Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-06-29, Page 3People in profile: Moe's Motel attracts by Shelley McPhee Moe's Motel may not be the swankiest spot around, but un- doubtedly its a place of action. A sign on the front of the small aluminum side building, placed as a joke, notes that Moe's Motel has reasonable rates, at $3 a night, and there's a note of warning to any prospective customers that it's ad- visable that they bring their own blankets. Once inside though the $3 would probably end up placed on a bet some Sunday afternoon and the only use for the blanket would be to put on a horse, since Moe's Motel is actually the racing secretary's office at the Clinton Kinsmen Raceway and the new proprietor is Murray "Moe" Hill. Moe takes his share of teasing and also gives it out, but that's a good sign when you have the trying respon- sibilities of the harness races over your head. This is Moe's first season on the job and as he said, "I feel quite confident that I can do the job, but I still have a lot to learn." It's Moe's job to set up the 10 races that are held each Sunday afternoon at the "B" track in town. Using the information available on the horse from what is called eligibility cards Moe uses such, classifications as the horse's age, how many times it's raced, how much money it's made and the last time it raced, to determine what horses will enter what races. The main objective of his job is to see that the horses are entered in the proper class, that no horse and driver has an advantage over another and most importantly, that the races are highly competitive. It's not as simple as it sounds, and Moe will quickly verify that. In fact he will say that the job can be quite harrowing at times. Especially when not all the information is given on the eligibility cards and a horse has an advantage over another, or when a horse is scratched from a race, and there isn't another horse and driver to replace him. The biggest problem and sometimes the hardest to solve that Moe faces is when a horse is entered at two racetracks, for instance in London on Friday night and at Clinton on Sunday. Now according to the rules this isn't allowed since preference is given to horses who raced the longest time ago, pot the most recent. Preference is also given to the horse that has never raced before. Moe says that this rule keeps the race fair and generally if it is abused the driver and the horse are scratched from the race. There is also a fine for this offence, but it is generally not enforced at tracks, the size of Clinton. "It's not fair to the racetrack when a horseman misinforms me about his entry dates," claimed Moe. It is for this reason that Moe has to keep a close eye on the entries at the other area racetracks, including London, Elmira, Hanover, Mohawk, Woodstock and Dresden. "You have to take lots of flack," he added. But despite the problems, Moe seems - to be enjoying his job and seems to be doing it well. Moe especially likes the job since he loves horses. The 39 -year old Varna native grew up with horses and ex- plained that, his father Lyle Hill was one of the oldtimers who was lost when tractors replaced the big work horses. "If they had put lines on a tractor he'd have been better off. Instead of putting in the clutch on the tractor he'd yell, 'Whoa.' " Moe has had saddle horses and registered quarter horse§ of his own and is a farrier or horseshoer. However his love for the job has led to two back operations and forced him to give up his trade. Nine years ago, Moe got tangled up with a horse while he was trying to shoe it and the same thing happened again last year, resulting in the removal of two discs in his back. Even if a horse doesn't kick shoeing is still hard on the back since it§ curved all the time and you're often off balance. Moe's slight frame aggrevated this problem even more and now it is unlikely that he will ever be able to do any heavy lifting or strenuous labor. Despite this disappointment, Moe is not ready to give up on horses. After giving up his farrier business of 11 years and after his surgery last year, Moe was drinking coffee in a local restaurant when he overheard that Clinton needed a race secretary. Deciding to try it out, he went to the London racetrack for a month where he,, observed the race secretary's job there and studied the Canadian Trotting Tuckersmith to buy new lawn mower By Wilma Oke Tuckersmith Township council authorized the purchase of a larger lawn mower for cutting grass at Vanastra, at a special meeting of council Thursday night atBrucefield. June Tomkins, assistant recreation director at Vanastra, told council the present one, although almost new. has been breaking down continually and she feels it is partly because it is not large enough. Clerk Jack McLaughlin will invite tenders for a 14 to 16 horse power mower with a 38 to 40 cut. The present Wins Nashville trip Pat Stackhouse, 15, of-Londesboro has danced. her way, ahead of eight other contestants, to win a three-day trip to Nashville to see the Grand Ole Opry. Along with the trip, Pat received a trophy and prize money of $200 after she took 'first place in the overall class at the Canadian Open Step Dancing Competition in Dundalk last weekend. Another area girl, Becky McKinley, 10, of Zurich took first prize in the 15 years and