Documentation of the Honor Walk for the late Hunter Myers was one of the most difficult moments in Meadows track photographer Chris Gooden’s career. Although the task felt very painful, Gooden knew it was something the Myers family wanted and deserved.
Myers, 27, tragically passed away on March 19 after an accident at Hollywood Casino in The Meadows. His death sent shockwaves through the harness racing industry. The loss was deeply personal for Gooden.
The Honor Walk video created by Gooden became a deeply moving tribute, one that has earned him accolades President’s Award from the American Harness Writers Association and USHWA President Michael Carter. It showed Myers lying in his bed and being pushed around the hospital as family, friends, horse people and medical staff lined the hallway and room. His organs were donated and helped several people, including an 11-year-old girl who needed a heart.
“Losing Hunter is something that I still can’t fathom to this day,” Gooden said. “We had so much fun creating memories through video and photos. When he passed away, I felt like I had lost a piece of my own creativity.”
A multiple winner of the George Smallsreed Award in photography, Gooden is widely known for producing compelling visual content that helps share running racing with a wider audience.
“Chris Gooden’s work is unparalleled in harness racing,” said Carter. “His impact goes far beyond photography as he brings new faces and new energy to the sport through his engaging social media content.”
In the wake of Myers’ death, Gooden considered stepping away from content creation altogether. Ultimately, he realized that this would have gone against everything his friend stood for.
“Hunter would have been mad if I had just hung it up,” Gooden said. “So I carried on and focused on making sure he was remembered through the photos and videos we took together.”
For Gooden, content creation became more than a profession; it was a way to process his grief and honor his friend’s legacy.
“After the Honor Walk video was released in March, I remember calling Chris and telling him to pack his bags and get ready for Florida,” Carter said. “That video brought the entire industry together, provided healing during one of the darkest times and was viewed over 4.5 million times.”
Gooden will be formally recognized at the 2026 Dan Patch Awards Banquet presented by Caesars Entertainment, which honors the best of harness racing, both human and equine. The banquet will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2026 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida.
USHWA is the leading organization of communicators about the Standardbred horse. USHWA conducts the official annual voting for the sport’s most prestigious honors, including induction into the Hall of Fame and Communicators Hall of Fame, as well as the selection of Horse of the Year, Trotter and Pacer of the Year, and division champions. Each year, USHWA hosts the Dan Patch Awards Banquet, the association’s premier fundraising event, honoring the best and brightest performers in North American harness racing.
Sponsorship information for the banquet is available through Shawn Wiles at [email protected]. You can advertise in the souvenir magazine via Kim Rinker [email protected]. Tickets are available through Judy Davis-Wilson at [email protected] or by Elizabeth Lewis-House at Elizabeth.Lewis-House@
From the Harness Writers Association of the United States
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