The ASBA was pleased to present the Glen Kennedy Memorial Award to Phonsie MacEachern of Port Hood.
(left) is James Perrot, and on the right is Debbie Francis.
October 22, 2025
-by Rankin MacDonald
An Inverness County gentleman, who lives in Port Hood, received a very special honour on October 11th at the Atlantic Breeders Crown 2025 Banquet held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Each year, the Atlantic Standard Breeders Association presents its most prestigious honour to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the breeding of Standardbred horses and Atlantic Canadian harness racing. This award is named in memory of the late Glen Kennedy in recognition of his service as the initial secretary-manager of the ASBA and his leadership in the formation of the association.
This year’s honouree is Phonsie MacEachern of Port Hood.
A life-long harness racing enthusiast, Phonsie was one of the founding owners of the Irish Road Horsemen’s Club in Port Hood, which is a hub for training and community that continues to benefit horsemen and women today.
Phonsie was on vacation when he saw in the paper that the land at the Irish Road, where the track was located, was up for sale. He immediately got on the phone and wheels and helped put together a group of local horse enthusiasts to purchase the property, upgrade it, and make it the important facet of harnesses racing in Inverness County.
The annual race card at Irish Road attracts thousands of locals and visitors each year to an evening of racing in a come-home attitude.
As a breeder, Phonsie owned some successful broodmares, including Abs Stripper, whose offspring included I Am A Jate, Ms. Prez, and fan favourite Milliondollarjen.
Phonsie also had notable success with purchases at Maritime yearling sales including Woodmere Dancenart, Woodmere Rollnpop, and Honey Do Jigtime, who captured championship titles in Atlantic Breeders Crown, Maritime Breeders, and P.E.I. Colt Stakes in 2011.
Adding a personal touch to his legacy, he named six of his horses afer his six beloved grandchildren, blending family with a deep love for the sport. Together with his wife Frances, he travelled throughout the Maritimes, forming cherished friendships and representing the true spirit of camaraderie that defines the harness racing community.
A steadfast supporter of the sport, Phonsie has served the industry in various leadership roles including three years representing Nova Scotia on the board of Stardardbred Canada, a member of the Nova Scotia Industry Association, and for a decade he served as a board member on the ASBA.
In recognition of his dedication, leadership, and life-long passion for harness racing, the ASBA was pleased to present the Glen Kennedy Memorial Award to Phonsie MacEachern.
Attending the banquet were the Honourable Jill Burridge, P.E.I. minister responsible for harness racing; James Perrot, president, P.E.I. Standardbred Horse Owners Association, and Debbie Francis, executive director Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association.
