A small town and its big role in harness racing

Copyright 2024 Shafter Historical Society. All rights reserved.

Once upon a time, there were several thriving harness horse stables in Shafter. The training tracks are smoothed over, the barns are all torn down and the turn-out paddocks are but a memory. Most people

have only heard stories of the harness horse training stables that used to dot the acres surrounding Shafter.

I also worked at O'Brien Stables, and I would like to share some brief thoughts on my time spent working with and beside some of the greatest horsemen and horses the sport of harness racing had to offer. I

moved to Shafter in August 1959 at the age of 8. It wasn't long before I learned I lived in walking distance to the Joe O'Brien stables. As soon as I found horses near me I would walk every chance I got over to the stables and talk to the grooms and pet the horses.

I was a happy kid when the grooms would "let me" walk the horses they cared for, or clean harnesses – or clean anything. Later, when I was a groom, I knew these were not privileges. I got to know many of the grooms and trainers well.

I met Joe O'Brien when I was 9 or 10 years old, and I was starstruck from then on. One of my favorite things to do was to watch the blacksmith shoe horses. I would stand for hours watching horse after horse get their new shoes. I don't think anything ever mesmerized me as much as watching the horses having their feet cleaned, cut, measured and new shoes applied.

The horse foot is similar to a human fingernail and they do not feel anything when shoes are nailed to their feet. The smell of burning coal and horse feet are two of my best memories from my childhood. I fulfilled

one of my childhood dreams in 1971 when I went to work as a groom at Cal-Expo in Sacramento. In the 10 years I worked on the race track I worked for many trainer/drivers, some famous, some not so famous. But they all loved the sport and the horses. Among the trainers I personally knew were Joe O'Brien, Glen Holt, Joe Lighthill, Charlie King, Bob Farrington, Jim Dennis, Joe Valero, Joe Marsh Jr., Danny Shelter, Jim

Reynolds, Jack Sherren and more I cannot remember.

It saddens me to know the stables are gone, but not forgotten. I enjoyed going to O'Brien Farm as a child, and the years I spent taking care of horses on the race track. I have too many happy memories to count. Shafter was a wonderful place to be young and grow.

So where did these training stables come from? The sport of harness racing started in 1849 as an unregulated gathering of horses. In 1879, the Trotting Horse Breeders Association adopted a set of

rules to control the undesirable and inferior traits of the horses.

Although it was 60 to 70 years later that harness horse racing came to Shafter, the men who brought the sport to Shafter spared no cost in improving the Standardbred breed, as harness horses are known. Sol Camp, William "Bill" Lachenmaier and Bob Neuman pioneered the introduction of the sport to Shafter and will long be remembered for bringing the best trainers and drivers to the area.

To help finance bringing horses and trainers to town, Bill Lachenmaier held exhibitions and social events. More of a hobby to start, the interest created by these events developed into a friendly rivalry between the three men. The men became owners and breeders of some of the greatest Standardbreds in the country, often buying and trading between themselves. One of the other made it to the Winners Circle, winning such nationally known races as the Hambletonian, Little Brown Jug, The Californian Sportsman, The American Classic and many others. Trainers and drivers Neil Boardman, Charlie Whitt, Ken Cartnal, Joe O 'Brien and others enjoyed some of their greatest years during this time. It would be almost impossible to name all the great Standardbreds owned by these pioneer horsemen.

To name a few, Scott Frost, owned by Sol Camp and driven by Joe O'Brien, won the 1955 Hambletonian. Red Streak, Angus Worthy and Frontiersman all won over $50,000 for Camp. Hal Tass, owned by Bill Lachenmaier and driven by Ken Cartnal, was the winner at Aurora Downs in 1955. Bob Neuman's 4-year-old filly, Frilla Hanover, was a star at Bay Meadows. Carroll Lexington won the Grand Circuit in Kentucky, driven by trainer Neil Boardman. These three men left a legend that inspired trainers and owners to continue making Standardbred history from coast to coast for many years to come. The trainers who made Shafter their headquarters deserve our recognition. Following are some of the many of note.

Joe O'Brien

Joe O'Brien was born in Alberton, Prince Edward Island, Canada. His father was involved in breeding and racing of Standardbreds. It would become part of Joe's early life. He won his first race at age 16. After finishing school, instead of going to veterinary college as his mother wanted, in the fall of 1935 he chose to go to work as a trainer in River Herbert, Nova Scotia.

Within a few years he became a dominant force in racing in the Maritime Provinces. He led all drivers in wins for five straight years from 1943 to 1947, and at Truro Raceway he won a record-shattering 11 races on a single race card. In 1947 he led all drivers in North America with 128 wins. But the United States Trotting Association did not recognize the 44 races he won in the Maritime Provinces and gave him a National ranking of 7th in the USTA standings. In 1947 Joe headed to Del Mar, Calif., where he was hired to drive and train for the West Coast division of Castleton Farms Racing Stable.

