What do YOU do to promote racing?

[Bungalow Bill]

I try to discuss real time harness racing issues and current events around many tracks.

I talk about racing with my co workers and friends and do my best to spread the valuable experience of being a fan with everyone.

  I have been told to beware of you and your family when promoting harness racing.  Wish I could be more positive, but it seems you may be part of the problem if I was informed correctly.  Do you accuse everybody of cheating and fixing races?  Several top drivers can only win with drugged horses?  Lets clear these matters up before we can really help racing.  Thank you, Bungalow Bill.

[scojer]

As a handicapper,i still head out to the track every chance i get.Not like i did 15 years ago,but every chance i get...And thanks to people on this board,i took 4 of my grandbabies out to one of the big races last year,and got thier picture taken with the winner of the feature..All the kids got a whip from Kurt Sugg,and then Dave Palone gave my oldest grandson the whip he used to win the race when we went to the winners circle for the pick..So i know of at least 4 horseman from this board that contributed to that night...My oldest still talks about wanting to learn to drive emm..lol..Thanks again to all who had a hand in that night...

[beans and weenies]

JS  I also find officials and horsemen alike, willing to contribute and help introduce new folks to racing.  My problem is I am just so damn busy trying to stay ahead of the horse training issues that I don't have time to do the promotion end of the business and I think all us horsemen have the same issues.  It's not that we don't want to promote our business, it's just that we are too damn tied up with training, lamenes, vets, owners, family, trucking, and all those other issues that the last one one our lists are promoting our sport.   

[Unique Style]

Very impressive, Lockjaw. Congrats!

My stable is about 5 minutes from a Big Ten University, and my Bride & I host field labs for College students. (Mostly pre-vet and animal science)  We do about a 2hour tutorial on how we breed, train, race, shoe harness horses. Then we hitch a retired pacer that we've had since he was a baby, and give the kids a lap around the track on the jog cart one at a time. Nuke doesn't mind stopping and standing every lap as they get off & on. I only go about a 4 minute shot, but they always say that it seems so fast! They leave talking like Magpies about how much fun they had. And almost every one of them thank us before they leave. My Bride always makes a big pot of coffee, and picks up donuts & milk for them before we start.

We don't get paid for it, but it is really rewarding nonetheless. We always figure that if it makes even one fan it's worth it.

 

[The Giss]

Currently at Pinehurst, NC. Tomorrow, about 3,000 very casual racing fans, but many who strongly horse connected will be here for the annual matinee -- just 8 five horse heats in jogcarts, but featuring a variety of horsemen, including hall-of-famers. . HHYF will have a tent with information and activities including "Pin the body part on the horse (not a live hore ), a trivia wheel, and pacing boards, which allow you t get the feeling of how awkward pacing is. Our hope is to be able to do a program with or Trottingbreds next year.
Tonight I will be hanging with a number of prestigious Ohio-based owners cheering the Buckeyes on to victory.