under class. As well, the two girls along with Kim Craig of Blyth, who form the dancing trio; "Black Magic", won first prize in the group dancing which involved some nine other dancing groups. Last year at • the competition, "Black Magic" placed first and it was there that a talent scout from the CBC television production, "The Tommy Hunter Show", saw the trio dance and chose them to go on coast- to-coast television to perform on the country and western variety `hour program. The producer of the show attended the competition again this year. For Pat, this is her second time to win a trip through her dancing. In 1977 she clogged, jigged and reeled her way at a competition 'in Bob- caygeon for first prize and won a trip for two to the Bahamas. • Pat's winnivig days may not be over yet this year. This weekend she will be dancing in a competition at Wilberforce, near. Bancroft. As well, she• will return to Bobcaygeon this summer. Pat is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vic Stackhouse of LondeSboro; Kim is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bodie Craig of Blyth; and Becky is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Berm McKinley of Zurich. (Becky is the granddaughter of Mrs. Harvey Johnston of Clinton.) OUR MISSION... TO SEEK AND FIND , • NEW WAYS TO SAVE YOU MONEY! . • • ALRWI DF BAVIRG SHOP THESE WEEKLY STAR STUDDED SPECIALS MOISTURIZER 100 m1 .29 only , 4 -Tip COTTON SWABS only Revlon FLEX SHAMPOO or Conditioner 79 • only SOO m I 180's 704 Old Spice STICK $ 09 DEODORANT 2' onry • Old Spice AFTER SHAVE Personal Size 4.8 oz. 23 only • IVORY SOAP 4 ' . 79 TR1ANE3LE' D 1SC OW stoats ire SI The Square, GODERICH /Main Corner, CLINTON /Main Corner, SEAFORTH one cost $650 plus the trade in of the former mower about a year ago. Diane D irnin, recreation director, suggested that the township buy, the mower as "our land is township land". Council made no decision on that issue. Council signed the revised fire agreement with Clinton Fire Aerea Board which calls for Tuckersmith to assume slightly more than two percent increase in its present agreement with the board. The increase which will bring Tuckersmith ratepayers' share Turn to page 11 • Riddell sued. .... rom page 1 . benefit perfor - - three ho rs in advance. Well before he perfor ance hour, the drama w -cls so out. a A half-dozen FleZ°k ikers up at the Toronto Thea'` � �' c •op and were reportedly agha4 at the variety of hangers-on that ac- companied them. "I don't think any of these bloody people have ever seen a picket line," one striker was quoted as saying. "We'll just take their damn money and run." On a Sunday night CBC show, White said that the UAW would continue' its efforts on behalf of the striking Fleck workers and hinted that they may escalate their efforts in that regard. New Democratic Party members continue to complain about the high cost of policing involved in the strike, which began on March 6. The bill for the police action, one of the largest deployments of police muscle in the history of Ontario, is approaching $2 million. Association's rule book. Then in May, he headed down to Toronto to write an exam and passed with 75 percent. Since then, the race secretary's office has become Moe's Motel, or more like Moe's second home. Seven days a week, Moe's job begins at 6:30 a.m. and usually keeps him busy until 6 p.m. "Once I get more accustomed to the job, it shouldn't take so long," Moe said hopefully. Moe is not alone in his work and with his wife Trudy and four teenage girls, he gets a helping hand. As well, Paul Taylor helps at the track on race and draw days and Ruth Buffinga, who Moe refers to as "a very patient lass," helps with the typing. As well Frank Cook who was the race secretary from 1973- 1975 is ,Moe's advisor and Moe claimed that without him keeping an eye on Moe's work, things wouldn't be running so smoothly. Moe's future is still a little unsure since he doesn't have the farrier business to fall (excuse the pun) back onto when the racing season is over at the end of the summer. But Moe is not letting this deter him and plans to take each day as it comes. "I haven't missed a meal yet," he laughed. Although Moe's philosophy is not to think too much about the future he did admit he would like to carry on his position of race secretary in the 1979 racing season; if he does well enough and he's wanted back. "This little track has a lot of potential and 'the Kinsmen are so helpful and do so much work," he commented. Besides that, Moe seriously noted, "I don't know what I'd do if I quit the horses. I like horse people and love being around the animals.. I'd really like to keep on shoeing but I just can't. CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1978—PAGE 3 Horsemen It takes a lot of hours on the telephone before Moe Hill has enough horses to fill the race card at the Clinton Kinsmen Raceway each Sunday. As race secretary, it's Moe's job to line up the horses in the proper race and keep the race itself as competitive as possible. (News -Record photo) stuck in middle Not all my school years were filled ith those horrifying days, waiting .Z for my report cards or spent in hours %f detentions. One memory that I have been reminded of several times this past week was graduation night. While waiting to take newspaper photographs