Ben Massam

A little more than four years ago, horse racing returned to the Commonwealth of Virginia and Colonial Downs for the first time since 2014. Under the leadership of then track Vice President Jill Byrne--one of Virginia's own--the track staged racing three days a week for about a month and since then, the meet has expanded both in terms of length and in terms of popularity among the betting public. In August 2019, Ben Massam drew on his Virginian roots--Ben was a championship-caliber track and field athlete at the College of...

Trying to come to terms with the death of a family member or loved one is one of the hardest parts of the human experience. The illness and passing of the TDN News and Features Editor Ben's Massam left us all bereft, and as we struggled to make sense of a senseless loss, we looked to find an appropriate way to remember him and allow his memory to help those who needed help in the industry he loved. (Read his story here.) We settled on the New Vocations Sponsor-A-Stall program,...