Roger Hammer

Roger Hammer has been a skilled and successful harness race driver for 40 years, but the Bedford County native reached the pinnacle of his sport on August 6, 2005, when Hammer drove Vivid Photo to victory in the famed Hambletonian, the Kentucky Derby of harness racing.

Going into 2006 Hammer had won 3175 races and $14.8 million
in purses. He had been nine times ranked among North America’s best in driver ratings. In 2003 he set a record with 11 wins on a single race card at the York Fair. He finished third in the Little Brown Jug in 1994.

Roger was a very well-known figure among people who knew harness racing. He had set several world speed records. One was  in 1971 with In Control, a horse owned by Bedford’s John  Weidman. Hammer currently holds four world records with three different horses.

Despite all that, Hammer and Vivid Photo were discounted when they were listed m the Hambletonian entries. Vivid Photo was winning, and going fast, but not on major tracks like the Meadowlands where the Hambletonian is held. Hammer dubbed "king of the county fairs,” raced all week at the Clearfield fair, and debated having a Meadowlands regular drive the 3-year old. Thursday, Hammer loaded Vivid Photo on the trailer and drove him 270 miles from Belden to the Meadowlands for Saturday race.

Hammer elected to drive Vivid Photo in the Hambletonian himself. Known for his headlong style, which showed up early in life, when Roger was winning two District 5 wrestling championships at Chestnut Ridge, Hammer foxed them. He slid in and shadowed the leaders. "I know they all thought I’d do something crazy with him, so I did the opposite," Roger said. Hammer stayed close behind, knowing his horse had more to give.
He brought the colt out at the final tum, and pulled ahead smartly.

"I knew when I hit the totebroad I was home free," he said.

His horse had the speed to burn. Hammer trained Vivid Photo at his Belden track (developed by John Weidman) and co-owns Vivid Photo with a younger driver-owner, Todd Schadel of Gratz , Pa.

Hammer was hustled up to the CBS area for an interview, then back to the winner’s circle to meet the acting Governor of New Jersey. Then came a deluge of questions from the press.

How did he do, this county boy from the fair circuits?

He did so well, proved so personable, that they took him to Las Vegas in February and presented him with the Billy Houghton "Good Guy" award. Hoof Beats magazine said Hammer "was a superb ambassador for harness racing. He has unstintingly cooperated with the press, whether in victory or defeat, giving insightful and straight-forward answers - with a touch of self-depreciating humor thrown in."

Hammer and Photo Vivid were called the greatest media boost for the sport in another magazine. Vivid Photo was named Trotter of the Year at Pocono Downs (where he was 4 for 5) and Horse of the Year at the Meadows. The trotter won 16 of 21 for the year, and banked $1,293,083.

Roger Hammer became the symbol of "the little guy" who came from the county fairs and the hometown track in Bedford County to beat them all.



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Class of 2006
Class of 2006

Bedford County Sports
Hall of Fame

Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania