Devon Mller A Family Tradition

GREENVILLE - In a crowd of people, Devon Miller is just another pretty face. 

On the track, she is a fierce competitor. 

Miller has been coming to the Darke County fair since she was a little girl. Her grandfather, R. J. Brown, is very well known in the racing circles. 

A native of Troy, Ohio, Miller came to the Darke County fair and was eager to learn at a very young age. Now, at the age of 24, Miller has become known as someone to contend with on the half-mile track. 

“Actually, horses were in my family not only on my Mom’s side but my Dad’s side as well,” said Miller. “I was coming to this fair as a little girl and it’s a fair I really like coming to.” 

Like most at a very young age, Miller did not realize she was being groomed for the track but it didn’t take her long to see what was going on and soon after that, she knew the writing was on the wall. 

“I was about 11 when I realized that I wanted to be a trainer and a driver,” Miller admitted. “Mostly, I train horses but I do both. The first time I was in the sulky, it was a thrill for me. Even now, I get that rush when I get in my colors and get in the sulky. I think what I love the most is taking a horse out that I broke and trained, showing people what he can do.” 

Miller was 12 when she started to learn how to drive. Then came the money races. 

“I was 16, I think when I won my first money race,” said Miller. “I love what I do and I love being out there. It takes a lot of time and hard work to get a horse ready to race. You have to groom that horse and make sure it stays in good health. It has to be fed and stalls have to be cleaned out. A lot of time and money but it’s worth it in the end.” 

Although 24 isn’t old by any means, Miller could be considered the elder statesman of female drivers in the business. While a few might be a little older, Miller has been there for a very long time. 

“”I never thought about myself as being one of the older women in the business but I guess I am,” Miller said with a chuckle. “I guess in a way I am a trendsetter but that’s something I never really thought about either. I think I have as much right to be out there as the guys do and I think we (women) can show them that we can do the job. I’ve had a lot of girls talk to me about the sport and getting into to it. I tell them what I think, then I tell them to go for it.” 

While women drivers aren’t new to the scene of harness horse racing, women like Miller have something to prove in life. 

“There have been good women drivers in the past,” Miller acknowledged. “Now with more girls out there, we get more opportunities and that’s a great thing. I tell girls wanting to get in to be prepared to be pushed all over the track. The guys are tough on you.” 

Miller has been on the track for a long time and admits, “When the guys start pushing, I push back a little.” 

Friday night after the Gene Riegle Memorial, Miller and a host of other women drivers, will compete in a ladies only race at the Darke County fairgrounds.