The two days of harness racing that were scheduled to be part of the Logan County Fair in Bellefontaine, Ohio have been moved to the Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana, Ohio.
The races were originally scheduled to take place July 13 and 14. They have been rescheduled for July 15 and 16.
Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association Vice President and Champaign County Race Superintendent Randy Leopard says Logan County officials were thinking of cancelling the races due to COVID-19 and a modified fair. “They reached out to Lisa Schwartz of the Ohio Colt Racing Association to discuss the races and she asked if they would be open to letting another venue host," Leopard said. "They agreed and Lisa came to us.”
The Logan County Fair and Champaign County Fair are both members of the Ohio Colt Racing Association.
Leopard says they wanted to make sure the horsepeople had an opportunity to race. “It took a lot of work to make this happen," he said. "Between both county’s fair boards, the state racing commission, and the department of agriculture we got it done. We had to change dates to accommodate another fair and make sure we could get officials for the races.”
Fans will be invited to attend the races at the Champaign County fairgrounds. Leopard says there are plans for a food tent, a beer and wine garden, a disc jockey playing music between races and wagering. “We want an event that the locals can come out and support.”
The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association will live stream coverage of both days of racing in Urbana. Post time on July 15 is 6:30PM. Post time on July 16 is 1:00PM.
(With files from the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association)