Grand River Raceway hosted its ninth annual backstretch Open House on Sunday, May 28 and attendance topped last year’s record.
More than 500 people of all ages came for a rare glimpse of horse racing behind the scenes.
A full tour of the Open House stations included: a tour of the judges’ stand and announcer’s booth; a tour of the paddock, testing areas, starting car and track maintenance vehicles; a blacksmith station which included free horseshoes for kids compliments of System Fencing, Stalls & Equipment; a booth hosted by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame; kids’ crafts and facepainting, and local reinsman Bob McClure hosted a station explaining the role of a racehorse driver.
The most popular activity of the day was the unique opportunity to drive a racehorse with the Hands on Horses Program and the Ontario Harness Horse Association.
Grand River Raceway extends its gratitude to the following horsepeople and other volunteers who graciously committed their time and horses to help with this event: the Hands On Horses Program (Stacey Reinsma and Brian Tropea of the Ontario Harness Horse Association), Tanya Martin, AJ Moore, Linda Rainey, Bob McClure, Emilia Hautakorpia, Ben Hollingsworth, Jackie Panko, Keith Klages, Stacey Currie, Lynn Gibbings, Esa Myllymaki, Paula McGuire, John Braid, Chris Polifroni, Jane Belore, Debi O’Brien Moran, Kyle Bossence, and George Ketros.
(Grand River Raceway)