Union County man among those honored by Egyptian Colt Stakes

Carmi’s Barbre, Nichols and Slay families were among the winners honored Saturday at the 2009 Egyptian Colt Stakes awards banquet, held at the floral hall of the White County Fairgrounds.

Vernon and Erwin Barbre, Gary Nichols and Shawn Slay own Dixie Darlin, which was named the 3-year-old filly pacer of the year. 

Nichols and Joyce Barbre were on hand to accept the award from Harold “Coach” Poore, who shares secretary/treasurer duties for the ECS with his wife, Rose (a Times columnist).

Other winners on hand Saturday to accept their awards were owner Curtis Rice, who came all the way from Mississippi for the banquet, Fairfield’s Buddy and Clay Simpson, Anna’s Ron Knupp, Fairfield’s Brian Cotton and Fairfield’s Ray Gash.

Rice was the 2009 owner of the year for his 2-year-old colt pacer, Tide Master.

The Simpsons were owners of the year for their 3-year-old colt trotter, B Victorious.

Knupp took top owner honors for 3-year-old colt pacers with Arizona Mud.

Cotton was the driver of the year for 2-year-old pacers.

Gash, a driver, was accepting an award for owner of the year for 2-year-old colt trotters, Gene Milleville (for Victual).

H. Poore also announced the other award winners for the season.

In the drivers’ category, Newton’s J.D. Finn won for 2-year-old trotters and 3-year-old pacers, and Salem’s Tom Graham Jr. was the top driver for 3-year-old trotters.

In the owners’ category, the winners for 2-year-old filly trotters were Homer Henke and Willie Jones, owners of Storm Queen; for 2-year-old filly pacers, the honor went to Hurricane Tinia and owner Jodie Outlaw; and for 3-year-old filly trotters, owners William and Brenda Langdon were honored along with Maid Great.

Prior to the awards, ECS president Rick Barbre introduced special guests Celeste Scarlett, the 2009 White County Fair queen, and Mike Williams of the White County Fair Board.

R. Barbre also highlighted for the crowd some of the news from the ECS board of directors’ last two meetings. 

Much of the discussion centered around the state’s tardiness in issuing money earmarked for purses, a dilemma which has necessitated the ECS taking out a line of credit. 

This past season, the Egyptian Colt Stakes paid out $213,500 in total purses.

“Normally, at this time of year, we’ve been totally reimbursed (by the state),” said R. Poore.  “We’ve been a little over half reimbursed right now.  So that’s how far behind the state is right now.”

R. Barbre also announced that all seven Southern Illinois county fairs (Perry, Wayne, Marion, Edwards, White, Williamson and Union) have been confirmed for the 2010 season. 

And R. Barbre also announced that the fall 2010 banquet will return to Carmi.