business. When asked who her favorite all time horse was, she didn’t hesitate.

“OMG, can I have more than one?” she said with a laugh. “I would have to say it’s Put On A Show, and I Luv the Nitelife.”

Joanne and her ex-husband and horse partner Richard are disappointed Put On A Show has never been nominated to the Hall of Fame. During her racing career, Put On A Show earned $2.4 million in only 50 races.

“Put On A Show was incredible,” said Joanne. “She fractured her knee in her last race as a 3-year-old that required three pins to be inserted. For 15 months she rested and healed; thus, she never raced at 4.

“When she was 5 years old she made it back to race and became the fastest mare of all time [earning $500,000]. We decided to race her against the boys in the Breeders Crown and by doing so we gave up the chance to win another Dan Patch.”

Put On A Show has had a roller coaster career as a broodmare for she aborted twice, one foal died at birth and another foal almost died from an illness she contracted at birth that resulted in her never becoming a racehorse.

However, Put On A Show has successfully delivered two colts. Best In Show is one of them. He is now standing stud in Indiana. The other is the great It’s My Show [now a gelding].

Joanne was born in Adams, MA, and although she was not brought up with horses, she always loved them.

“As a child, my father would take me to the thoroughbred races at Green Mountain Park in Pownel, VT,” Joanne said. “The first time I saw those incredible creatures, I fell in love. My dream was to be a jockey and although I chose a different path, my love for horses continued throughout my life. I have been fortunate to have not only owned some great racehorses, but had the immense pleasure of owning many wonderful performance horses.

“I’ve been riding competitively for 35 years and my latest horse, a Dutch Warmblood named Indyco, is my dressage star. Flash, a purebred Arabian is my trail horse. He lives in Northern California and has taken me on some spectacular places to ride. Horses are my peace and just hanging out with them brings me solitude and presence.”

Joanne met her former husband Richard Young in 1976. One of their first dates was attending the horse races at Pompano Park Racetrack.

Richard was no stranger to the sport. As a youngster he grew up attending harness races with his Uncle Ted in Canada. Richard and Joanne bought their first racehorse, Heads Up Handsome, which ignited their love of the animal and the competition of racing.

Presently, the Youngs are the proud owners of two horses: It’s My Show, and a yearling named I’ll Take U There also out of Put On a Show.

Joanne is not only a dedicated horse owner, but she’s the co-founder of an organization called A Spring of Hope that partners with schools supporting water, gardening and sanitation projects in Africa.

How did this wonderful organization come to be?

“In the summer of 2005, my daughter Brittany and I visited the Limpopo province of South Africa,” Joanne said. “Chance circumstances landed us at Beretta Primary School in Acornhoek, an impoverished town located in a former Bantustan, or apartheid-era ‘Homeland.’ Beretta had over 1,200 students and no running water, a reality most schools in rural South Africa must face. School gardens, which provided for many students their only source of fresh fruits and vegetables, grew exclusively during the rainy seasons. Volunteer mothers would walk miles to retrieve buckets of water from a government pump to prepare lunch for the children.”

Joanne went on to explain that sadly, sanitation, hygiene, and water access are some of the biggest obstacles for rural schools, not only in South Africa, but across the entire continent.

“When Brittany returned to the States, she teamed up with high school friends to fundraise for a borehole [deep water well] at Beretta Primary,” Joanne said. “In 2006, a well was completed with the help of South African friends Brendon and Sheri Schmiki. In 2007, A Spring of Hope was founded and has grown into a professional NGO with an ambitious and unique mission to combine clean water access with economic and social development programs. A Spring of Hope also partners with community gardens and community centers that provide resources and support for impoverished communities in rural South Africa.

“In 2014, I purchased a gorgeous villa in a game reserve. In collaboration with Saffer Auctions, https://safferandcompany.com/, we offer a most unique, extremely popular memorable vacation at Thulani, Thulani-soutafrica.com. We partner with local and national charities, donating Thulani as an auction item, with a portion of the winning bid going to A Spring of Hope. It’s a win/win for both charities. Guests experience local villages and community projects that their donations help fund. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is something one would not encounter on any other safari holiday.”

For more information on Joanne’s organization please visitwww.aspringofhope.org.