Eight harness racing fans finally fulfilled their dreams this past weekend at Grand River Raceway
. They were keen participants in the Standardbred Xtreme Harness Racing Adult Camp, presented by the Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA).
“This is like a harness racing fantasy camp,” explained Darryl MacArthur, OHHA president and camp presenter.
Since 2003, OHHA has operated a series of very successful summer Harness Racing Camps for horse-crazy kids. This is the third year they have also offered adults the opportunity to get involved.
“Standardbred racing is about participation — you can be involved,” MacArthur enthused. “This isn’t about sitting in a grandstand just watching a horse. It’s about actually doing, not just watching. These are the kind of programs that OHHA is about — making sure we keep people involved and letting people know what a great product we have.”
OHHA is a provincial organization composed of Standardbred owners, trainers, drivers, grooms and breeders. They represent Standardbred horse people in contracts with racetrack operators and lobby on behalf of horse people to different levels of government. OHHA’s harness racing camp initiative is funded by the Standardbred Revenue Allocation Fund (SRA). In 1996 the Ontario Government reduced its provincial tax on wagering and allocated one percent of all wagering revenue to the SRA for the purpose of promoting and improving harness racing in Ontario. OHHA manages the funds on the horsemen’s behalf, all the while keeping the industry’s best interests in mind.
“The funds are used for our RRSP program, the Ontario Sires Stakes Program, to supplement purses at tracks, and for marketing initiatives — that’s where we have the funds available to run the harness racing camps. We recognize that the barriers to entry to Standardbred racing are relatively high — there are no organized leagues or clubs or groups that allow kids the opportunity to get involved. So, we felt this was a great way to allow young people an opportunity to engage in what we do. They’ll become involved and become fans and see this as something to consider doing as a career or for recreation.”
“The majority of the adults (in the camps) have some connection to the industry. The difference between the two is that with the kids, ideally, we want those who have no exposure to the industry. With the adults, our experience is that they usually have a connection and want to be able to take it to the next level. They want to be hands-on, as opposed to just sitting on the sidelines.”
Leah Dunbar, Roy Sproxton, Vadeo Sproxton, Gary Helmer, Ken Parsley, Scott Marrison, Jeff Oborne and David Lawrence were the ensemble of eight eager racing enthusiasts who spent the weekend with experts from all areas of the industry. Classroom topics covered a vast array of topics, including: anatomy, basic care, horse health, nutrition, horsemanship, stable management, conditioning, financials, fractional ownership and veterinary care. Equine Guelph’s Senior Manager, Gayle Ecker, provided expert equine anatomy and health insight, while Gwen Crosser explained economics. MacArthur hosted a panel examining the state of the industry and organizational roles, accompanied by Dr. Ted Clarke of Grand River Raceway and Craig Walker of the Ontario Racing Commission. OHHA’s Industry Liaison, Brian Tropea, racing veteran Jack Darling and driver/trainer Nick Boyd also provided a panel on horsemanship, training and driving. A field trip to Emerald Ridge Farm in Rockwood topped off the weekend, where Dr. Pat and Anna Meyers covered reproduction from conception to the yearling sale.
The highlight of the weekend was the time spent in the barn and on the track with the OHHA camp horses — four retired racehorses who now relish the attention from the new recruits. Each day, they spent two to three hours learning the finer points of grooming, harnessing, shoeing and jogging. Helping the campers learn the ropes (or reins) were some of the best horse people in the industry, including Hall of Fame driver Ron Waples. Their two-day tutorial culminated Monday night at Grand River Raceway, in two exhilarating exhibition races. In double-seated joggers, campers teamed up with professional drivers for a pair of thrilling half-mile dashes.
It was a whirlwind weekend for everyone involved, and a dream come true for the eight lucky harness racing fans. It is OHHA’s devotion to the bright future of the harness racing industry that provides opportunities for kids and adults alike to take their passion from the sidelines to the sulky.
(Hilary Eastmure)
I myself took part in one of
I myself took part in one of the previous adult camps. I would like to say that I had a great time. Good people teaching, and getting the chance to drive a retired racehorse in a exhibition race was exciting. Yes, it was my fantasy and the way the program is run is both fun and a great learning experience.I'd like to see more tracks offer programs like this.It does give people an inside look at all the different careers paths involved with Standardbred racing. I wish I could of had an opportunity like this when I was younger. But this will be a memory I will always cherish. Thank you all at OHHA and Grand River Raceway.