The Harness Horse Youth Foundation (HHYF) and the United States Trotting Association (USTA) joined forces Wednesday, March 27 to expose more than 2,500 students of all ages to harness racing as part of the Kentucky Equine Youth Festival in Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The USTA’s Jessica Schroeder, along with HHYF’s Executive Director Ellen Taylor and Project Manager Keith Gisser, staffed one of the event’s most popular booths, with students lined up most of the morning to answer trivia questions about the industry.
Schroeder, along with the HHYF’s CDs Miss M, also made an impression in the arena, as she demonstrated the Trottingbred’s manners and maneuverability as part of a horse driving demonstration that also featured a Clydesdale, a Hackney Pony and a mini-horse. The only pacer on display wowed the crowd during her time in the ring.
“There were 2,500 kids at this great event and I think every single one wanted to spin the prize wheel," said Gisser.
Taylor was particularly pleased with the number of educators – teachers, 4-H leaders, home school parents and FFA advisors – who picked up the information packets especially prepared for them.
“It is very beneficial to provide harness racing and HHYF information to youth leaders of all kinds because they are a starting point for further education about the industry. From there, HHYF programs gain exposure and we start the wheel turning faster for our program attendance as well as harness racing awareness,” she commented.
The Harness Horse Youth Foundation is a charitable 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing young people and their families educational opportunities with harness horses, in order to foster the next generation of participants and fans. The Foundation has been making a difference in young people’s lives since 1976, and its programs include interactive learning experiences with these versatile animals, scholarship programs, and creation and distribution of educational materials. For more information on opportunities through HHYF, or to support its mission, go to www.hhyf.org.
(HHYF)