The late Canadian Hall of Fame jockey and racetrack superintendent Irwin Driedger has been named the recipient of the Racetrack Superintendent’s Innovator Award.

MCCROSKEY: Canadian Hall of Fame Jockey Driedger Dies at 66

While many people working in horse racing serve in a number of capacities in the industry, it is hard to imagine a person who has excelled at the top level of the industry in as many aspects as Irwin Driedger.  Irwin began his career as a professional jockey in Manitoba. His accolades ranged from the 1979 Manitoba Athlete of the Year to a record which still stands for the greatest number of wins (214) in one year at Assiniboia Downs. He was recognized in 1981 as the Sovereign Award Winner for Canada’s Outstanding Jockey and received many other awards throughout his lifetime.  Irwin also represented jockeys across Canada as President of the Jockeys’ Benefit Association of Canada, from 1990-2006 and 2019-2021.  In 2023, Irwin was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in the Jockey Category.

This award however represents accomplishments from the period of 2006 to 2018 when Irwin was the Director of Thoroughbred Racing Surfaces at Woodbine Racetrack. This was a period of rapid innovation and disruption in the area of racing surfaces.  Woodbine installed a synthetic surface which initially presented challenges due to separation of the material. In an industry with limited experience with the Ontario climate, Irwin made use of his seemingly unlimited energy, intelligence and strong opinions to figure out methods to both mix and maintain the material.  This award does not, however, just recognize Irwin’s work on the surfaces at Woodbine.  Irwin was generous and each time he made an observation or identified a better way to manage the surface he would share the ideas with other superintendents who were dealing with extreme temperatures.  Irwin defined his job as the protection of the horse and rider and he felt a responsibility to share any ideas which might benefit other racetracks.

While Irwin passed away on May 20, 2023, his impact on the industry continues.  Through training of other superintendents and mentoring younger members of the maintenance crew, Irwin’s innovations continue to be used at racetracks around the country to maintain the consistency of synthetic surfaces. 

The Racetrack Superintendent’s Innovator Award is given to recognize the critical professionals who maintain the racing surfaces for safety and fairness. Previous recipients include Joe King, for his introduction of quantitative testing for dirt racing surfaces, Leif Dickinson for his use of fiber to reinforce turf racing surfaces, and Dennis Moore for maintenance and innovation of synthetic racing surfaces. The most recent recipient was Roy Smith who launched the Track Superintendent Field Day in 2001 and spent more than two decades advocating for communication and continuing education for racetrack superintendents.  

A wall of fame will be designated where recipients will be recognized as a part of formally recognizing the critical role played by racetrack superintendents in the safety of the horse and rider.

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