Thomas Harrison Brinkerhoff

TOM  BRINKERHOFF

9/12/1937 – 7/26/2022

Thomas Harrison Brinkerhoff passed away July 26, 2022 at the age of 84.  Mr. Brinkerhoff was born in Wooster, Ohio September 12, 1937 to Jess and Arlene Brinkerhoff.

A trainer’s trainer from a harness family; son of renown horseman, Jess Brinkerhoff;  Tom definitely had horses in his blood. In Wooster, Ohio he won his first race in 1955 at the age of 16.

Tom is accredited with 1,695 wins during his career, conditioning many more to the winner’s circle.  Horses were his life and he trained many to become champions including Title Holder, Osborne Creed, Osborne Bret, Golly Too (4 time Ohio State champion and 1994 Ohio Horse of the year) Lark’s Luke, Doc’s Mistake and Ruff Stuff Baker (Triple Crown and Ohio State Horse of the year 1993).

Along the way, he met his loving wife, Dorothy and together, not only did they share their love for the horses, but shared their love for Cheryl (Chap) and Tommy (Tue Lah).

He went on to be recognized on the Northfield Hall of Fame (1994) and the Scioto Downs Wall of Fame.  The Jerry Kaltenback Memorial Award as the Sires Stakes Trainer in 1995 and most recently, he was inducted as the 45 ^th member into the Ohio Hall of Fame by the Harness Horseman Association in 2019.

In 1981 Tom started wintering his horses in Hawkinsville, Ga.  The climate allowed him to train throughout the winter.  Hawkinsville, Ga. became his home through the years, retiring there in 2017.

He was a strong-willed man that lived life on his own terms.  He was always willing and happy to share his knowledge of horses with fellow horsemen.

He was a native of Wooster, Ohio and a member of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jess and Arlene Brinkerhoff;  He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years Dorothy and two brothers, William and Neal Brinkerhoff.

Survivors include his daughter, Cheryl and Allen Duncan of Hawkinsville, Ga. , his son

Thomas and Truelah Brinkerhoff Jr. of Erwin, North Carolina; two grandchildren, Thomas Myers and Tyler Duncan; two sisters, Florence Wallace (Brad) of Finley, Ohio and Joan Swick of

Wooster, Ohio.

Services will be held at a later date.

Clark Funeral Home of Hawkinsville, Ga. is in charge of the arrangements.