Some of the best miles in harness racing over the past several years have been those trekked by the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame’s free traveling exhibits
The “History of Harness Racing by Currier & Ives” exhibit, the “What is Harness Racing” poster series and the “A Drive to Win” display have been viewed by nearly one million people since their introductions. In fact, with a total audience in excess of 992,000, the exhibits will surpass one million in the near future.
“It really gives the sport a presence and respect,” said Gail Cunard, the director of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, which is located in Goshen, New York. “People might not understand what harness racing is, and who we are, but when they see the exhibits, it really brings it home to them.
“We are a historic culture to be admired and respected. Really, that’s what it is all about.”
The museum’s exhibits have been viewed at numerous venues throughout North America and Europe.
Currently, the Currier & Ives exhibit is at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, through February 14, and the Musee du Trot in Grosbois, France, through January. The exhibit includes framed original Currier & Ives lithographs, text panels, brochures and educational programming.
The CTW Foundation of Delaware continues to sponsor the exhibit in North America. Robert Tucker, the owner of Stonegate Standardbred Farm in New Jersey, is president of the CTW Foundation.
Among the previous stops for the Currier & Ives exhibit was the Russell Rotunda in the U.S. Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., in 2006. Then-Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Lincoln Chafee sponsored the event.
“Usually, displays go up there for one week, but ours was held over for a second week,” Cunard said. “That should give an indication of how well it’s been received.”
Other stops have included the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library in Ohio, The Society of the Four Arts in Florida, The National Sporting Library in Virginia and the Lincoln Presidential Library in Illinois.
Margaretta Wallenius-Kleberg of Menhammar Stuteri in Sweden is sponsoring the European leg of the Currier & Ives exhibit, which previously made stops in Sweden. It will remain on display in France in conjunction with the Prix d’Amerique.
The “What is Harness Racing” poster series consists of six framed full-color storyboards that promote the sport. One set accompanies each Currier & Ives exhibit and three other sets are sent out to fairs and other non-secure locations that cannot meet the facility requirements for the Currier & Ives pieces.
“A Drive to Win,” sponsored by Hanover Shoe Farms, gives fans the chance to know – or become reacquainted – with 27 of the sport’s most beloved and memorable drivers and trainers. The drivers and trainers were nominated for inclusion by harness racing fans as those that represent the backbone of the sport.
For more information about the traveling exhibits, or to book an exhibit, visit the museum website at www.harnessmuseum.com or contact Cunard at [email protected].
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.