John Duncan Campbell (born April 8, 1955 in

Ailsa Craig, Ontario Ailsa may refer to: People *Ailsa (name), including a list of people with the name *Marquess of Ailsa, title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom created in 1831 Places *Ailsa Craig, an island in the outer Firth of Clyde, Scotland * Ailsa Craig, ...

) is a retired Canadian

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...

driver. He has been inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame, the

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. The H ...

and

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (french: Panthéon des sports canadiens; sometimes referred to as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame) is a Canadian sports hall of fame and museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Dedicated to the history of sports in Canad ...

. Dunc Campbell and his father before him were

Standardbred The Standardbred is an American horse breed best known for its ability in harness racing, where members of the breed compete at either a trot or pace. Developed in North America, the Standardbred is recognized worldwide, and the breed can trace i ...

horsemen. Dunc had two sons Ray and Jack Campbell with his family near

London, Ontario London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...

. Jack had two sons, John Campbell and Jim Campbell. Ray was a trainer/driver as well as his son Robert Campbell. Both John and Jim Campbell have established themselves in the upper echelon of harness racing, however many consider John Campbell the greatest reinsman of all-era's. Campbell's dollar purse earnings, exceed any currently active driver or jockey. John has won more dollars-in-purses at any North American Track (i. e, The Meadowlands Racetrack) than any jockey or driver. Campbell is considered by many to be the best driver in harness racing history. In 1976, harness racing was changed forever by the opening of the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Meadowlands, also known as the Big M, is a one-mile harness track which attracted the very best harness horses, trainers and drivers in North America. Entering the 1970s, harness races were mostly contested with the horses racing in single file until they reached the homestretch, where the real race began. Also, most horses were driven by their owners or trainers. When the Meadowlands opened, a new breed of driver emerged called the catch-driver. The catch-driver was usually younger, lighter and more athletic and was able to make the horses go faster than the previous generation of driver. Campbell was the dominant catch driver of the late 1970s and 1980s and well into the 1990s. Campbell was a pioneer in the development of the modern catch driver and today, most top drivers are catch drivers. He was the youngest driver ever elected into the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1990 at age 35 and is also a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the London (Ont.) Sports Hall of Fame in its inaugural class, 2002. Campbell won the

Hambletonian Stakes The Hambletonian Stakes is a major American harness race for three-year-old trotting horses, named in honor of Hambletonian 10, a foundation sire of the Standardbred horse breed, also known as the "Father of the American Trotter." The first ...

for a sixth time in 2006 with Glidemaster. On July 12, 2008, Campbell won his 10,000th race as a driver by guiding Share the Delight to victory in the sixth race at

Meadowlands Racetrack The Meadowlands Racetrack (currently referred to as Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment) is a horse racing track at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness ...

. Campbell is a resident of

River Vale, New Jersey River Vale is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. River Vale is the easternmost municipality in an area of the county referred to as the Pascack Valley. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 9,6 ...

.Retirement? - No way says John Campbell
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References

External links

YouTube video titled "In The Sulky with John Campbell - June 17, 2016"John Campbell Fan page at United States Trotting Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, John Animal sportspeople from Ontario Canadian harness racing drivers Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame inductees Recipients of the Meritorious Service Decoration People from River Vale, New Jersey 1955 births Living people