Wayne County Wanderings: The day Beach Lake teen's lifelong dream finally came true
Adam Moeykens is that rarest of humans: A talented, hard-working young man whose destiny has been crystal clear ever since he was a little boy.
The son of Joseph and Laurie Moeykens, Adam was born in Harris (NY) but moved to Wayne County when he was just three.
A 2021 graduate of Honesdale High School, Adam was an Honor Roll student who also ran track. While he excelled academically and athletically during his varsity years, Adam’s heart was always somewhere else.
And that’s understandable. You see, Adam is a fourth generation horseman who practically grew up in the barn at Moeykens Stables in Beach Lake.
“Ever since he was old enough to walk and talk, all Adam’s ever wanted to do was train and drive,” Laurie said of her son. “He would put on his Dad’s colors and helmet, then pretend to race.”
Adam takes great pride in the fact that every time he dons those colors he’s following in the footsteps of his great grandfather (Elliott Brown), grandfather (Alan Moeykens) and father (Joseph Moeykens).
“I’ve been in the barn ever since I can remember,” Adam said. “I worked my way up from the bottom, cleaning out stalls and jogging the horses. It’s a lot of hard work, but I’ve always loved it.”
Harness racing is a passion Moeykens has pursued with whole-hearted devotion. He’s made many sacrifices over the years … an investment in time and effort that finally paid off this week.
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Dream Come True
Adam was both nervous and excited when he arrived on the scene for the 160th Annual Wayne County Fair … where, on a sun-soaked August afternoon, he finally realized his lifelong dream.
Moeykens made his purse race debut on Wednesday when he climbed into the bike behind Rollaway Beth for the day’s sixth race, a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Pace held in memory of the late John Firmstone.
Hundreds of harness racing fans and family members cheered Adam on he expertly piloted the two-year-old bay filly around the historic Dyberry Oval. And while he didn’t win, he showed flashes of brilliance that hint at a dazzling career to come.
“It was good,” Moeykens said simply. “I’m happy with how we did.”
As for Adam’s parents, they’re just thrilled to see their son living out his dream.
“We are over the moon!” Laurie exclaimed. “Joe and I remember our little boy pretending to be a driver and now it’s actually happening. It’s amazing!”
Moeykens took third in his debut, finishing behind veteran drivers Tony Schadel and Eric Neal. Then, after a little bit of a break, Adam returned to the track for the day’s ninth race.
This heat was a Free for All Pace, which is a rarity in the County Fair Circuit these days. The event is sponsored each year by Dirlam Brothers Lumber and is open to all comers. It gives fans a chance to see some of the older horses that may have been big winners back in “the day.”
Adam drove A Dream So Real in this one, a four-year-old with 63 career starts under his belt and total earning of nearly $30,000.
And while there were several electrifying races on Wednesday, this one proved to be the most entertaining. Why? Well, because there was also another local legend in the field.
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Wayne County Fair fan favorite Arthur Jones seems to be back in fighting trim after a broken hip slowed him down for a couple of years. Arty drove McCito in the ninth, a 10-year-old brown gelding that’s racked up 266 starts and lifetime winnings of a quarter million dollars.
And so, when the Clarence Martin Jr. mobile starting gate launched this heat in front of the old wooden grandstand, the drivers’ ages, incredibly, ranged from Moeykens (19) to Jones (76).
Tony Schadel eventually emerged victorious, steering Delightful Summer to the win in a time of 2:03.4. However, Moeykens made his presence felt with a late charge.
Adam bided his time, lurking in the proverbial shadows until he sensed the moment was right. Then, coming out of the Dyberry Turn, he made a move. Moeykens maneuvered Dream So Real to the outside and quickly began closing on the leader.
Unfortunately for the young driver, he ran out of time and settled for second while Jones wound up third.
“There was nobody behind me, so I was able to sit in until the last turn and the horse did all the work from there,” Adam said.
“There are a lot of components to driving. One thing I was very happy with was the timing. I was able to pull my horse when I wanted at the three quarter pole and gain ground first over.”
Just the Beginning
While the Moeykens Family is bursting with pride about young Adam’s achievements, there isn’t much time to bask in the glow.
More races on the PA County Fair circuit await, including Bloomsburg next month. In the interim, though, Adam is deep into preparations for his next big debut.
Over the course of the next few weeks, he’ll be competing in parimutuel events at Monticello Raceway … which is a huge step in his development as a trainer and driver.
Moeykens is pleased with where he is at the moment. He’s satisfied with his efforts at the Fair. However, he also knows that these are just the first steps down a long and winding road.
“Every day is a new learning opportunity for me,” Adam said. “As for goals, I want to keep improving on my driving, learning when to be patient and sit a hole or to pull, or to take a horse off the car.
“Every horse is different and that’s what makes it fun. I want to keep improving in this sport and learning all I can, to become the best trainer/driver I can be.”
Meanwhile, Laurie and Joe will keep supporting Adam in all his endeavors. After all, they only want for their son what any parent hopes for: Happiness.
“Adam is pretty humble and doesn’t like to talk about himself a whole lot,” Laurie said. “But, he doesn’t need to. His smile says it all. Adam is very happy.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Honesdale grad makes purse driving debut at 160th Wayne County Fair