Joe gained national recognition when he drove and trained the Castleton pacer Indian Land to victory in the $50,000 Golden West Pace at Hollywood Park Racetrack. In 1951, he accepted an offer to take over as head trainer and driver for Sol (S.A.) Camp Farms Inc. in Shafter, a city Joe would call home for the rest of his life. Joe would go on to win the Horse of the Year in 1954 and 1955 with Scott Frost. The horse would be the Triple Crown of Trotting winner in 1954 and 1955. This would

be the start of Joe O'Brien's long career as one of Harness Racing's top driver/trainers. He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, Prince Edward Island Sports Hall of Fame, U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Canada's National Harness Racing Awards and Kern County Sports Hall of Fame. Some of the best horses driven by O'Brien were Armbro Flight, Armbro Nesbit, Fresh Yankee, Ima Lula, Melvin's Woe, Nero, Shadow Wave, and Scott Frost. At the time of his death in 1984, Joe had won 4,285 races and $20 million in purses.

O'Brien Stables was one of the premier facilities in the harness racing world. The stable housed 75-100 horses. It covered 50 acres, including a 5/8 mile track, which accommodates 6 sulkies, tack rooms (living

quarters for personnel), permanent pasture, observation tower, stables, starting gate, parking space, room to walk horses, storage space for horse feed and supplies. It took over 50 people to keep the farm operating. Among the personnel were grooms, trainers, a veterinarian, a horse-shoer and office personnel. All gave a boost to the Shafter economy. All contributed to selecting Joe O'Brien Shafter "Man of the Year" in 1972.

Glen Holt

Glen Holt was born in 1930 in Missouri. As a child he traveled with his family working the seasonal crops for a living throughout Arizona and California. The family lived in tents and labor camps. Because of the constant moving, he attended 13 different schools by the time he reached the 8th grade. The family finally settled to live in Shafter.

Years later, he worked for the Shafter Police Department, where he reached the rank of sergeant. While on the police force, he taught pistol shooting and he became an expert marksman. He left the police in the mid-1960s to follow his dream of becoming a harness horse owner and breeder. Racing Standardbreds from the mid-1960s to the 1970s, he became one of the most successful harness horse divers in the State of California. He started on the county fair circuit, then at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita, Bay Meadows, Los Alamitos and Cal Expo race tracks.

Glen Holt was a respected harness horse driver/trainer. He was the first trainer in California to have a swimming pool built at his training facility in Shafter and was frequently sought out to train and race horses from stables across the U.S., Canada, France, New Zealand and Australia.

Glen's son, Mike, followed him into racing. Mike started driving at age 16, and continued until he retired.

Ken Cartnal

On June 13, 1954, Ken Cartnal set a new track record for pacers at Bay Meadows Racetrack. He drove Freeman Hanover, owned by Bill Lachenmaier. The pacer went the mile in 2:03.2. The 7-year-old had won the fifth of five starts and a double for the day for Ken Cartnal.

Ken was from Licking County, Ohio. That's the way it went in the early days of this great driver's career. As dedicated a horseman as you could ever find, Ken returned to Shafter from Bay Meadows after having a successful race meet. He trained and drove horses for Bill Lachenmaier for many years. He made Shafter his hometown. Ken was always happy to share stories of the racetrack. He was well respected and liked by all who knew him.

Neil C. Boardman

As a lover of harness racing from an early age, Neil C. Boardman came to Shafter after spending most of his life teaching music. He had a music degree from Ithaca Conservatory of Music, becoming Professor of Violin and Stringed Instruments at the University of Oklahoma. He came to Shafter in the early 1940s.

Neil drove for Bob Neuman. He was known as an unusual horseman during his 35 years of racing, Neil taught music during the school year and raced the rest of the time. After hooking up with Bob Neuman he enjoyed his greatest success. 1947 was his greatest year. He was among the inaugural group to initiate Grand Circuit at Hollywood Park in April and ended with Aurora Downs in the fall.

Boardman was a great horseman and driver who left his mark on racetracks across the country. He was a driver that Shafter can be proud of.

Del Argo

Del Argo was a harness driver who used both the Joe O'Brien Stables and the Bill

Lachenmaier – June Jeffries Stable to train his horses during down time from racing. Del was a

quiet member of the Shafter community. He often spent his free time bowling at Westchester

Bowl in Bakersfield.

June Jeffries

June Jeffries was the daughter of the late Bill Lachenmaier. She was the owner/manager of the horse farm and left nothing to be desired when updating the farm. The farm could house over 60 horses in the Beautifully maintained stables, paddocks, breeding barn, living quarters, half-mile training track and various other facilities. The paddocks were fitted with automatic fresh watering troughs. The great pacing gelding Rambling Willie was stabled and trained there during his heyday. His trainer, Bob Farrington, trained his stable at Lachenmaier/Jeffries Farm during the break between Bay Meadows and Los Alamitos Race Parks. George Larson and his wife managed the farm and resided on the farm. June Jefferies was vice president and director of the California Harness Breeders Association and was instrumental in

breeding and raising her own racing stock with Lumber King standing at stud. There were two mares for breeding, Busy Teme Babe and Byrd Lumber. Her main concern was furnishing the facilities so other owners and trainers might bring their stock to Shafter for breeding, foaling and training until ready to go to the race track. Ken Cartnal stabled and trained at Lachenmaier/Jefferies farm between race meets. June

Jefferies, was an early example of a woman in a man's world. She opened doors for the women who would follow in her footsteps in the Standardbred business.

Editor's notes:

Stan Bayless took over the O'Brien Stables after Joe died in 1984, and operated it until he closed it in 2004. The Lachenmaier/Jefferies Stable was located just to the north of Shafter High School, today the Almond Grove Estates. Much of the information for this article came from Susan Grisham's personal memories and a Lions Harness Race Brochure 1976.