How to Become a Harness Racer
Our next dream searcher winner wrote that her dream is working with, training, and driving harness racing horses. She is the winner of our 2nd Dreamsearcher road map. As she retains a horse-related fascination held by many young boys and girls, she has tapped into a dream category shared by many.
photo: http://flickr.com/photos/benimoto/969996243/
But women compete against men, often in amateur races.
In August 2008 ladies ruled at the 64th Annual Effingham County Fair harness races.
Harness racing has a long history in the Unites States. In Goshen, Orange County, NY, the ancestor of all American standardbred horses, Hambletonion 10, was born. Standardbreds, rather than thoroughbreds are the type of horses used for harness racing.
Everything you might want to know about the history of harness racing can be found at The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame it is a museum, library, hall of fame and historic racetrack in upstate, NY.
And it's on the National Register of Historic of Places
photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harness_Racing_Museum_%26_Hall_of_Fame
Harness racing has three component pieces, the horse, the rider and the sulky.
And comes in two styles, pacer and trotter.
photo: Reprinted with permission from the Harness Tracks of America, Inc.
And don't overlook the US Trotting Association as a broad resource for getting involved.
It is updated daily and will keep you in the loop about all things harness racing.
You can join the more than 500 amateur drivers in the U.S. who enjoy club driving!
"…The US Trotting Association defines an amateur driver as a driver who has not received valuable compensation for his or her services as a driver. To participate in amateur driving events, the person must hold a driver's license issued by the United States Trotting Association. Most amateur drivers donate their money to charity, raising money for a variety of good causes…"
There are many informal ways to move in to the world of horse training and racing, but formal training to boost your chances can be had through programs at training schools and colleges across the country. Many of the schools have online programs.
A list of nationwide schools can be found at: http://horseworlddata.com/schools.html
It includes:
- University of Arizona
- Race Track Industry Program
- 845 N. Park, Suite 370
Tucson, AZ 85721 - Phone: 520-621-2211
- Midway College
- 512 East Stephens Street
Midway, KY 40347-1120 - Phone: 800-755-0031
- Equine Courses Online
- Hofstra University Racehorse Ownership Institute
- Hempstead, NY 11549-1000
- Phone: 516-463-6600
- email: wittstruckc@aol.com
- Equine Studies Institute
- Bulverde, TX
- Phone: 602-616-8414
- email: info@equinestudiesinstitute.com
- Online Equine Study Degree
- Rough Terrain Farm
- 634 Bedor Road
Randolph Center, VT 05061 - Phone: 802-728-5945
- email: lesliehaynes@verizon.net
- Pleasure & Competitive Driving Training
There are Harness racing tracks: in nearly every state; in some states more than a few. The examples below list the locations and seasons.
- Dover Downs (H)
- 1131 N. Dupont Hwy.
Dover, DE 19901 - Phone: 302-674-4600
- Jan to April
- Pompano Park (H)
- 1800 SW 3rd St.
Pompano Beach, FL 33069 - Phone: 954-972-2000
- Fax: 954-970-6600
- email: stuj@icanect.net
- Jan to Aug; Nov to Dec
- The Red Mile (H)
- P. O. Box 420
Lexington, KY 40585 - Phone: 606-255-0752
- Fax: 606-231-0217
- April to June; Sept to Oct
- Rockingham Park (H)
- P O Box 47
Salem, NH 03079 - Phone: 603-898-2311
- Fax: 603-898-1424
- June to Sept
- Atlantic City Racecourse (H)
- P O Box 719
Atlantic City, NJ 08404 - Phone: 609-641-2190
- Fax: 609-646-9559
- May
- Freehold Raceway (H)
- P O Box 6669
Freehold, NJ 07727 - Phone: 732-462-3800
- Fax: 732-462-3807
- email: freehold@att.net
- Jan to May; Aug to Dec
- The Meadowlands (H) (TB)
- East Rutherford
NJ 07073 - Phone: 201-935-8500
- Fax: 201-460-4042
- email: GCademartori@njsea.com
- H - Jan to May; TB - Sept to Dec
- Monticello Raceway (H)
- Route 17 & 17B
Raceway Road
Monticello, NY 12701 - Phone: 914-794-4100
- Fax: 914-794-4110
- Jan to Dec
- Yonkers Raceway (H)
- 810 Central Ave.
Yonkers, NY 10704 - Phone: 914-968-4200
- Fax: 914-968-1121
- Jan to Dec
- Pocono Downs (H)
- Route 315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 - Phone: 717-825-6681
- Fax: Fax 717-823-9407
- April to Nov
Keeping up with the latest news, information and resources can be done with publications focused on racing and equine interests.
- Horsemen's Round Up
- P O Box 575
Dardanelle, AR 72834 - Phone: 479-229-2504
- Fax: 479-229-2493
- email: roundupnews@direcway.com
- Monthly: General Interest
- Illinois Standardbred with Mid-America Harness News
- P O Box 399
Downers Grove, Il 60515 - Phone: 630-963-0398
- Fax: 630-963-2625
- email: slilly@idt.net
- Monthly: General Interest
- The California Racing Report
- 11132 Winner's Circle Dr.
Suite 208
Los Alamitos, CA 90720-2869 - California Harness Horsemen's Association
Good Luck
