THE RACE TRACK
Nearly 30 years ago Coaticook owned one of the best race tracks in the Province of Quebec.
The municipal park, once known as Meadow Park, was the place where a well kept half-mile track was located. It included 30 stables, a covered grand stand which was 150 feet long and a two-story viewing stand for the judges just in front of the finish line.
Today, there is no longer any trace of the track or the out buildings.
The races were held every Sunday along with games of baseball in the same area. The 1500 spectators in the stadium could enjoy either activity.
Many horses, local or from out of town, underwent training during the week by experts in the field, among them being the noted horsetrainer, Charles Bouchard.
Some of our older members of the community are sure to remember horse owners of those days like Omer Marcoux, Guy Tillotson, Eugene Trudeau, Eugene Bouchard, Robert Dupont, the Menard family from Ste. Edwidge, Gaudias Denis, Pat Denis, Georges Madore, Emile Faucher, Claude Faucher, Jacques Lefebvre, etc.
Robert Dupont
One of the racehorses, Butcher Boy, owned by Omer Marcoux, became the provincial champion. He rode the one mile circuit in less than two minutes. He was a crowd favorite.
After the building were taken down and the the racetrack was no longer used, one of the more keener enthusiasts of the sport, Robert Dupont, continued to pursue an interest in racing. He built his own race track on his property, complete with stables. To this day, horses continue to be trained at this spot.
This regulation-sized track was laid out in 1959 one mile from the limits of Coaticook. The stables at the track were able to accomodate sixteen horses.
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Mr. Dupont went on to become an important horse trainer and rider on the racetracks of Quebec as well as at Saratoga.
Oddly enough, Mr. Dupont managed to win the para mutuel on the Coaticook track, only once and at the last competition in Coaticook.
Today, the two sons of Mr. Dupont, Donald and Guy, manage the business.
Donald Dupont is considered to have been one of the best trainers and riders in the Province. His wins have never been beaten.
