Page 31 - August 2005 The Game

Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper The Game, August 2005 31
Hastings Stakes Recap
William LaVanway: Galloping Through Life
By Jackie Humber
Among the tumbleweeds and sagebrush of the Arizona desert, young William LaVanway chased wild horses and mustangs. It was his way of life.
William LaVanway is 100 percent Navaho and proud of it. He is the only galloper that has a feather in his galloping hat.
“The feather is for the Navaho people. We don't have crosses. We have guardians and my guardian is the eagle. My feather is an eagle feather. So that's my guardian," said LaVanway.
He is the son of a Navaho
mother. His father, who has
passed away, was a doctor who
later became an airplane
mechanic and pilot who owned and managed an airport.
LaVanway's passion for horses and knowledge of teamwork was introduced to him at a very young age while growing up in Arizona.
"We would catch the baby horses and break them together. Then we would sell them as our source of income. It didn't seem like work," said LaVanway.
In the spring of 1990, LaVanway's second passion led him to British Columbia. Tae Kwon Do was being introduced as an Olympic sport. LaVanway's team was trying out for the Olympics. "Our team made the Olympics but because Tae Kwon Do was founded by the Koreans and they chose to send girls, that left us out," explained LaVanway.
While enjoying the mountains, greenery and waters of BC, LaVanway decided not to return to the dust and dirt of Arizona and he was fortunate to meet and be taken in by Hastings Park trainer Pat Jarvis, Albert Jarvis and the Jarvis family.
"They are very good people. Pat taught me a lot and Albert taught me too," said LaVanway.
LaVanway spent the next few years working along side of Pat at the family farm. One summer afternoon LaVanway went with Pat to race a couple of horses at Hastings track.
"I thought this is fun. There's nothing like British Columbia. You can do anything you want and enjoy life," said LaVanway.
He was already a seasoned galloper when he decided to go to Kwantlen College and learn to be a farrier.
Love at first sight
Life was going great for LaVanway. He was shoeing horses, galloping and living his passion. Then
the day came that changed his life forever: as he galloped one day, he looked over, and some- thing interesting caught his eye. "There was this beautiful girl washing feed buckets. She had grain all
over her hair. It was a picture perfect sight," reminisced LaVanway. "She looked up and blushed and I said - there's the girl I'll marry."
The girl's name was Elizabeth and although she left Hastings Park for a couple of years LaVanway held her memory close. When Elizabeth returned, LaVanway wasted no time in asking her
for a date. Not long after the two became a team and married on Valentine's Day.
Since then, LaVanway and his wife have started a family and have a daughter named Anastasia. They also opened a training centre in Langley, and William has obtained his trainers' license at Hastings.
His main teammate is Elizabeth who works side by side with him all year long. "In the winter I break babies with Elizabeth and then in summer we still break babies and train together. We are a team. That's what makes it work," said LaVanway.
LaVanway's biggest fan at the racetrack is Hall of Fame trainer George Cummins. "I can go to him when we have problems and when we have good times. George Cummins is a wonderful person. If you could learn just a little of the things he's forgotten, you'd be a genius," said LaVanway, who considers Cummins to be his elder. In Navaho tradition, this is the highest honour.
Each morning LaVanway and his wife Elizabeth can be seen galloping along Hastings racetrack before the birds wake and before the sun rises.
LaVanway often looks to the trees to see if his old friends have returned.
"Usually two eagles sit in the tree next to the quar- ter pole, but this year I only saw one. That made me sad because of all the eagles that were killed." said LaVanway.
This year LaVanway hopes to have more successes at the racetrack.
"Every year I hope we have more winners and I hope we can have a happy year so we can enjoy ourselves. I've had a lot of help from everybody. Everyday I learn and I just enjoy life. It's not very often you can live your passion," said LaVanway.
William La Vanway holds the horse for his wife Elizabeth on the back- stretch at Hastings Racecourse.
Friday, July 1 - Sunday, July 24, 2005
Friday, July 1, 2005
Lieutenant Governors’ Handicap Gr. 3 - 3 yr-old & up $137,558
Winner: R. Associate
Owner: Garth Weeks
Trainer: Arnold Turner
Jockey: Pedro Alvarado
Breeder: Foxfield in KY
Pedigree: Crafty Prospector - Letty’s Pennant, by Bold Forbes
Saturday, July 2, 2005
Senate Appointee Handicap - 3 yr-old & up fillies & mares $44,680
Winner: La Belle Fleur
Owner: EM Braithwaite & IM Gorasht
Trainer: Frank Barroby
Jockey: R Hamel
Breeder: EM Braithwaite,MA Braithwaite & IM Gorasht in WA Pedigree: Son of Briartic - La Belle Creole, by Ascot Knight
Sunday, July 3, 2005
Jim Coleman Province Handicap - 3 yr-olds
$44,368
Winner: Alabama Rain
Owner: Peter Redekop BC Ltd.
Trainer: Lance Giesbrecht
Jockey: Pedro Alvarado
Breeder: BryanC.Anderson&CarolA.AndersoninBC Pedigree: Vying Victor - Entrusting, by Stalwart
Saturday, July 9, 2005
Timber Music Stakes - 2 yr-old fillies
$44,368
Winner: Langara Lass
Owner: Exclusive STable & Raymond Hanson Trainer: David Forster
Jockey: Chad Hoverson
Breeder: Exclusive Stable & Ray Hanson in KY Pedigree: Langfuhr - Capilano, by Demons Begone
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Ladnesian Stakes - 2 yr-olds
$40,626
Winner: Bound to Be MVP
Owner: Carmel & Charles Case
Trainer: Brian Giesbrecht
Jockey: David Wilson
Breeder: Charles Bradley in WA
Pedigree: Snowbound - Blue Boy’s Janet - by Chisos
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Liberation Handicap - 3 yr-old fillies
$43,577
Winner: Slewpast
Owner: Foundation Stables
Trainer: Robert Anderson
Jockey: Frank Fuentes
Breeder: Superior Bloodstock in BC
Pedigree: Western Trick - Sailpast, by No Louder
Jockey Chris Loseth chats with Hall of Fame trainer
Sid Martin after Chris rode his trainee, Hatzic Lake, to a sixth place finish in Chris’ final race of his career shortly after announcing
his retirement in June. - Photo by Jackie Humber
Did You Know....
That Jess Jackson, co-founder of Kendall-Jackson winery in California, has purchased the original 640-acre Adena Springs farm in central Kentucky from Frank Stronach. In February, Kendall purchased the former Buckram Oak Farm and re-named it Stonestreet. He is currently the owner of 150 mares and 180 racing fillies at various racetracks.
Did You Know....
That on July 7, the carryover for the Pick 7 at Woodbine had grown to $124,996.60 and one lucky person at Assiniboia Downs had the winning ticket which they purchased for just $1. The successful ticket had the winners of races 2 through 8 on the days card of racing.