at some public school's graduation ceremonies, all those same moments I encountered came flooding back. I wore a white Swiss dot dress to my Grade 8 graduation from Colborne Central School in 1969. Although I don't have any pictures, I recill that my hair was piled high in a mish-mash of curls and I looked gorgeous, or at least I felt like I was. It was such an exciting yet frightening night. To think ;that I would be going on to high school, the ultimate goal in my life at that time, but I had to leave behind the schodl that had become so familiar to me and the teachers I had felt so secure with. Then my name was announced, I'd won the prized citizenship award. I remember it felt like I'd lust won the best actress award at the Oscars as I went to the stage, with the applause filling my ears and my classmates cheering as I accepted the award. That was my brief moment of glory and it will always be special to me. My high school graduation, in 1974 was a completely different ex- perience. Everyone was a little sad with the thought that in the fall we'd all be heading on to universities and jobs across the country. Yet there was a feeling amongst our ex- ceptionally close Grade 13 class that we'd always keep in touch and see each other during the summer vacation: Of course, the most important part of those graduating ceremonies was the all night party that followed. Then we'd all let out that tensed energy that ' had been building up through the evening in warm auditoriu m. University graduation was probably my least favorite of the three. Naturally, I was very proud to receive my degree and I knew my rt parents felt the same. However, the occasion seemed solemn and noted the end of a way of life that I had been living for nearly 17 years. My school years were over and I was now faced with the responsibilities of the working world. My active social life as a university student had come to an end and I would probably never again see most of the classmates I had met over the past three years. Besides that, I had this claimed robe on that was too big for me and kept falling off my shoulders when I was trying to look as regal as possible. I was a nervous wreck by the time I had to go on the stage to accept my degree for fear that. I would do an acrobatic stunt in front of the dean and the filled auditorium. But, that's all in the past now and I only have pictures and memories to bring back those special moments. I suppose that class reunions are now in store, and I hope that they carry on into the future to keep all those great memories of school days alive. The day you buy a diamond is the day you'll wish you knew more about diamonds Buying a diamond at Anstett Jewellers is quite an education. ANSTETT JEWELLERS LIMITED 11 ALBERT STREET, CLINTON 482-3901 SEAFORTH WALKERTON MEMBER AMERICAN GEM SOCIETY READ ANY GOOD LABELS LATELY? A basic guide to the Who, What, Where, When and Why of Shopping Canadian. Why should you Shop Canadian? Every time you buy something made in Canada, you help keep a Canadian working. You help keep Canadian money inside Canada. You help to expand and strengthen Canada's economy. When you think about it, you help yr1urselt When should you Shop Canadian? Whenever you're satisfied that the produc t or service you need is (A) made or grown in Canada and (B) of equal or better value and quality. That's not just good advice.. it's good ,sense. IN CANADA r What is made in Canada? Iwo about everything you need to help you live the life you want As the saving goes, we have no bana- nas, but we (I() have Apples, Bandages, ( ranes, Drills, F levators, Furniture, Glassware, Holiday resorts, Insulation, Jewellery, Kit( hen appbanc es, I umber, Ma( hinery, Newspapers, ( )(tic e equip- ment, Potatoes, Guilts, Rope. ()tee!, Tires, Umbrellas, Vaccines, Wines, X -Ray equipment, Yarns, and lippers. Everything, in other words, from A to 1. Government Gouvernement of Canada du Canada Industry. Trade Industrie and Commerce et Cominerr e Jack Horner, Jack Horner Minister rninistre Who should Shop Canadian? Every day, most of us have the ( hoic e Whether we're buying gro( eries for the home or supplies for business, farm or industry. If ea( h ,t us added only $10 a week to ( anadian made pure hales, Canada would he over 10 billion dollars better off in just one year. Who should Shop Canadian? You should. Where does it say Made in Canada? tiometimes it doesn't Sometimes a sign says • Prc)duc e of PE I ' ()r "B.C. Apples" or "F ahrique au (luehec " or "Made in Manitoba" or "New Brunswi( k Sardines" or "Grown by ' askatc hewan Farmers" or "A product of Alberta" or "Fresh from Newfdundland" or `Manufac tured in Ontario" or "Nova Scotia lobster " , The point is, if you take the trouble to find out, you can usually tell. And, if it's made anywhere in the ten Provinces or the Territories, it is made in Canada. This ad was made in Canada. Making this ad employed tor a period of time) a writer, an art director, an a(c Hunt exec utive, a media buyer, a media planner, a typesetter, an engraver, a platemaker, a traffic operator, several switchbdard operators, various mailmen, shippers and secretaries, publication reps, publication make-up people, not to mention all their various suppliers Shop Canadian Everyone of these people lives and works in la canacilanne Canada.