The late Jim Ewart, a longtime racing official, will be honored as the 2012 Joseph Neville Award winner by officials at the Delaware, Ohio fair.
Ewart worked as race secretary at 18 different tracks in North America plus Australia and New Zealand. Much of his career centered at Scioto Downs where he presided for 26 years, from 1976 through 2002. He also served several years as racing secretary at Lexington's Red Mile during the fall Grand Circuit.
Ewart, a native of Greenup, Ill., came from a harness racing family and first worked at the Cumberland County (Ill.) fair. His family was evolved with horses and his uncles, Pres and John Genuine, were officials at many of the major tracks in the country.
While in high school, Jim set major scoring records in basketball and went on to the University of Illinois and earned his freshman letter in 1959-60. Following his discharge from the U.S. Army in 1964, he worked the Santa Anita meeting and later that year became assistant race secretary at Foxboro and Rosecroft.
Ewart, 72, died Feb. 14, 2012 in Grove City, Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; daughters Stephanie (Frazier) and Michele; and stepchildren Nikki Edwards, Lisa Dodrill, and Stephanie Tweed; and seven grandchildren.
Delaware fair officials will honor Ewart as the 15th recipient of the Neville Award during winner's circle ceremonies on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 20. (LBJ)
