And They're Off! 4th Annual 4-H Harness Race Derby

 

Submitted by Pat Banker, 4H Community Educator

Harnesses are on. Race bikes are ready. Drivers are in their stable's unique racing silks. The spectators comprised of 4H youth from 3 counties and their families are choosing their favorite horse to cheer across the finish line. Who will be in the Winner's Circle being presented with the 2017 4H Training Race special horse blanket? The winners of 2 races will be known on Sunday, May 21st when the annual 4H Horse Camp is held at Franklin County Fairgrounds in Malone, NY. Races will begin at 1:00 pm.

4H Horse Camp has been a 30+ year family spring tradition. 4H youth age 5-19 will attend 2 full days with their horses and ponies attending horsemanship, horse health care, dressage, jumping, gymkhana, miniature horse training, trail obstacle training, equipment care, and showmanship classes.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the Standardbred racing program sponsored by the New York Agriculture and Horse Breeders Development Fund and instructed by local Standardbred race horse trainers and drivers. Volunteer horsemen and women will discuss how to become a race horse driver, how horses qualify to race, the history of the Standardbred harness horse, how to read a racing program, how owners choose their colors for their stable's racing silks, and differences between trotting horses and pacers.

The requirements to attend 4H Horse Camp are: being enrolled as a 4H horse club member and 4H horse youth are required to do a riding or driving evaluation with each horse or pony they will be using as a 4H project animal. In Franklin County 4H, youth are required to know basic health care, safety rules, equine body parts, equipment, and feeding requirements along with being able to safely ride or drive their horses alone and in a group. Riding levels include leadline, where an adult leads the youth on their horse, through Master Horseman.

For more information on how to get your horse crazy kid involved in the 4H Horse Program, contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension office by calling 518-483-7403 or visit http://franklin.cce.cornell.edu/.

 

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