Georgian’s Family Night A Success

Published: July 21, 2014 12:58 pm EDT

Not even Mother Nature’s fury could keep fans from attending Georgian Downs’ Family Day experience last weekend.

Despite dark clouds and a few raindrops fans lined up to enjoy miniature pony racing, bouncy castles, mini golf and rides around the track with a Standardbred racehorse. In fact, the sign-up list to hop in the double-seated jog cart for a tour of the oval was filled in less than a half hour.

People came from all over to take part in the fun, including one family that came straight from a Blue Jays game earlier that day.

“We were rushing checking the time hoping that we wouldn’t miss our chance to ride behind a racehorse,” said Stacey Marchand.

When asked if it was worth the rush, she said, “Yes! It was great, but it goes by a lot quicker than you think – probably because you don’t want the ride to end.”

Al Whiteside, a newcomer to the track, learned of the event via a radio promotion.

“I won my chance to ride with a horse on the radio and my friend’s wife tried to trade me my ride for concert tickets because she loves horses that much,” said Whiteside.

Over 40 racing fans – young and old – enjoyed the adrenaline rush of sitting behind a racehorse for the first time, and for each of them it was an experience they won’t soon forget.

For your chance to drive a racehorse here are events coming up at a track near you:

Saturday, July 26 – Hanover Raceway (Hanover)
Saturday, August 2 – Hiawatha Horse Park (Sarnia)
Friday, August 8 – Grand River Raceway (Elora)
Sunday, August 10 – Dresden Raceway (Dresden)
Friday, August 29 – Grand River Raceway (Elora)
Saturday, August 31 – Clinton Raceway (Clinton)

For more photos from Georgian Downs’ Family Day event, visit www.handsonhorsesprogram.com.

(Hands On Horses)

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