The 46-year-old Stutzman was born into the Amish community of Dover, Delaware before his family moved to a dairy farm in Gorrie, Ontario. He started in the harness racing business at
Mohawk, apprenticing under trainers Gerry Holley and John Burns. After a two year partnership
with Cal Campbell, Stutzman struck out on his own. He started with claimers and in 1992 in just his second year as a trainer, he lost half of his stock in a tragic barn fire at Mohawk.

Overcoming that misfortune, Stutzman rebuilt his stable and currently races the majority of his horses on the WEG circuit of Woodbine and Mohawk. Stutzman’s best horses have been the outstanding free-for-all pacers Ball And Chain and Noble Ability and the trotters Impeccable Image and Georgia Limited. In 1995 as a 5-year-old, the Albatross horse Ball And Chain enjoyed nine wins in 31 season’s starts, with earnings of $674,794. He became the first Standardbred to
ever break the 1:50 barrier in Canada when he scored in 1:49.4 in a Canadian Pacing Derby
elimination at Woodbine.

That clocking also equaled the world record for an older pacing horse on a mile track. Ball And Chain also captured the $238,000 American-National Final, the $171,500 Graduate Series Final, and the $107,000 Toronto Series Final. In 1996 at age 6, Ball And Chain had nine wins in 27 starts and banked $590,400. He was a winner in the $267,750 Canadian Pacing Derby, the $163,500 Graduate Final, the $118,000 U.S. Pacing Championship Final, and the $100,000
Suburban Downs Pacing Derby. He also lowered his mark to 1:49 in an invitational pace at The
Meadowlands. Ball And Chain retired at the end of the year with 32 lifetime victories and $1,435,390 in career earnings.

Noble Ability was a regular participant in the top stakes for older pacers in 1998 and 1999. As a 4-year-old in 1998, he had six wins in 25 starts, with earnings of $498,325. His brightest moments included victories in the $362,750 Canadian Pacing Derby Final and the $100,000 Nicole Hudock Memorial. T

he 1999 season saw Noble Ability make five trips to the winner’s circle and cash paychecks worth $483,910. He captured the $275,000 Pacing Classic Final and the $150,000 Graduate Series Final.

The seemingly ageless trotting gelding Impeccable Image was another top Stutzman charge. In 1994 as a 6-year-old, he had 10 wins, eight seconds, and six thirds in 35 starts, while rolling up $174,960 in earnings. Stutzman took over the conditioning of Impeccable Image in May and he rose to the top of the free for all ranks on the OJC. He capped his 1994 season with four victories in December and was named Horse of the Month by the USTA.

In 1995, Impeccable Image had nine wins in 28 starts, with earnings of $313,245. His biggest win came with a 1:55.3 score in the $41,000 Hanover Stake at Balmoral. He also finished second, a
head back of Panifesto, in the $300,000 Cadillac Breeders Crown Final. In 1996, Impeccable Image had 11 wins in 30 starts and banked $338,615. He won the $100,000 Freehold Invitational and was second in the $206,400 American-National Final. At season’s end he was named as Older Trotting Horse of the Year in the year-end balloting. In 1997, Impeccable Image had four wins in 25 starts and earned $181,785. His biggest win came with a 1:55.2 score in the $178,000 American-National.

Another trotting gelding who has enjoyed some terrific campaigns for Stutzman was Georgia Limited. In 1997 as a 4-year-old, he had 10 wins in 30 starts, with earnings of $319,550. The Crowning Point squaregaiter won a $68,500 leg of the Classic Trot, the $44,000 Father Foley Final, and the $43,300 Hiram Woodruff Final. At age 5, Georgia Limited hit the board in 12 of 20 North American starts, with earnings of $335,960. He also added an additional $103,684 from four European starts. Georgia Limited’s biggest win in 1998 came in the $170,000 American-National at Balmoral Park. He also etched his name into the record books when he won a free-for-all event at Mohawk in a time of 1:54.1, the fastest mile ever for an older trotting gelding on a five-eighths-mile track. His largest payday came with a second place finish behind Moni Maker in the $500,000 Breeders Crown.

Over the years the Stutzman Stable has campaigned many other fine horses including Luke’s Rd, Rococo Solombre, Only Pan, Delayed Decision, The Starting Gate, Music Director, Catch A Flight, Nuke It Freddie, Classy River Gal, Scoot To Power, Lady Buns, NY Knick, By Xample, Keep Your Pans Off, Slick Pavement, One If By Pan, The Firepan, Tigh Na Mara, Crown Land, Incredible Tiffy, Close Encounter, Samantha Square, Mystic Marauder, Wolfdancer Mindale, Artaffection, Silhouette Dream, and The Great Pacific.