Pompano Beach, FL – More than 125 horsemen and women were in attendance Friday night at the 26th annual Florida Harness Racing Hall of Fame Dinner held at the Ft. Lauderdale Beach Resort & Spa in Pompano Beach.

The highlight of the evening was the inductions into the Florida Hall of Fame. Entering were horsemen Mark Friedman and Dan Hennessey and horse's Rock On and Royel Millennium.

Hosted by the Florida Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association, there were also special human awards given out for the 2016 season and presentations were also made to the Horse of the Year by the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and the Florida Amateur Driving Club.

Hall of Fame inductee Mark Friedman has been in harness racing for more than five decades as an owner, breeder, trainer and driver. His Polo Stables has had many top Florida-bred champions, none better than the top pacing mare, Bling, p,1:51, a career winner of more than $610,000.

"To have worked most of my life in harness racing and now receiving this award is a highlight of my career and I thank everyone who has helped me along the way," Friedman said.

Hall of Fame inductee Dan Hennessey, who is nearing his 1,000th career training win and $6 million in earnings, closed out 2016 with a UDRS of .420 despite nearly going blind two years ago. His brother, Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey, summed it up well in his introduction.

"I don't think we ever could have had our stable going steady for forty plus years if not for Dan," Hennessey said. He is the one who always held the fort down between Pompano and Saratoga year after year. Many of you don't know that he holds a world record as the only trainer ever to use same driver on nearly every single horse he ever trained, and that was me!"

Taking home the most hardware on the evening and it was a good thing she came to the dinner with her pickup truck, was Owner-Breeder Laurie Poulin. In addition to her horse, Royel Millennium, being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Laurie was named Breeder of the Year for the second straight time and also received the Dana Irving Award for the second straight year. Poulin also received four Horse of the Year Crystal Awards for her stables Prairie Panther, Prairie Sweetheart, Prairie Jaguar and Prairie Fortune.

All of the horses were bred by Poulin and co-owned and trained by Mike Deters.

FLORIDA USHWA AWARD WINNERS

Hall of Fame – Mark Friedman

Hall of Fame – Dan Hennessey

Hall of Fame – Rock On

Hall of Fame – Royel Millennium

Delvin Miller Award – Fred Morosini

Dana Iriving Award – Laurie Poulin

R.D. Ricketts Award – Kevin Kelly

Stanley Dancer Award – Sergio Corona

Lifetime Achievement – Leon Cable

Dan Gawlas Award – John Berry

Bill Popfinger Award – Mike Deters & Maggie Audley

France Dodge Van Lennep Award – Marianne Audley

Allen J. Finkelson Award – Gabe Prewitt

Caretaker of the Year – Gary McQuaid

FSBOA CRYSTAL AWARD WINNERS

2YO Pacing Filly – Gold Star Aurora

2YO Pacing Colt – Prairie Panther

2YO Trotting Filly – Atlantic Crest

2YO Trotting Colt – I'm Done

3YO Pacing Filly – Prairie Sweetheart

3YO Pacing Colt – R Chism

3YO Trotting Filly – Gold Star Briana

3YO Trotting Colt – Rexamillion

Older Pacing Mare – Goldstar Rockette

Older Pacing Horse – Prairie Jaguar

Older Trotting Mare – Selena

Older Trotting Horse – Prairie Fortune

2016 Breeder of the Year – Laurie Poulin

2016 Florida Amateur Driver of the Year – Tony Dinges

From the Florida Chapter of USHWA