In the world of Canadian harness racing, one name currently stands above all others: James MacDonald. The Cornwall, Prince Edward Island native, who now resides in Guelph, Ontario, has built one of the most impressive careers in modern trotting at record speed. With 4,282 wins and nearly 85 million dollars in career earnings, he belongs to North America's absolute elite. He concluded the 2024 season as Canada's leading driver with 428 wins and over 9.1 million dollars in purses, and in 2025, he was crowned World Driving Champion. It is a remarkable ascent for someone who didn't even obtain his driver’s license until the age of 22.
What makes MacDonald's story so special is his double world title. In 2017, he won his first World Driving Championship, the prestigious tournament where the best drivers from ten countries compete against one another. That year, the tournament was held in his home country of Canada, making the victory even more emotional. MacDonald defeated the entire international field, writing history as the fourth Canadian to claim the title. It earned him not only a 25,000 dollar check but also a permanent place in the sport's history books.
Eight years later, in November 2025, he repeated the feat on the other side of the world. The World Driving Championship was hosted exclusively in New Zealand that year, with heats held at Kaikoura, Cambridge, Winton, and Addington. MacDonald arrived as one of the favorites and demonstrated over nine days and twenty heats why he is among the world's best. He won three individual heats, posted consistent results, and built a lead that was insurmountable with only one heat remaining. On the final day, during the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day at Addington, he held a fifteen-point lead over Australian rival Gary Hall junior. MacDonald only needed an eighth-place finish to secure the title, and that is exactly what he did. With 168 points, he finished seventeen points ahead of Hall, with Jaap van Rijn from the Netherlands taking third place with 141 points.
It is no coincidence that MacDonald has reached this level. Harness racing is in his blood. He grew up as part of the MacDonald clan of Prince Edward Island, a family deeply rooted in the sport. His father, Fred, was a breeder, former racing secretary, and sports columnist, while his mother, Gail, served for years as the official photographer at Charlottetown Driving Park. His older brothers, Mark and Anthony, are both successful drivers as well. Mark has earned over 70 million dollars in purses, and Anthony is among the top drivers in Canada. James himself initially studied marketing and advertising at Holland College on PEI, but during a summer working for his brother Anthony in Ontario, he decided to stay. He never returned to the classroom.
His entry into professional racing came late compared to many of his colleagues. MacDonald was already 22 when he got his license, an age by which many drivers have already spent years in the winner's circle. However, what he lacked in an early start, he made up for with an unprecedented work ethic and a natural feel for horses. In his third full season, 2012, he celebrated a breakout year with 264 wins and 2.4 million dollars in earnings. From there, his trajectory went straight up. He is now a five-time winner of the Keith Waples Award as Canadian Driver of the Year, an honor that confirms his dominance in his home country year after year.
The successes keep coming. After returning from New Zealand with the world title in his luggage, he immediately got back to work at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where he continues to lead the Canadian driver standings by earnings. His ability to bring out the best in his horses, combined with sharp tactical insight and a calm style in the sulky, has made him a fixture in the winner's circle on Canada's premier circuits. MacDonald is more than just a statistical phenomenon. He is an ambassador for the sport, elevating harness racing and inspiring young drivers to chase their dreams, regardless of when they start. With Canada hosting the next World Driving Championship in 2027, MacDonald will have the chance to defend his title in front of his home crowd. The question isn't whether he will win, but how large his margin of victory will be this time.
