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Video: Meet Wayne Teaven, new track announcer at Batavia Downs

By Howard B. Owens
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Wayne Teaven grew up around harness racing.  His parents had a horse in the 1980s and they often went to Buffalo Raceway. Teaven was quite impressed as a lad by the race announcer there, Pete Szymanski.

"He used to have this way about him," Teaven told The Batavian. "He used to be very comical in his calls. He would add flavor, and he would add a little personality to it. I always thought that was great. I'm like, 'Man, this guy is really good. And I wouldn't mind being that someday.'"

It's that flair and flavor that the Lyndonville native says he tries to bring to his race calls, either at Batavia Raceway, where he has worked since 2016, or now at Batavia Downs as he takes over this season as the full-time race announcer.

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