When everyone comes together and thinks about the bigger picture, it's amazing what can happen. Look no further than the Orleans County Fair
in Barton, Vermont.
In 2009, owner Fran Azur covered the majority of the costs to add a special card of harness racing to the fair in Barton, where he owns a home and several businesses. In 2010, Azur has donated $25,000 to Barton -- $20,000 to purses and $5,000 for advertising and promotion.
“After doing a story on Azur in February for Trot Magazine, I knew my husband Dave and I would be going to Barton this year,” said New York Post handicapper/writer Debbie Little. In conversation with Trot's Editor Darryl Kaplan, the two came up with the concept of having the international races as an added attraction.
The two fields of four, dubbed the International Pace and Trot, will feature Herve Filion, Jason Bartlett, Stephane Bouchard, Jordan Stratton and Todd Whitney plus two surprise drivers that will be announced on race day - this Thursday, August 19.
"All the drivers were willing to give up a day off to do something to support our sport," said Little. "None of them have any connection to the Orleans County Fair but they all wanted to help. I think this is what Fran Azur's message is: give back and more and more people will do the same."
At a time when harness racing requires unity perhaps more than ever before, the list of participants who are answering the call to give to Barton's fair also give hope to those who wonder if jealousy and infighting would keep the business from ever coming together.
The International races will be sponsored by the Western New England Harness Horsemen’s Association at Rockingham Park, who donated $3,000. Horses will be donated by Tony Verruso and Todd Whitney and his owners. Trophies were specially designed by Whitney Fields of L.V. Harkness and donated by Dave & Debbie Little.
This is the 143rd year of racing at the Orleans County Fair and the first that will include saddle pads which were donated by Ed Ryan and Yonkers Raceway, Alan Schwartz and Monticello Raceway, Chris Tully and Goshen Historic Track and James Witherite of Harrah’s Chester. Dave Little, who announces at Goshen Historic Track, will be calling this year’s races at Barton due to the unavailability of their regular announcer.
The track at Barton was originally built as a clay track (blended with a little sand to keep it softer). Now it is considered to be a stonedust track with manufactured material as its composition. With the blessing of Yonkers Raceway, Ed Ryan (who has designed tracks in the U.S. and Europe) made three trips to Barton and worked with Dr. Stanwood Churchill (Director of Racing), Steve Vance (Track Manager), Rene Patenaude (owner and operator of S&R Grading) and Jason Sicard (owner of excavating and construction company J.P. Sicard, Inc.). Calkins Sand Gravel and Rock Products partially donated materials for the new track surface, which will be dedicated to founder Paul Calkins who passed away in February.
Without enough time to raise donations to fund the resurfacing project before this year’s race dates, Barton’s assistant racing director Kim Brooks took out a personal loan to cover the costs.
"I hope this whole thing catches on and people do what they can to help their own hometown fair. It's where harness racing came from and we can't afford to lose it," said Kim Brooks.
Worth Seemless Gutters partially donated brand new gutters that run along the 2,500 seat, 310-foot long grandstand. Yonkers Raceway donated two dozen Jason Bartlett bobbleheads to be raffled and is assisting in the printing of a souvenir composite photograph for the driver autograph session.
Jessica Schroeder, assistant fair liaison of the USTA, designed the souvenir photograph and will be on hand at Barton to assist in this year's event. Photographs were provided by Mike Lizzi, Geri Schwarz, Derek Davis, USTA Photo and Woodbine Entertainment.
Organizers hope the harness racing in Barton will draw fans from both sides of the border. “We're only 20 miles from the border," says Brooks, "and Barton has always been well supported by fair-goers from Canada.”